SUDAN AND SOUTH SUDAN: Bishops Nominate Cardinal Ameyu President of the Conference

Ginaba Lino

Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference (SSSBC) has on 10^th of January 2024, announced Cardinal Stephen Ameyu as the new president, taking over from his predecessor Tombe Yunan Tombe Trille.

The declaration of the new president and other new office bears in the Bishops’ Conference was made on Wednesday during a handover ceremony at the Secretariat in Juba.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, the outgoing President of Sudan and South Sudan Bishops conference has called for collaboration with the new president.

His Lordship Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille thanked the bishops, priests, Religious men and women, and all the Catholic Institutions in Sudan and South Sudan for working together with him till the end of his four years on the position of Bishops’ president.

Bishop Tombe has appealed to his fellow Bishops, priests, Religious men and women to continue supporting the new president.

“I want to say a ward of thanks to the Secretariat, the staff of the Catholic University with their vice chancellor, the staff of Saint Paul Major Seminary with their rector and above all my brother bishops for cooperation and working together. And I pray and hope, and urge that this service and the good smile I receive visiting you will continue the same to the new head,” Bishop Tombe said.

Rt. Rev. Tombe regrets less service has the president of the bishops due to the distance and conflicts in the two countries, citing that it’s an opportunity for having a new president who will be available on the ground.

“I know that my diocese being very far, I wouldn’t have done very much, especially this time of war. But I think we are lucky having his eminence so near and many institution are here, many staff are here, it’s easy even to reach him with telephone costing you less than calling me in El Obied.”

He urges the staff of the Catholic Institutions, Bishops and priests to work with integrity to serve the people of God.

The new president of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops Conference His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Ameyu Martin Mulla thanked his predecessor Bishop Tombe Trille for servicing the conference for the past four years.

Cardinal Stephen Ameyu says the transition marks a new chapter in leadership of the great conference of Sudan and South Sudan and time for reflection gratitude and hope for the future.

“I stand before you today on the momentous occasion of the handover of the outgoing president of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops conference His Lordship Bishop Tombe Trille. To the incoming president as I address you, I’m happy to be given this office of service. This transition marks a new chapter in leadership of our great conference and it’s time for reflection gratitude and hope for the future.”

The new president Cardinal Stephen states that the outgoing president has guided the conference during challenging times, fostering unity, peace and progress.

He added that the outgoing president also demonstrated unwavering commitment to the conference and placing the wellbeing and the need of the conference has the priority.

“Under capable leadership, Bishop Tombe has guided our conference through challenging times fostering unity, peace and progress. So president Tombe, demonstrated unwavering commitment always placing the well-being and the need of the conference first.”

Our conference has achieved significant milestones and overcomes numerous obstacle like division and disunity, “The New president emphasized.”

Cardinal Ameyu further explained that the outgoing president embraced the principle of cooperation and unity ensuring that every Bishop’s voice was heard and valued.

The new President of the Conference appeals to all bishops of Sudan and South Sudan to work together in order to strengthen the conference as well as the Diocese.

The new president of Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference is deputized by Rt. Rev. Mathew Remiji the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wau.

In other new office bears, the commission of Finance and administration again was given to the Cardinal Stephen Ameyu, and Bishop Daniel Adwok the Auxiliary Bishop of Khartoum becomes his vice. The commission of Pastoral and Social Communication, Bishop Alex Lodiong Sakor, the Bishop of Yei Diocese becomes the Chairperson and Bishop Stephen Nyodho, Bishop of Malakal is the vice Chairperson.

Bishop Tombe Trille and the Bishop El-Obeid take led the commission of Seminaries, and Bishop Emmanuel Bernardino Lowi followed has the vice. Bishop Edurado Hiibore Kussala, the Bishop Tombura-Yambio Diocese takes the commission for Integral Human Development, and assisted by the Archbishop of Khartoum Michael Didi Adgum.

The Auxiliary Bishop of Juba Archdiocese Rt. Rev. Santo Loku Pio becomes the Chairperson for the Clergy and Religious, with Bishop Mathew as his deputy.

The Commission for Catholic Education is led by Bishop Christian Carlassare the Bishop of Rumbek Diocese while Archbishop Michael Didi Adgum of Khartoum deputizes him.

According to the Policy and Laws of South Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, these leaders will serve for the period of four years.