South Sudan and DRC pilgrimage
Betreff des ursprünglichen Themas: South sudan pilgrimage
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1MarthaJeanne
John, can you tell us more about the upcoming visit of the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland to South Sudan?
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-61618128
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-61618128
2John5918
Thanks for your interest. Yes, I can, although I hope you don't get more than you bargained for, as I can talk (and write) for hours about South Sudan and Sudan! The visit of the three church leaders is part of an ecumenical peace process led by the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) which has been going on since 2015, following the outbreak of civil war in the new country in December 2013. I've been very much involved in that process, although I am not directly involved in the organisation of this visit as I am now retired from full time work and act mainly as an advisor, mentor and source of institutional memory. Last month I was asked to facilitate a review of the church's peace process, during which a new generation of South Sudanese church leaders, including our new Catholic archbishop, recommitted themselves to it.
Before talking about the upcoming ecumenical pilgrimage, let me begin with an edited version of an introduction which I wrote for the draft report of that meeting, to give some of the background.
In December 2013 civil war broke out in the new nation of South Sudan. Within 48 hours Church leaders had met and issued a statement calling for peace, and during 2014 many voices were raised both inside and outside South Sudan asking the Church to begin a peace process, as they had done in past conflicts*. However, the South Sudan Council of Churches was not in a good position to do so at that time, and it was early 2015 before Church leaders went to Addis Ababa to strategise on how to work for peace, and to meet the Ethiopian Prime Minister who was leading regional peace moves. It was agreed to hold a retreat in Kigali in June 2015 for a wider group of Church leaders, SSCC staff and key international NGO partners, and from that meeting emerged the Action Plan for Peace (APP). I was one of the facilitators of both these meetings.
The APP was envisaged as a process, not a project, lasting for ten to twenty years, with an immediate goal to stop the war, but also to build a just, peaceful and reconciled society so that war would not simply break out again a few years later. It was envisaged that the actual implementation on the ground would be done by member churches and Inter-Church Committees, with the SSCC national office providing coordination and a degree of supervision. Three aspects were highlighted – advocacy, reconciliation and dialogue. Although they were seen as being inter-connected, overlapping, cross-cutting, inter-related, nevertheless for operational purposes they were to be viewed as three “pillars”. Later a fourth was added, institutional capacity building of SSCC. I was one of the designers of this process.
Advocacy was to cover not only international advocacy, which the Church had done so effectively in the previous war, but also internal domestic advocacy towards both government and people, working to change a culture of violence into a culture of peace. Dealing with hate speech was seen as a key part of this pillar. The Reconciliation pillar was to build on the work of earlier Church-led processes, with an initial focus on grassroots reconciliation but gradually working up to state and then national level reconciliation. The dialogue pillar was dubbed “Neutral Forums” and it was to use the model pioneered by the Church in 2002, creating safe and neutral spaces where different groups could dialogue in order to build trust, overcome specific obstacles to peace, and address the root causes of the conflict. Although primarily a high- and mid-level dialogue (political and military leaders, church leaders, civil society, intellectuals, business people, the media, women, youth, etc.) it could also take place at lower levels.
Since then, a great deal has been achieved by the APP, and there have also been some gaps and challenges.. But also, the context has changed in two major ways: (1) There is now a Track 1 peace agreement, the Revised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). A transitional government is in place, and the R-ARCSS calls for elections in 2023. Meanwhile, violence continues, not all armed factions have signed up to the agreement, many of its clauses are way behind schedule or have not been implemented at all, and there are serious doubts as to whether many of the key protagonists have the political will to implement the agreement as the mandate of the transitional government is supposed to end in 2023 with elections; (2) The Church leaders who initiated the APP have all retired or gone to their heavenly home. A completely new generation of Church leaders is now in office, many of whom have little knowledge of the APP. In addition, almost all the staff of the international NGO partners have also moved on, and their replacements too have little in-depth knowledge and understanding of the APP. Passing on institutional memory is a real challenge. For all these reasons, the time was ripe to review the APP, celebrate what has gone well and learn lessons from its weaknesses, induct a new generation into the vision of the APP, and discern how best to continue working for peace in South Sudan in the current context.
