PAPAL VISIT SOUTH SUDAN: “Pope Francis’ Visit a Great Blessing for Catholics and South Sudan in General”, Says Catholic Bishop
Sr. Henriette Anne, FSSA
The Apostolic journey of Pope Francis to South Sudan is a blessing for us Catholics and the entire of South Sudan a Catholic Bishop in the country has said describing that the visit bears hope for peace and reconciliation.
“I am convinced that the visit of Pope Francis is a great blessing for us Catholics and for the entire South Sudan. Taking into consideration the dramatic national and international situation, the current visit bears the hope for peace and reconciliation on a global scale,” Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kusala of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura – Yambio said ahead of the Pontiff’s arrival in the youngest nation in the world.
In his message emphasizing on the pastoral visit that Pope Francis is to undertake alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields, Bishop Hiiboro said, “As Pope Francis is the head of the Catholic Church, he is keen to plant hope and peace everywhere, and that by itself will bring good to this country.”
He noted that despite the Pope being 86-year-old, coupled with some health condition, the head of the Catholic Church loves his flock no wonder the kind gesture to visit South Sudan.
The Local Ordinary of Tombura – Yambio Diocese goes on to explain, “I wish the Pope would address political instability, communal violence, rapid and faithful implementation of the revitalized Peace Agreement, discrimination when he meets with South Sudanese leaders. It’s something important for us. But I fear the South Sudanese leaders will tell the Pope that things are fine for the Christians here and they are cared for.”
According to Bishop Hiiboro who is Chairman of the Commission for Communication preparing for the Pope’s visit acknowledged that the ecumenical visit is a sign of solidarity and love the head of the Catholic Church has for South Sudan “despite the visible and invisible challenges,” the country faces.
The Prelate further prays that the visit brings good results not only to Christians but to the other faithful too since the Pope is a representative of Christians who spreads the message of peace among all religions and for the whole world.
He expressed in his Sunday, January 29, statement that the ecumenical visit by the three Church leaders makes South Sudan “a hotspot for peace.”
