SOUTH SUDAN: “You are to represent only one tribe which is Christianity,” Cardinal of Juba to Ordained New Deacons
Photo of Cardinal Stephen Ameyu and Cardinal Wako
Ginaba Lino
His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Ameyu Martin on Saturday, November 11 called on the newly ordained Deacons not to represent any tribe or nation, but to represent only Christianity in their new journey.
“Even though these people present here are all from different tribes, and you are also from different tribes, you are now called to this table to represent all the families here, you are not any specific tribe,” the new Cardinal of South Sudan said while addressing the congregants adding that, “You are not representing any clan, or any country, but you are representing Christ, you have only one tribe and that tribe is Christianity.”
Cardinal Ameyu narrated that the people of God should act in a very divine way despite being members of various tribes or countries.
“This Church is divine, but it’s human in the sense that all of us are members of a family, all of us are members of the clan, all of us are members of the region or a country, but we are supposed to act in a very divine way.”
He added that God has given the candidates awaiting ordination the divine grace that elevates the seminarian to deaconate.
“God has given us divine grace that elevates you now from being a seminarian or brother, to being a deacon who has acquired and gained from God his own graces. This grace of God will always transform you,” the Cardinal said.
You have to be people who reflect the humility of Jesus, his Eminence stressed.
“God has chosen us not to be professionals, we are to be people who reflect the humility of Jesus. The spirit of God has been given to me, that spirit is not the spirit of a master, it’s the spirit of a slave, of a suffering servant, the one who is ready to put himself down in order to save the people.”
He told the deacons to have the spirit of the suffering servants and make people free from the possession of tribalism and the possession of the sick.
He urged the deacons to have humanity daily because it’s very important.
“Humanity, and that’s what it means to be a deacon, a person who humbles himself in many ways, you will experience difficulties in your lives as all of us here experience the life of Deacons.”
He emphasized that being a deacon is not to be a master of the house but to be a master of the table.
“To be a deacon is not to be a master of the house, you are a master of the table, imagine to serve the people of God. You are not going to sit at the table, you are the one to serve at the table, so your lives have to be humble because God has given us this office in order to look after those who are in need.”
The Cardinal regretted the low activities of charity in the Archdiocese of Juba, noting that it is the responsibility of the deacons to serve the material needs of the people.
“I know the ministry of charity has not developed well in our Diocese, but we are trying to develop this ministry of charity. You are the practical to serve the material needs of the people. Although you were given to preach the word, but your main task is to help.”
He explained that the Church has progressed because of the service of Charity in the country.
He asked the new deacons to understand that the importance of being deacons is to help vulnerable people.
“It’s important for you to understand that God has given you his office in order to help these people.”
His Eminence appealed to the people of South Sudan to give space to their sons and daughters to become priests and nuns.
“We must work together; your families allow your sons and daughters to become priests and sisters.”
On November 11th, 2023, the Cardinal of South Sudan ordained three (3) young men to the ministry of diaconate.
