Rome, Thursday, February 21, 2013
The Comboni Mission Center of Cincinnati offered a ‘Mission Night’ to welcome Bishop Macram Max Gassis, a Comboni Missionary and a native of Sudan. On February 15, 2013, a good crowd of friends and benefactors gathered at 7:00 pm to attend the bishop’s presentation.
Bishop Macram Max Gassis spoke in detail about his background as defender of the people of Sudan and of their human dignity over more than three decades. He then made a compelling case for the plight of the people of the Nuba Mountains in Sudan, who are currently persecuted by their own government with indiscriminate bombing, massacres, curtailment of relief and medical supplies.
The Catholic Church is just about the only organization that crosses borders to help the people of the Nuba Mountains in their struggle for survival. In recognition of his efforts in the defense of human rights and human dignity, in 2012 Bishop Macram Max Gassis was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
A reception, enlivened by freshly prepared Eritrean food, followed the presentation. Many people elected to stay and continue the conversation for another couple of hours. During his brief visit, Bishop Gassis also met with Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinnati, who had just returned from a mission trip to Honduras. The bishop’s visit to Cincinnati, accompanied by his longtime assistant, Ms. Sharon de Souza, came to a conclusion with the celebration of a Sunday evening Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary’s parish, in Anderson Township. The Eucharist was attended by a huge crowd of parishioners and friends.
From left: pastor of IHM, Fr. Tom Kreidler; Fr. Joseph Brian Quigley, mccj; Bishop Gassis;
Fr. Joseph Bragotti, mccj; and Ms. Sharon de Souza.