SOUTH SUDAN: “You Have Given us Confidence That We Can Unite,” President of Sudan Bishops Conference to Pope Francis

Sr. Henriette Anne

The President of Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SSSCBC) Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali has acknowledged that Pope Francis’ message during the ecumenical pilgrimage of peace to South Sudan has given the people confidence of uniting together in humility and in service.

“Your Holiness, in your words and deeds you have presented to us a profound moral example, reminding us of our obligations to God and to each another. You have invited us to rejoice in the Good News, and you have given us confidence that we can unite together, in humility and service, to pursue a more loving, just, and free world,” said the President of the Conference who is Bishop of El Obeid Diocese in his address to the Holly Father.

On his second day of the Apostolic Journey to South Sudan, Pope Francis met with the Bishops, priests, deacons, Consecrated persons, seminarians including catechists and the laity at the Cathedral of Saint Therese.

In his speech during the meeting, Bishop Trille welcomed the Pontiff to their beloved land of South Sudan and thanked him for the appointment of Bishops for their various Dioceses.

“Your Holiness, on behalf of my brother Bishops and all the faithful, it is my great honour and privilege to welcome you to Juba. With great reverence and affection, we welcome you to our beloved South Sudan, through which the great Nile River passes, the river which brought the first missionaries to our shores more than one hundred years ago,” the Prelate said and continued, “On behalf of the Catholic Church in both nations, (Sudan and South Sudan), I wish to convey our gratitude for your care in the appointment of bishops to shepherd our Dioceses.”

The Prelate also thanked the Holy Father for voicing out his opposing stand against the conflict that is destroying the lives of men, women, and children in the world and his readiness to always seek solutions to resolve disputes.

“We thank you for your passionate voice in opposition to the deadly conflicts that have ravaged and continue to ravage the lives of so many men, women, and children throughout the world; we are grateful as well for your admonitions to seek always to resolve disputes through diplomacy and to resist the impulse to war and all those attitudes and actions which foster strife,” he said.

“In your words and deeds, we recognize a model for us to imitate: your embrace of simplicity, the gentleness of your words, and the generosity of your spirit. These examples are for us living witness to Jesus and his teachings,” said Rt. Rev. Trille as he expressed that through Pope Francis’ words and deeds the people of South Sudan recognize in the Holy Father a model to imitate.

He added, “In your concern for immigrants, we see an example of the Lord’s message of mercy. You have urged us to welcome the stranger with empathy and to truly open our hearts to all, from the refugee fleeing war-torn lands to the immigrant leaving his home in search of a better life. Each of these is an occasion for showing compassion and love to the marginalized and the outcast, to those who have suffered, and to those who seek redemption”.

Bishop Trille has promised the Pontiff that the Catholic Church in the two nations will seek to embody what he has laid before them.

“The Catholic Church in our two nations seeks to embody the ideals you have laid before us. In collaboration with Caritas, the local Church expresses her faith in concrete deeds. The local communities, with the help of the priests, sisters, and laity, engage in works of mercy: serving the poor, ministering to prisoners, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, sheltering the homeless, educating our children, and fortifying the faith that sustains so many. Our Church stands in solidarity with those struggling to escape poverty; it has given voice and hopes to those seeking to break free from the bondage of violence and oppression,” The President of Sudan and South Sudan Conference of Bishops reiterated.