SOUTH SUDAN: Catholic Bishop Declares Funeral Prayers for Missing Priest And Driver in South Sudan, Forbids Revenge
Fr. Luke Yugue Mbokusa and his motorcycle rider Mr. Michael Gbeko,
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Amidst the dilemma surrounding the missing priest Fr. Luke Yugue Mbokusa and his motorcycle rider Mr. Michael Gbeko, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura Yambio in South Sudan has declared a three-day funeral prayer.
In his message dated Wednesday, May 22, Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala announced the funeral prayers from Thursday 23rd to Saturday, May 25, saying, “It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you of official funeral prayers for our priest and colleague Rev. Father Luke Yugue and his driver Michael Gbeko who went missing on April 27, 2024, when on their way from Nagero County to Tombura County.
The Funeral prayers start on Thursday 23rd 25th May 2024, ending with Funeral Holy Mass, Saturday (May 25th, 2024) at St. Mary Mother of God Catholic Parishes. The same order is equally in all our parishes and Institutions.”
Having postponed the funeral Mass that was to be conducted last week with hopes that the government would give directives but has not, the decision to move on with the previous plans reflects the gravity of the situation and the Diocese’s acknowledgment of the likelihood that the duo may not return.
According to Bishop Kussala, Fr. Yugue who was ordained in 2011, had dedicated his life to serving the people and the communities that the diocese sent him to serve. Besides, he “was deeply committed to serving the displaced and suffering people affected by the ongoing communal conflict in Nagero and Tombura Counties.”
The Bishop disclosed that as our Lord Jesus Christ gave up his life on the cross, and shed his blood for the salvation of humanity, Fr. Yugue and his beloved driver and friend Mr. Gbeko, also shed their blood while serving the people they were sent to serve.
Additionally, he narrated, “As our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by some of his very own, the people he was sent to serve, Fr. Yugue has been martyred by some of his very own.”
Kidnapping has been a great concern in some parts of South Sudan a situation the Bishop relates to ‘martyrdom.’ He notes that martyrdom of a priest is something new in the diocese of Tombura Yambio and to the entire community, no wonder he said, “We are all shocked to the core.”
Giving reference to the life of the Catholic Church on matters of martyrdom, Bishop Kussala said, “The early history of our Church is full of the stories of martyrdom. Our church was built on the foundation of the blood of the martyrs. It started with Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who gave up his life for his Church. Of the 12 disciples Jesus chose to succeed him, most were martyred by the people they were sent to serve. Fr. Yugue has also become part of that exclusive group.”
As the community and the diocese of Tombura Yambio mourn the missing priest and his driver who vanished under distressing circumstances, Bishop Kussala in his message declared a firm stance against any acts of revenge, urging the community to honor the memory of Fr. Yugue and Mr. Gbeko through unity and peace.
“Because of the brutal manner we can imagine, in which Fr. Yugue and his driver Gbeko died, many of us have been calling for revenge,” the Bishop disclosed and posed a concern, Where does the Church stand in this?
He expounded that from the Scriptures (John 18:10-11), how Jesus reacted when Peter drew his sword and struck one of the people who came to arrest Him and stopped Peter from that act of revenge. Besides, in 1 Sam 17:47, the Scriptures teach that the Lord does not save with sword and spear.
“We believe that no matter how weak and vulnerable the Church may look now, God is in complete control and that the battle is the Lord’s,” the Bishop said and continued, “God will never abandon his Church and He is going to use this trying moment to make his Church even stronger and more vibrant than ever.”
He noted that humanly, people allow emotions cloud judgment whenever they try to solve serious problems yet emotions can drive the solution far more than sound judgment; and at the same time can lead to targeting innocent people, and tear communities apart.
“All of us are in the process of building a peaceful nation where people from different ethnicities and communities can co-exist and join hands together to achieve the common goals that we gained independence. This dream can be achieved only through peaceful co-existence and not through divisions, violence, and acts of revenge,” the Bishop said stressing that the Church stands for peace and justice.
He concluded that even though the Church mourns the disappearance of Fr. Yugue and Mr. Gbeko, assuming they might have died, “The instinct also tells us that these two brothers are alive, we hold all that to the Author of Life, our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
