SOUTH SUDAN: Vatican Envoy Urges Bishops in Sudan and South Sudan to Stand with the Poor and Offer Hope
Ginaba Lino
The Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan, Archbishop Patrick Seamus Horgan, has called on Catholic Bishops in Sudan and South Sudan to stand firmly with the poor, offering not only material assistance but also spiritual care and hope amid the continuing crises facing both nations.
In his November 11 speech during the ongoing Bishops’ Plenary Assembly in Malakal Diocese, Archbishop Horgan added that “preferential option for the poor must translate into a privileged and preferential religious care,” emphasizing that the poor must remain at the heart of the Church’s mission.
Archbishop Horgan was addressing the Plenary Assembly of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Malakal, a town that has endured years of civil conflict and severe flooding. He said the gathering itself symbolizes the Church’s closeness to communities that continue to suffer displacement, poverty, and insecurity.
“Our presence here speaks of the closeness of the Church to her children, even in times of distress and danger,” he said, commending Bishop Stephen Nyodho Ador Majwok of Malakal for hosting the assembly despite the challenges facing his diocese.
The Nuncio urged bishops and community leaders to continue advocating for peace and reconciliation, insisting that the Church must remain a moral voice amid political and social instability. “We must continue to work for peace and for the silencing of the weapons of war in our country,” he said.
He warned that South Sudan’s cycle of violence, often driven by competition for power and resources, cannot bring lasting peace. “There is a need to form a new habit of mind that does not see the gun as a solution to disagreement or as the only means of obtaining influence or a share of the country’s riches,” he cautioned and added, “It is a grave problem that many still believe one must take up arms to get a share of the cake.”
Archbishop Horgan also extended solidarity to bishops in Sudan, acknowledging the grave challenges they face as war continues to devastate their country. Recalling his pastoral visit to the Archdiocese of Khartoum in September, where he met Catholic communities in Atbara, Omdurman, and Port Sudan, he said the visit revealed “the extraordinary courage and faith” of clergy and laypeople who continue to serve despite danger.
“The visit offered an insight into the extraordinary challenges facing our brothers in Sudan and the urgent need to pray for a peaceful solution to that cruel war,” he said, reaffirming the Vatican’s solidarity with the Archdiocese of Khartoum and the Diocese of El Obeid.
He echoed Pope Leo XIV’s appeal for the creation of humanitarian corridors and an immediate ceasefire, stressing that “the suffering of innocent civilians must not be ignored.” He described the Church’s presence among displaced and wounded people as “a living testimony of faith, resilience, and compassion.”
Reflecting on the Church’s spiritual mission amid turmoil, Archbishop Horgan reminded his fellow bishops of their duty to proclaim God’s message courageously, even when society resists. Citing St. Paul’s call to preach “in season and out of season,” and the writings of St. John Henry Newman, he said, “The message we have to deliver to the world is God’s own revelation of himself. It offers humanity the only true recipe for happiness in this life and the next.”
Turning to Pope Leo XIV’s recent apostolic exhortation, (“On the Love of the Poor”), released on October 4 the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Archbishop Horgan described it as a vital guide for the Church’s mission in today’s world. The document, he noted, urges Christians to renew their commitment to justice, compassion, and solidarity with the marginalized.
Citing the Book of Exodus “I have heard the cry of my people; I know their sufferings, and I have come to deliver them” the Archbishop said the Pope’s message affirms God’s enduring response to human suffering through acts of mercy and service.
“Poverty is hardly accidental nor natural,” Archbishop Horgan said. “It is often the result of greed and inequality.”
He echoed the Pope’s warning that an obsession with wealth and comfort has created “a bubble of luxury” for a privileged few while millions remain trapped in poverty. This imbalance, he said, is evident even in South Sudan, where “a small elite enjoys power and resources while most citizens struggle to survive.”
“In a world where the poor are increasingly numerous, we paradoxically see the growth of a wealthy elite, living in another world compared to ordinary people,” he remarked.
He added, “The Church is fully the bride of the Lord only when she is also the sister of the poor,” underscoring that the Gospel demands both compassion and justice.
The Nuncio warned that the greatest form of discrimination against the poor is not merely material deprivation but spiritual neglect. He urged priests and bishops to strengthen pastoral outreach to those most in need.
As he concluded his address, Archbishop Horgan encouraged the bishops to reflect deeply on Pope Leo XIV’s message, describing it as a call to spiritual renewal and pastoral courage in times of crisis. “Indeed, there is much for us to reflect upon in this first apostolic exhortation,” he said. “It speaks directly to our context and to our calling as shepherds of God’s people.”