The Church leaders issued a statement reaffirming that “we continue to identify as the Church of Christ rather than individual churches” and recommitting themselves “to continue working for peace and justice in our beloved nation” through the APP. “From the beginning we insisted that our goal was not only to 'Stop the War' but also to prevent new wars from springing up. Thus, we pledge to continue our efforts to bring about a lasting 'Just Peace' in our nation through spiritual renewal, advocacy, dialogue and trauma healing, while encouraging all nonviolent means of bringing about positive change in our country. We will collaborate with all people of good will in this endeavour”.
Resolutions included the need to be attentive and responsive to the details of the R-ARCSS, particularly the 2023 deadline for elections and the end of the transitional period, and also other clauses such as security sector reform and transitional justice. At the same time the APP should highlight and champion indigenous South Sudan peace processes and not allow the process to be dictated by external actors. The impact of the humanitarian crisis needs more attention, and the role of women, youth, people with disabilities, and the diaspora needs to be emphasised and strengthened. It was agreed that Gospel nonviolence should be at the heart of the APP, not only as a mechanism for bringing about a “Just Peace” but also as a spirituality, a philosophy, a culture, a way of life. Resources on nonviolence should be distributed and also made available in a simplified form and in local languages.
There's the rather long background introduction. I'll now move on to the upcoming visit.
* My new book, the biography of the pastor who led the council of churches for ten years during a key period of the previous civil war, which contains an in-depth look at some of the previous peace processes, is currently being published and will soon be available on Amazon as an e-book. I won't name it here so as not to fall foul of LT's TOS, but if anyone is interested in the Church's role in peacebuilding in Sudan and South Sudan, I can give you details of the book.
Before talking about the upcoming ecumenical pilgrimage, let me begin with an edited version of an introduction which I wrote for the draft report of that meeting, to give some of the background.
In December 2013 civil war broke out in the new nation of South Sudan. Within 48 hours Church leaders had met and issued a statement calling for peace, and during 2014 many voices were raised both inside and outside South Sudan asking the Church to begin a peace process, as they had done in past conflicts*. However, the South Sudan Council of Churches was not in a good position to do so at that time, and it was early 2015 before Church leaders went to Addis Ababa to strategise on how to work for peace, and to meet the Ethiopian Prime Minister who was leading regional peace moves. It was agreed to hold a retreat in Kigali in June 2015 for a wider group of Church leaders, SSCC staff and key international NGO partners, and from that meeting emerged the Action Plan for Peace (APP). I was one of the facilitators of both these meetings.
The APP was envisaged as a process, not a project, lasting for ten to twenty years, with an immediate goal to stop the war, but also to build a just, peaceful and reconciled society so that war would not simply break out again a few years later. It was envisaged that the actual implementation on the ground would be done by member churches and Inter-Church Committees, with the SSCC national office providing coordination and a degree of supervision. Three aspects were highlighted – advocacy, reconciliation and dialogue. Although they were seen as being inter-connected, overlapping, cross-cutting, inter-related, nevertheless for operational purposes they were to be viewed as three “pillars”. Later a fourth was added, institutional capacity building of SSCC. I was one of the designers of this process.
Advocacy was to cover not only international advocacy, which the Church had done so effectively in the previous war, but also internal domestic advocacy towards both government and people, working to change a culture of violence into a culture of peace. Dealing with hate speech was seen as a key part of this pillar. The Reconciliation pillar was to build on the work of earlier Church-led processes, with an initial focus on grassroots reconciliation but gradually working up to state and then national level reconciliation. The dialogue pillar was dubbed “Neutral Forums” and it was to use the model pioneered by the Church in 2002, creating safe and neutral spaces where different groups could dialogue in order to build trust, overcome specific obstacles to peace, and address the root causes of the conflict. Although primarily a high- and mid-level dialogue (political and military leaders, church leaders, civil society, intellectuals, business people, the media, women, youth, etc.) it could also take place at lower levels.
Since then, a great deal has been achieved by the APP, and there have also been some gaps and challenges.. But also, the context has changed in two major ways: (1) There is now a Track 1 peace agreement, the Revised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). A transitional government is in place, and the R-ARCSS calls for elections in 2023. Meanwhile, violence continues, not all armed factions have signed up to the agreement, many of its clauses are way behind schedule or have not been implemented at all, and there are serious doubts as to whether many of the key protagonists have the political will to implement the agreement as the mandate of the transitional government is supposed to end in 2023 with elections; (2) The Church leaders who initiated the APP have all retired or gone to their heavenly home. A completely new generation of Church leaders is now in office, many of whom have little knowledge of the APP. In addition, almost all the staff of the international NGO partners have also moved on, and their replacements too have little in-depth knowledge and understanding of the APP. Passing on institutional memory is a real challenge. For all these reasons, the time was ripe to review the APP, celebrate what has gone well and learn lessons from its weaknesses, induct a new generation into the vision of the APP, and discern how best to continue working for peace in South Sudan in the current context.
