General Superior visits South Sudan (1)

The main purpose of this visit is to convey to the confreres of South Sudan the affection and support of the entire Institute, to witness their apostolic endeavours and to encourage them in their missionary commitments. It is also an important occasion for Fr. Enrique to meet the bishops and other local pastoral agents of the dioceses where the Comboni Missionaries are present.

Altogether they are expecting to visit nine Comboni communities, including the bishops. At the end of their visit and in the beginning of the provincial assembly, Fr. Enrique and Br. Daniele Giusti will guide the missionaries through a moment of spiritual recollection and will make a presentation on the current status of the Institute. Br. Daniele will also have a meeting with all the Comboni brothers of the Province.

Their first visit was to the Community of Talí, Central Equatoria State, where they joined the Christian community for the Christmas celebrations. The Comboni community of Talí has been re-opened in 2008 after more than 40 years without the presence of missionaries. This mission was abandoned in the sixties when the missionaries were expelled from Sudan during the long war that lasted for almost half a century.

The restoration of peace after the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), that paved the way to the birth of the new independent State of South Sudan, has permitted the return of the missionaries to this isolated corner of Central Equatoria. A moving moment of the visit was the celebration of the Holy Mass with the Christian community that lives in the site where the old mission existed. Ruins of the old church and other buildings are still visible and people’s faith is very much alive.

After Talí, they have visited Yirol Comboni community, in Lakes State, where they also visited Shambe, near Holy Cross, the mission where Daniel Comboni himself arrived at on 14^th February 1858. The Province is planning a pilgrimage on the footsteps of Comboni to this place next March as an event for peace and as part of the celebrations of the Year of Faith in South Sudan.

It has been a learning experience for the members of the General Administration who are given the opportunity to have first-hand knowledge of the situation, which is precious for their discernment. Both Fr. Enrique Sanchez and Br. Daniele Giusti are happy about the visit and impressed by the commitment of the Comboni Missionaries in the hard missions of South Sudan.
Raimundo Nonato Rocha dos Santos

 A view of the ruins of the Church of Talí Old Mission, South Sudan.