SOUTH SUDAN: Apostolic Nuncio Calls for Formation of Finance Councils
Ginaba Lino
The Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan and Kenya His Excellency Bert van Megen is calling on Bishops in South Sudan to form finance councils in all the dioceses according to the Catholic Church cannon law.
“We have a number of new bishops’ thank God for that. In the cannon law, the Church asks us to form diocesan finance councils, so let’s kindly do so.”
His Grace said, the cannons about the financial administration in the diocese are very much out of experience within the Church.
“You might you are limited, therefore in your way of handling money. However it’s for your own good. This cannons about the financial administration in a diocese, they are very much out of experience within the Church.”
The Apostolic Nuncio stated that the Church gives cheque and balances to see that they do not take discussion.
“The Church gives you cheque and balances in order to see that you don’t take discussion, and you’re not an administrator, you’re not manager, you’re not investor.”
There should be lay-men and lay-women who are able to advise and help on how to use the financial resources, “Bert Van added.”
“You need specialists, lay-men, lay-women who are able to advice you, to help you, whom you can trust upon in order to use their money.”
He added that the finance council and specialists can help in coming to a better management of the properties and funds that are available within the diocese.
“The money from the diocese is money that comes from the people, and therefore the finance council and specialists that you call in can help you in coming to better management of the properties and the funds that are available within the diocese.”
Archbishop Van Megen stressed that Catholic Churches in Kenya are also pushing for finance council’s establishment because it affects the financial management.
“Actually we are also pushing very hard for that in Kenya, it’s a big issue. I have seen our few dioceses because you know in Kenya we have appointed a number of new bishops’ and some of these dioceses absolutely bankrupt because of mismanagement that facing because people use money in the right way, or had very de-pocket themselves and money disappear.”
He cited there is a need for accurate financial report because all the donors need to see transparent financial reports.
“All the major funding organizations at this part, all the donors need and want to see transparent financial reporting. If there is any doubt about your financial report, you won’t see any fund any more, and that is the way it goes nowadays. So, that is something also we need to be more aware of and look in to I think it is a very important issue also for the future of the church.”
He appeals to the Catholic bishops’ to be kin in finance issues because what they are getting now from donors is not like before.
“Keep in mind that and I said it many times and you all know that your all the one involved in finances, what we get from abroad from donors is less. That kind of amount that was in 15, 20 years ago is not available anymore.”
Van Megen points out that, there is a need to take good care of their brothers and sister who are seeking refuge from Sudan conflict and treat them as their own family.
He added that refugees in a country can be a burden, but sometimes a gift to the country.
“Yes refugees that faced in a sense can be a burden, but in many ways they can also be a gift, they can be a new open for society if you read a bit through history you will find out many times influx of refugees changed a society.”