The Church leaders issued a statement reaffirming that “we continue to identify as the Church of Christ rather than individual churches” and recommitting themselves “to continue working for peace and justice in our beloved nation” through the APP. “From the beginning we insisted that our goal was not only to 'Stop the War' but also to prevent new wars from springing up. Thus, we pledge to continue our efforts to bring about a lasting 'Just Peace' in our nation through spiritual renewal, advocacy, dialogue and trauma healing, while encouraging all nonviolent means of bringing about positive change in our country. We will collaborate with all people of good will in this endeavour”.
Resolutions included the need to be attentive and responsive to the details of the R-ARCSS, particularly the 2023 deadline for elections and the end of the transitional period, and also other clauses such as security sector reform and transitional justice. At the same time the APP should highlight and champion indigenous South Sudan peace processes and not allow the process to be dictated by external actors. The impact of the humanitarian crisis needs more attention, and the role of women, youth, people with disabilities, and the diaspora needs to be emphasised and strengthened. It was agreed that Gospel nonviolence should be at the heart of the APP, not only as a mechanism for bringing about a “Just Peace” but also as a spirituality, a philosophy, a culture, a way of life. Resources on nonviolence should be distributed and also made available in a simplified form and in local languages.
There's the rather long background introduction. I'll now move on to the upcoming visit.
* My new book, the biography of the pastor who led the council of churches for ten years during a key period of the previous civil war, which contains an in-depth look at some of the previous peace processes, is currently being published and will soon be available on Amazon as an e-book. I won't name it here so as not to fall foul of LT's TOS, but if anyone is interested in the Church's role in peacebuilding in Sudan and South Sudan, I can give you details of the book.
3John5918
Three of the major churches in South Sudan are the Catholics, Anglicans (known here as Episcopal) and Presbyterians, and their global leaders have long taken an interest in Sudan and South Sudan. Successive Archbishops of Canterbury have visited often, and Pope John Paul II visited in the early 1990s when Sudan was still one country, before the secession of South Sudan. Archbishop Justin Welby and Pope Francis in particular have been very active. In collaboration with SSCC, an ecumenical spiritual retreat for the South Sudanese political leaders was held in Rome in 2019, led by the archbishop and hosted by the pope. Various African church leaders played a role, including Ugandan Catholic Archbishop John Baptist Odama, Nigerian Anglican Bishop Precious Omuku, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Special Representative on Conflict in sub-Saharan Africa, and Nigerian Jesuit theologian Fr Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator. During the retreat the Holy Father shocked everyone by kneeling and kissing the feet of the political leaders. Those who were there tell me it was a very moving experience and it was hoped that it would be a transformative moment which would lead to progress towards peace, but sadly once the politicians returned home it was back to business as usual.
At that retreat the three global church leaders pledged to follow up with a pilgrimage of peace to South Sudan. It has taken three years, due to COVID and other issues, but now it has finally been set for early July, along with a papal visit to DRC. The government of South Sudan is cooperating fully with the ecumenical pilgrimage. As far as I know it will only be to the national capital, Juba, which is a pity, but it would be a real logistical challenge to go further afield. There will be ecumenical prayer events in various churches and also at the national memorial ground, and the Holy Father will preside at a mass. While many Catholics are of course overjoyed at this "papal visit", nevertheless it is important to remember that it is first and foremost an ecumemical pilgrimage for peace, not a denominational visit. The visitors will be welcomed with great joy by everybody. It's a huge boost to the morale of the suffering people of South Sudan, and will certainly be a boost to peace efforts; whether it will have a decisive impact on the political will for peace remains to be seen.
