UGANDA: Papal Nuncio Delivers Peace Message to South Sudanese Refugees During Uganda Visit
Rt. Rev. Sabino Ochan Odoki recieving Papal Nuncio in Moyo-Arua diocese (1)
Fr Isaac Ojok
The Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan, His Excellency Eamus Patrick Horgan, has paid a pastoral visit, bringing renewed hope to refugees from South Sudan now living in Uganda.
In an interview with AMECEA Correspondent in Uganda, Rt. Rev. Sabino Ochan Odoki, Bishop of Arua, disclosed about the visit, describing the Nuncio’s presence as a sign of God’s love for the people, expressed through His servants.
The Papal Nuncio, accompanied by Rt. Rev. Alex Lodiong, Bishop of Yei Catholic Diocese, traveled to Arua Diocese in Uganda to meet South Sudanese refugees living in settlement camps. He carried a message of peace from the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, encouraging the faithful to nurture it in their hearts.
The visit coincided with the religious profession of the Sacred Heart Sisters of Moyo, a ceremony presided over by the Nuncio on January 3, 2026. The colorful celebration saw five sisters mark their Golden Jubilee in religious life, while one sister took her perpetual profession. The Nuncio expressed joy at the hospitality and vibrant faith of the local community.
Speaking to the congregation, Nuncio’s message focused mainly on peace, saying, “Peace begins from the heart. If we are to have peace, there is a need for it to be nurtured in our hearts.”
The visit was widely seen as a moment of encouragement for both refugees and the faithful of Arua Diocese, strengthening the Church’s mission of peace and solidarity in the region.
The visit of Archbishop Horgan has been described as coming “in the image of the Good Shepherd”, among the flock, particularly the refugees from South Sudan living in settlement camps in Uganda.
Bishop Odoki told the AMECEA Correspondent that the Nuncio’s mission was to follow his flock, scattered across Uganda, assuring them of the Church’s closeness and care. He noted that the Nuncio promised to continue making such visits, reinforcing the bond between the Church in South Sudan and the refugees in Uganda.
The Nuncio also attended the Golden Jubilee celebration of Rev. Sister Virginia Adou, a member of the Sacred Heart Sisters of Moyo and former staff at the Apostolic Nunciature in Juba, South Sudan. The event highlighted the enduring witness of consecrated life and the Church’s commitment to supporting its members across borders.
According to Bishop Odoki, the Nuncio was warmly received and returned to South Sudan “very happily,” expressing his willingness to continue visiting Uganda, particularly the refugee communities.
Bishop Odoki emphasized that the visit was a clear sign of the Holy See’s concern for the well-being of refugees and migrants, as well as its commitment to peace worldwide. He stressed that peace must begin in the heart and be nurtured through dialogue:
“We all have to work towards peace, and dialogue is very important if we are to have peace”, Bishop Odoki said in an interview.
This visit was not only pastoral but deeply symbolic, showing the Church’s global concern for refugees, its solidarity with the suffering, and its unwavering call to peace.
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