“Bakhita Radio” in Juba celebrated the 10th Anniversary

The request from the Episcopal conference of Sudan was to provide the Christians, at that time torn by war, of a tool for reaching out to them with news and human and spiritual formation programmes. The first proposal was to built only one radio, but after the CPA, the agreement between North and South in 2005, it opened the way to establish a radio for each diocese in South Sudan and one in the Nuba Mountains. It has been a great work of some of our confreres and Comboni sisters with a lot of obstacles and need of patience and sacrifices to establish all these radios that serve in a great way at least four million people all over the country.

The celebration of the 10^th year was a good time of remembering the starting moments and also the struggle to continue to broadcast at this difficult time of war and threats by the government. Many guests, other journalists and media houses, civil society organizations and participants to this event enjoyed and congratulated the achievements of Radio Bakhita Juba in this decade. The ceremony was under the theme “Radio Bakhita, the voice that speaks of peace: envisioning a real participatory, informed, reconciled and just society”. Auxiliary Bishop Santo Loku Pio of the diocese of Juba was the main guest together with Lam Akol Ajawin, chairman of the party National Alliance. Both of them stressed the point of giving to journalists in the country freedom to full inform the citizens of the nation to grow and working without problems and threats to their lives. It is an historical moment that the radios and media in general needs to contribute to bring reconciliation and forgiveness in the country, avoiding incitement to create divisions and tribal spirit. At the end of the ceremony were handed over to many participants some certificates in recognition of their support during the 10 years of broadcasting of Radio Bakhita.

We as Comboni Family (CMS and MCCJ) have received several certificates, especially for the confreres and sisters who have greatly contributed to this important service and gift given to the South Sudanese Catholic Church.

Comboni
sisters,
in Sud Sudan.
 

Closing of the Year of Consecrated Life

The Religious Institutes in the Archdiocese of Juba held a three-day programme to mark the day of the closing of the Year of Consecrated Life. The Religious Superiors Association in South Sudan (RSASS), headed by Fr. Daniele Moschetti, has launched the Year of Consecrated Life in South Sudan on 2 February 2015, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The programme of the closing of this year began with a pilgrimage participated by a large number of Religious men and women and many faithful. They marched from All Saints Parish of Rejaf, to the new Centre for human and spiritual formation, a trauma healing and peace building that is under construction in Kit, some 10km away, where the pilgrims celebrated the Eucharist. The main celebrant was Fr. Antonio La Braca, who was also celebrating his 50 years of ordination. The particularity of this participated pilgrimage was that there were 7 stations in 7 different communities of religious Institutes and historical places where the pilgrims stopped to pray.

On the second day of the programme a thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration was held in Gumbo in the St. Vincent de Paul’s parish of the Salesians of Don Bosco Family who celebrated the feast of their founder, St. John Bosco.

In many different ways all the celebrants and participants to the three moments stressed abundantly the meaning of Religious life in the Church and its mission in South Sudan today. The three days programme concluded with a Eucharist celebration presided over by Mons. Thomas Oliha, apostolic administrator of the diocese of Torit and former general superior of the Apostles of Jesus. A convivial supper and some good entertainments contributed to create a great atmosphere of joy and unity. A great sign for all the religious in this country torn apart by many divisions.

There are currently over 47 Religious congregations present in the 10 States of South Sudan. They are more than five hundred men and women from different countries who consecrated themselves to serve the poorest and most abandoned in the Church and in the society of South Sudan.