As mentioned earlier, South Sudanese church peace efforts are ecumenical, but the Catholic Church has always played a leading role. In most countries in the world the Catholics are only observers or associate members of the council of churches, whereas in Sudan and South Sudan we are full and founder members. The current secretary general of SSCC is a Catholic, and our Catholic archbishop has just become the chair of the council in a routine rotation between churches. The Catholic Sant'Egidio international peace group is also involved with the SSCC's peace process, focusing on engagement with the armed groups which have not signed the peace agreement. SSCC has also been part of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, with its secretary general, one retired South Sudanese Catholic bishop and myself participating in the two nonviolence conferences in Rome in 2016 and 2019.
I hope that's given some idea of what's going on in South Sudan with regard to the upcoming ecumenical pilgrimage, but let me know if you have further questions.
At that retreat the three global church leaders pledged to follow up with a pilgrimage of peace to South Sudan. It has taken three years, due to COVID and other issues, but now it has finally been set for early July, along with a papal visit to DRC. The government of South Sudan is cooperating fully with the ecumenical pilgrimage. As far as I know it will only be to the national capital, Juba, which is a pity, but it would be a real logistical challenge to go further afield. There will be ecumenical prayer events in various churches and also at the national memorial ground, and the Holy Father will preside at a mass. While many Catholics are of course overjoyed at this "papal visit", nevertheless it is important to remember that it is first and foremost an ecumemical pilgrimage for peace, not a denominational visit. The visitors will be welcomed with great joy by everybody. It's a huge boost to the morale of the suffering people of South Sudan, and will certainly be a boost to peace efforts; whether it will have a decisive impact on the political will for peace remains to be seen.
As mentioned earlier, South Sudanese church peace efforts are ecumenical, but the Catholic Church has always played a leading role. In most countries in the world the Catholics are only observers or associate members of the council of churches, whereas in Sudan and South Sudan we are full and founder members. The current secretary general of SSCC is a Catholic, and our Catholic archbishop has just become the chair of the council in a routine rotation between churches. The Catholic Sant'Egidio international peace group is also involved with the SSCC's peace process, focusing on engagement with the armed groups which have not signed the peace agreement. SSCC has also been part of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, with its secretary general, one retired South Sudanese Catholic bishop and myself participating in the two nonviolence conferences in Rome in 2016 and 2019.
I hope that's given some idea of what's going on in South Sudan with regard to the upcoming ecumenical pilgrimage, but let me know if you have further questions.
4MarthaJeanne
Thank you, that is very interesting.
5John5918
Vatican Unveils Itinerary of Pope Francis’ July Apostolic Visit to DR Congo, South Sudan
Scheduled South Sudan Ecumenical Visit “will unite youth of our diocese”: Catholic Bishop
Both from ACI Africa
Officials of the Holy See Press have unveiled the program and itinerary of Pope Francis’ Apostolic visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and what they have described an “Ecumenical Peace Pilgrimage to the South Sudanese Land and People”...
Scheduled South Sudan Ecumenical Visit “will unite youth of our diocese”: Catholic Bishop
The ecumenical visit to South Sudan to be undertaken by Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Jim Wallace in July will have an impact on young people in the country, a Catholic Bishop has said...
Both from ACI Africa
6John5918
Press releases from the Anglican Church and the Church of Scotland:
Archbishop, Pope and Church of Scotland Moderator to make historic ‘peace pilgrimage’ to South Sudan
Historic 'Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace' to South Sudan
Archbishop, Pope and Church of Scotland Moderator to make historic ‘peace pilgrimage’ to South Sudan
An unprecedented ecumenical “pilgrimage of peace” will see the first joint visit of a Pope and an Archbishop of Canterbury when they join the Moderator of the Church of Scotland in South Sudan next month. Archbishop Justin Welby, Pope Francis, and Moderator Dr Iain Greenshields will visit South Sudan from 5 to 7 July...
Historic 'Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace' to South Sudan
The Moderator of the General Assembly, Pope Francis and the Archbishop of Canterbury are embarking on an historic "Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace" to South Sudan... The pilgrimage was promised during a spiritual retreat at the Vatican in 2019 which brought together Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Very Rev Dr John Chalmers, former Moderator of the General Assembly, with President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Riek Machar, who is now First Vice-President, and other politicians. In a dramatic gesture at the end of the visit, the Pontiff knelt before the government leaders and opposition, kissing their shoes and urging them to pursue peace. "Remember that with war, all is lost," he said...
