Juba, 02 September, 2025 / 3:16 PM
The representative of the Holy Father in South Sudan has called on the new leadership of the Catholic University of South Sudan (CUofSS) to have the education of youths as a priority at the institution of higher learning.
Speaking during the installation of the University’s new Vice Chancellor (VC), Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan said that his idea of prioritizing the education of youths is not a novelty. “I know that already in its history this has been its motivating principle,” he said.
“The University exists, the academic staff exists, the administration exists of course for the benefit of the education of young minds,” Archbishop Horgan said during the Monday, September 1, installation of Br. Dr. Bruno Dada as the third VC of CUofSS.
The first resident Apostolic Nuncio in South Sudan reminded youths that the purpose of the Catholic University goes beyond academic learning. He encouraged them to seize every opportunity to enrich and develop their education at the institution.
“This university exists for you; it exists to help you reach your human potential,” said the Irish-born Vatican diplomat, and added, “That is the purpose of the university: to deepen our understanding of God and of His created world.”
In his September 1 address, Archbishop Horgan highlighted the Catholic Church’s broader vision of university education, and recalling the inspiration behind John Henry Newman’s idea for Catholic higher education, said, “The idea of a university in Newman’s mind was to give a universal education and that is why every university exists.”
He expressed the hope that the Juba-headquartered Catholic University is built for the future. He said, “When the Church opens institutions like that, she intends them to last; she intends them to serve generation after generation of students; and she intends that they be places of formation for the mind, for the heart, for the spirit. And that is the purpose of the University.”
The Apostolic Nuncio continued, “I would like to, on behalf of the Universal Church and on behalf of the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, to commend and congratulate all those who have contributed to building up this university in quite a short period of time.”
“In that sense, I thank Fr. Matthew Pagan, who has offered sterling leadership in this university for more than a decade, and I welcome Br. Bruno, wishing him every success in continuing that leadership,” he said, adding that he has every confidence that the university “will continue to flourish and continue to fulfill its role admirably.”
“I very much look forward to how this university will flourish and develop in the future,” said Archbishop Horgan during the September 1 event.
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