SOUTH SUDAN: Bishop of New Created Diocese in South Sudan Calls for Action Plan on Climate adaptation
Photo of Bishop Christian Carlassare talking to the community of Bentiu in Juba during his arrival from Rembek Diocese
Ginaba Lino
The former Catholic Bishop of Rumbek Catholic Diocese who was appointed on July 3, 2024, by His Holiness Pope Francis to save as the pioneer Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Bentiu is calling on the people of South Sudan to have action plan on climate adaptation to reduce floods across the Country.
In his speech at his arrival from Rumbek Diocese on Tuesday August 6, the pioneer Bishop of the Diocese of Bentiu said there is a need for early preparation to prevent floods from destroying crops and households in the Unity State.
Bishop Christian Carlassare continued, “Floods contribute to the economic hardship which is facing the people of South Sudan, and we must look ahead and plan on how to prepare for possible disaster situation.”
The Italian-born member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) said it’s a challenging time as the people of Bentiu (Unity State) are trying to protect their land from floods.
“It is a challenging time, The floods, I’m seeing pictures of people digging and making dikes to protect their land from the floods and this is one of the challenges, the economic hardship, and maybe also sometime with a bit over-uncertainty that does not really help us plan for the future.”
“The people of Bentiu (Unity State) and South Sudan at large should stand together for peace and Unity to overcome such challenges facing vulnerable people,” said Bishop Christian in his Tuesday’s speech to the community of Bentiu during his reception in Juba. Adding that the people of South Sudan should always be close to Church, because the Church stand strong for peace in South Sudan.
“But it’s in hard time that we can stand together: when things are easy, people go their own way. The Church was very strong in our places in the time of the struggle, the peace agreement came, business came, and the Churches were empty and everybody doing business. But the business where did it take us.”
He emphasized, “The people of Unity State must work together to make the State truly united. The prayers and the faith of the people of Bentiu will change the suffering of the people from flooding.”
“I don’t come with many wards like that I know everything: I first of all come to listen to you, to the community because the Diocese is very big, we need to work for unity,” the Local Ordinary said.
The MCCJ member, who was ordained a priest in September 2004 and spend his life as a priest in Malakal Diocese of South Sudan promised to work together and make Bentiu a place that will embrace others.
“We are very happy because we will work together, it’s not only Bentiu, but Bentiu that will embrace all others, and we will do that in many ways.”
He further said, the Church have the dream and vision of crossing the border in South Sudan for building peace among the community.
“We may have roads one day, we can have bridges cutting the swarms. I think this is the dream and vision we have for the people of South Sudan, crossing the borders, not closing ourselves without the borders, so we need to be together.”
Bishop Carlassare adds that, the creation of Bentiu Diocese came because of the faith of the Christians who were there before him.
“So today, if the Holy Father listened to the aspiration of God to let Bentiu have a Diocese, it is because of the faith of so many Christians that were there before me.”
The newly established Catholic Diocese of Bentiu is preparing to officially inaugurate and install Bishop Christian Carlassare early this month.