7John5918
Catholic Diocese in South Sudan Organizing 400-km Walk to Participate in Ecumenical Visit (ACI Africa)
The Catholic Diocese of Rumbek in South Sudan is organizing a 400-km walk involving young people to participate in the ecumenical visit that is part of Pope Francis’ two-African-nation pastoral visit.,, the Bishop of Rumbek gives directives about the “youth pilgrimage” that will see young parishioners between the age of 18 and 28 walk “up to 25kms a day” to join Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Jim Wallace during their July 5-7 ecumenical visit to Juba...
8John5918
Pilgrims to Come "from all over" South Sudan for Ecumenical Visit, Catholic Bishop Says
Catholic Bishop in DR Congo Says Papal Visit to Goma “announces love of God for community”
Both from ACI Africa
The July ecumenical visit to South Sudan will witness pilgrims from all the seven Catholic Dioceses of the East-Central African nation, a Catholic Bishop in the country has said. In a statement shared with ACI Africa Tuesday, June 7, Bishop Christian Carlassare reflects about the July 5-7 pastoral visit that Pope Francis is to undertake alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Jim Wallace. “Pope Francis is about to fulfill his desire to visit South Sudan as a pilgrim of peace. All his visits have a profound symbolic value,” Bishop Carlassare says. He adds, “On the occasion of the Pope's visit, pilgrims from all over the country will meet in Juba. They come from regions that still bear the wounds of the conflict”...
Catholic Bishop in DR Congo Says Papal Visit to Goma “announces love of God for community”
The scheduled Papal visit to city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is an event that “announces the love of God for the entire community”, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Goma has said. Addressing journalists in Goma Tuesday, June 7, Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele said the Holy Father is bringing “a message of peace and reconciliation for the whole region.” “The visit of Pope Francis on July 4 in Goma is an event of peace and hope that announces the love of God for the entire community,” Bishop Ngumbi said, adding that the Holy Father “comes to remind us that God is our Father, so there must be no discrimination among us.” “Pope Francis comes to remind us of the respect of the dignity of each human person, the brotherly love. And it is this grace that we have to receive”...
Both from ACI Africa
9MarthaJeanne
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pope-cancels-trip-congo-south-sud...
Oh, how disappointing!
Pope Francis has cancelled his trip to Africa on doctors' orders due to his knee problems.
Oh, how disappointing!
Pope Francis has cancelled his trip to Africa on doctors' orders due to his knee problems.
11MsMixte
>9 MarthaJeanne: I'd wondered how he was going to fare on a trip with his knee. It doesn't come as a surprise that the doctor said NO.
12John5918
>11 MsMixte: And Juba is not the most wheelchair-friendly city in the world.
13John5918
Pope apologizes for postponing Africa trip, hopes to visit soon (Vatican News)
Pope Francis says he wishes to reschedule his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan as soon as possible. While addressing the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope apologized to the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan for having to postpone his Apostolic Visit to their countries, set for 2-7 July, due to his knee and leg-related problems. Expressing how much this trip means to him, the Pope suggested he is optimistic and asked the faithful to join him in praying for the trip to take place as soon as possible...
14John5918
Pope Francis Prays to Reschedule Trip to DR Congo, South Sudan “as soon as possible” (ACI Africa)
I'm told that the other two members of the ecumenical delegation, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, are also postponing until the Holy Father's health has improved and all three of them can go together.
Pope Francis has said he is praying to reschedule the Apostolic trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the ecumenical visit to South Sudan “as soon as possible”... He underscored the value of his third Apostolic visit to Africa saying, “Dear friends, with great regret, due to problems with my leg, I have had to postpone my visit to your countries, planned for the first days of July. I truly feel great sorrow for having had to postpone this trip, which means so much to me. I apologize for this”. The Holy Father implored, “Let us pray together that, with the help of God and medical attention, I will be able to be with you as soon as possible. Let us be hopeful!”...
I'm told that the other two members of the ecumenical delegation, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, are also postponing until the Holy Father's health has improved and all three of them can go together.
