Bishop Lodiong further says, “The journey to restore hope and to consolidate faith and love in the Christian communities of the Diocese is still long, and there are many challenges involved.”
“Pray for me so that I may always draw strength from the Good Shepherd so as to spend and be spent for all,” the Bishop Lodiong who served as Formator, Teacher and Treasurer at St. Paul National Major Seminary in Juba before his Episcopal appointment in February 2022 adds.
The 53-year-old Catholic Bishop was ordained a Priest in June 2001 after completing his Philosophy and Theology studies at St. Paul National Major Seminary.
He previously served as General Secretary, Diocesan Bursar, Coordinator of Communication and Education, Diocesan Youth Chaplain, and Rector of St Augustine's Diocesan Minor Seminary in Yei Diocese.
In his maiden speech following his Episcopal Ordination on 15 May 2022, Bishop Lodiong pledged to live by “the protocol of simplicity and work”.
“I don’t want to see unnecessary protocols. I want the protocol of simplicity and work. The more we do our work in humility, simplicity and correctly, the more our church will succeed,” he said.
Bishop Lodiong added, “These protocols don't make things succeed. That's why I have chosen my motto of Episcopal ministry as ‘Be rich in good work.’”
“The riches we have is love and mercy because once we have all these, we will be able to move forward,” Bishop Lodiong said, and continued, “I'm ready to administer this Diocese but it's going to be by the strength of God.”
The South Sudanese Bishop also pledged to prioritize visits to “our people who are in the bushes”. He said, “I want to visit each one of them because there are so many of them who are being taught catechism; they are not baptized, and they are not confirmed; they want Confirmation and Baptism.”
He called upon those blocking people from reaching remote areas of the South Sudanese Catholic Diocese to allow him to reach out to the people of God under his pastoral care in person.
