Leadership “not power but service”: Catholic Missionary Priest in South Sudan to Youth

Juba, 28 August, 2023 / 11:49 AM

A Catholic Missionary Priest serving in South Sudan’s Catholic Archdiocese of Juba has challenged youth leaders in the South Sudanese only Metropolitan See not to view their respective positions “as power but as service” to the Church.

Speaking to the ACI Africa Wednesday, August 23 on the sidelines of a two-day training workshop that the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba Youth Association (CAJYA) Office organized, Fr. Linus Kang said that leadership among the youth was considered “a problem” in South Sudan.

“We thought it wise to organize this workshop so that they can start learning something about leadership and lead in their parishes as they grow higher to attain higher positions,” Fr. Kang said in reference to the August 23-24 workshop held under the theme, “A successful leader is influence and not authority.”

Youth leaders in Juba Archdiocese in South Sudan during the August 23-24 training workshop. Credit: Kerbino Kuel Deng/ACI Africa

The member of the Mill Hill Missionaries (MHM) explained, “To be a leader does not mean to use power, no; you use your influence (to) be a good example; you influence people to the right direction and in that case, our young people should look at leadership not as power but as service that you have come to serve.”

“I have realized leadership is a problem because when youth come to the offices in their parishes, the first two weeks they are active, one month they are active, the second month, they disappear; you don’t see them at all; they have misconception about leadership,” Fr. Kang said on the sidelines of the training bringing together 50 youth leaders from 19 Catholic Parishes of Juba Archdiocese.

Apart from leadership, the Youth Chaplain in the Archdiocese of Juba told ACI Africa that the youth leaders participating in the workshop will also receive skills in communication, psychology, conflict resolution, and the life of St. Sebastian, the patron Saint of the youth of the Archdiocese of Juba.

Youth leaders in Juba Archdiocese in South Sudan during the August 23-24 training workshop. Credit: Kerbino Kuel Deng/ACI Africa

“South Sudan has been in turmoil for a long time. There have been a lot of wars. We thought it wise to have something on conflict resolution: how do the young people who are leaders in their parishes engage other people to champion a fight for peace. The fight for peace does not belong only to politicians or Church leaders but it belongs to you and me,” the Cameroonian-born MHM member told ACI Africa during the August 23 interview. 

He added, “Peace starts with you and me. So, we believe these young people will start now in trying to navigate dialogue for peace and how they can also fight for peace.”