15John5918
Ecumenical Visit Preparations in S. Sudan “will continue” Despite Postponement: Archbishop (ACI Africa)
Preparations toward the ecumenical visit to South Sudan “will continue” despite the decision to postpone the three-day event that was scheduled for July 5-7, the Archbishop of Juba has said. Addressing journalists June 10, the day Matteo Bruni, the Holy See Press Office Director, announced the postponement “with regret” of the Holy Father’s third trip to Africa, Archbishop Stephen Ameyu said the Holy Father is still determined to visit South Sudan. “We will continue with the activities that have been planned like meetings and other preparations,” Archbishop Ameyu told journalists about the postponed trip that the Holy Father was to undertake alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Jim Wallace. He added, “This announcement cannot stop us from preparing because the Holy Father is postponing his visit to South Sudan, not canceling it.” “The planned ecumenical prayer of this month will continue without any problem,” the South Sudanese Archbishop further said, making reference to a prayer initiative, which church leaders in South Sudan have organized...
16John5918
South Sudan: Church leaders encouraging hope as a nation awaits Pope Francis (Vatican News)
Vatican Secretary of State to Visit South Sudan July 5, Date of Postponed Ecumenical Visit (ACI Africa)
Pope to send Cardinal Secretary of State to South Sudan & DRC (Vatican News)
Churches in South Sudan over the weekend came together for a joint ecumenical prayer gathering at the Anglican All Saints Cathedral grounds in Juba... South Sudan’s Christian leaders brought together various Churches in Juba to pray for the health of Pope Francis and the now postponed Apostolic visit of Pope Francis. According to organisers, the ecumenical prayers were also an occasion for Church leaders to explain the postponed visit of Pope Francis. It was also an opportunity for the Church leaders to publicly demonstrate their resolve for unity and solidarity as they keep hope alive for the Pope’s visit...
Vatican Secretary of State to Visit South Sudan July 5, Date of Postponed Ecumenical Visit (ACI Africa)
On the day Pope Francis was previously scheduled to arrive in South Sudan alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Jim Wallace, the Vatican Secretary of State is set to land in the country. In a Thursday, June 23 letter addressed to all Priests, Archbishop Stephen Ameyu says Pietro Cardinal Parolin is expected to celebrate Mass and meet authorities in South Sudan during the July 5-7 visit, dates that coincide with the itinerary of the ecumenical visit was postponed...
Pope to send Cardinal Secretary of State to South Sudan & DRC (Vatican News)
Pope Francis is set to send Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to Kinshasa and Juba, after having to postpone his Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan due to knee pain...
18John5918
Pope at Mass for Rome's Congolese community: ‘Peace begins with each of us' (Vatican News)
Pope Francis celebrates Mass in the Congolese rite: ‘Peace begins with us’ (CNA)
At Mass on Sunday with the Congolese community in Rome, on the day he had been scheduled to preside over Mass at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa, Pope Francis asked for prayers for peace for the wounded nation and reminded Christians that they are called to “Live in peace, kindle peace,” so that peace may dwell in their homes, Church, and country...
Pope Francis celebrates Mass in the Congolese rite: ‘Peace begins with us’ (CNA)
Amid singing, clapping, and dancing to traditional Congolese music, Pope Francis celebrated the Zaire Use of the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday... About 2,000 people were present in the inculturated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on the first Sunday of July. Women in brightly colored traditional dresses sang and danced as they prayed the Gloria. People clapped and shouted as Archbishop Richard Gallagher incensed the main altar. The gifts were brought up to the altar in a dancing procession. Religious sisters in the pews stepped from side to side together to the music... The Zaire Use of the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is an inculturated Mass formally approved in 1988 for the dioceses of what was then known as the Republic of Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The only inculturated Eucharistic celebration approved after the Second Vatican Council, it was developed following a call for adaptation of the liturgy in "Sacrosanctum concilium," Vatican II's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. In a video message in 2020, Pope Francis said: "The experience of the Congolese rite of the celebration of Mass can serve as an example and model for other cultures.”
19John5918
Pope Francis “very much concerned about peace, reconciliation in South Sudan” (ACI Africa)
The Vatican Secretary of State who is currently visiting South Sudan has said that Pope Francis is “very much concerned” about the progress of efforts towards lasting peace and reconciliation in the East-Central African nation. Addressing Journalists at Juba International Airport when he arrived in the country Tuesday, July 5, Cardinal Pietro Parolin reconfirmed the desire of the Holy Father to realize his pastoral visit to the country and that he is praying for the people of God in the world’s youngest nation. “The Holy Father is very much concerned about the peace and reconciliation in South Sudan,” Cardinal Parolin said, and added, “The Holy Father is willing to come to South Sudan to share with you the communion”...
