Visit of Fr. Jeremias dos Santos to the province of South Sudan

On September 14, Fr. Jeremias and Fr. Daniele set off to Nyal by WFP flight [WFP – World Food Programme]. They were welcomed by joyful thousand of parishioners and IDPs from Leer that settled in Panyijiar county as they ran away from the war. It was a great moment of sharing, encounter and listening to the struggles of the people. The journey continued to Rumbek where Fr. Jeremias met with Fr. John Mathiang, diocesan administrator of the diocese of Rumbek, and shared about the commitments of the Combonis in that diocese. Particularly important and touching was the visit to the tomb of our late Bishop Cesar Mazzolari, buried in the cathedral of Rumbek. The following day they travelled to Mapuordit to have a first taste of the road conditions of South Sudan during the rainy season. In Mapuordit Fr. Jeremias met with the Comboni community and the pastoral workers. He saw the outstanding commitment of the Brothers in the hospital. The journey continued to Yirol where Fr. Jeremias had to get off the car several times and cross some huge potholes on the rough main road, strewn with trucks and cars often stuck for days and weeks. In Yirol, Fr. Jeremias met the confreres who are committed in the parish and in the field of education. The last journey was to Old Fangak with an hour flight from Yirol and three hours by boat along the river Bahr-el-Zeraf, to find also here a Christian community very united and joyful despite the miseries of the conflict. By Sept 27, Fr. Jeremias was back in Juba to meet the two communities present in the city, the provincial house and the pre-postulancy in Moroyok. All these were very important moments of encounter with the reality and Fr. Jeremias lived and adapted himself very well to the tough situations in which our confreres are going through.

Once back in Rome Fr. Jeremias wrote: “I treasure every moment of the visit. Thanks to all the confreres for your example, for your presence among the people, for the work you do with joy and dedication. We can really talk about your missionary presences as “existential parables”, clear signs of God’s Kingdom. I came to encourage you, I was actually encouraged by your example”.

Thanks a lot Jeremias and welcome back to visit the other missions we could not visits for lack of time. We hope it will be possible during a future visit.

The last journey was to Old Fangak with an hour flight from Yirol and three hours by boat along the river Bahr-el-Zeraf, to find also here a Christian community very united and joyful despite the miseries of the conflict. In the picture, from left: Fr. Christian Carlassare, Fr. Daniele Moschetti, Fr. Jeremias dos Santos Martins, and Fr. Schmidt Gregor Bog-Dong.

In Old Fangak. In the picture, from left: Fr. Alfred Mawadri,
Fr. Daniele Moschetti, Fr. Jeremias dos Santos Martins, and Fr. Schmidt Gregor Bog-Dong.

On September 14, Fr. Jeremias and Fr. Daniele set off to Nyal by WFP flight.