20John5918
Parolin in South Sudan: "Let's close painful pages for the country (Vatican News)
“We hope to be with you soon”: Church Leaders on Postponed Ecumenical Visit to South Sudan (ACI Africa)
Cardinal Parolin says he is leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo "refreshed by his experience.” Now he begins Tuesday the second part of his trip to Africa on behalf of the Pope. The next stop is Juba, capital of South Sudan, where - the cardinal tells the Vatican media accompanying him on the trip - the hope is to help bring about lasting peace, so that "there may be the ability to reconcile, and agreements may be found to close this painful page," perhaps before the general elections of 2023...
“We hope to be with you soon”: Church Leaders on Postponed Ecumenical Visit to South Sudan (ACI Africa)
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland have, in separate messages, assured the people of God in South Sudan that their ecumenical pilgrimage that was postponed will be realized...
21John5918
Cardinal Parolin at Mass in Juba: ‘War and corruption cannot bring peace’ (Vatican News)
“It’s time for responsibility, concrete action”: Vatican Cardinal to S. Sudan Authorities (ACI Africa)
I don't know how to post a link to the homily, as I received it only as an e-mail attachment, but I quote a few parts of it here.
The people of South Sudan must disarm evil with forgiveness, defuse violence with love, and resist oppression with meekness, because evil cannot be overcome by this world’s weapons and peace cannot be achieved through war. The Vatican’s Secretary of State made that appeal in Juba on Thursday as he celebrated Mass in the John Garang Mausoleum Park...
“It’s time for responsibility, concrete action”: Vatican Cardinal to S. Sudan Authorities (ACI Africa)
The Vatican Secretary of State who has been visiting South Sudan has told authorities in the East-Central African nation to take “concrete actions” to bring lasting peace. In his homily during Holy Mass at Dr. John Garang Mausoleum on Thursday, July 7, Pietro Cardinal Parolin cautioned against hatred, injustice, and violence. “Now it’s the time of responsibility and concrete actions. It’s the time to turn down the world of hatred, to break the yoke of every injustice in the country soaked by blood and violence,” Cardinal Parolin said...
I don't know how to post a link to the homily, as I received it only as an e-mail attachment, but I quote a few parts of it here.
22John5918
Let’s Work on Achieving Peace in South Sudan “before the Pope comes”: Apostolic Nuncio (ACI Africa)
The representative of the Holy Father in South Sudan has called on the people of God in the East-Central African nation to work toward achieving lasting peace in the country as they await the realization of the postponed ecumenical visit. Speaking at Dr. John Garang Mausoleum on Thursday, July 7, Archbishop Hubertus van Megen said the visit of the Pietro Cardinal Parolin is a great step towards consolidating peace in South Sudan. “It’s time for us to move forward and let us take a step towards peace,” Archbishop van Megen said, added, “The Holy Father gives us this task to do before he comes.” “It’s the time for us to work on it before the Pope comes. let's get things rushing because he gave us a few months more,” Archbishop van Megen said....
23John5918
Vatican Cardinal’s Visit an “encouragement to remain vigilant”: Bishops in Sudan, S. Sudan (ACI Africa)
Catholic Bishops in Sudan and South Sudan have, in a collective statement, described the visit of the Vatican Secretary of State to the East-Central African nation as an “encouragement” for the people of God in the two neighboring countries “to remain vigilant” before the realization of Pope Francis’ the postponed ecumenical trip...
24John5918
Pax Christi International and the JPIC Commission of UISG-USG will hold an online prayer service for DRC and South Sudan this Monday, 25 July, at 4 PM Juba time. It is meant especially to hold up the works of nonviolence in those areas. (These two countries are combined in this service as they were recently visited by Cardinal Parolin.) This one-hour Zoom event will include music and prayers, with photos and stories of peacemakers and advocates for nonviolence.
Register here
Register here
25MarthaJeanne
I was just reading about the disastrous effect UK reduction of aid is having on South Sudan health care.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-62244845
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-62244845
26MarthaJeanne
Somewhat off topic:
Just finished Ghost Season which takes place on the border between Sudan and South Sudan in 2002. As it depicts the civil war, it is not an easy read, but it is very well written.
Just finished Ghost Season which takes place on the border between Sudan and South Sudan in 2002. As it depicts the civil war, it is not an easy read, but it is very well written.
Anmelden um mitzuschreiben.
