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“Work hard, be committed”: Vatican Diplomat to Catholic University Students in South Sudan

The Chargé d'affaires of the Vatican Nunciature in South Sudan,Mons. Ionut Paul Strejac. Credit: ACI Africa

The Chargé d'affaires of the Vatican Nunciature in South Sudan has cautioned Catholic University of South Sudan (CUoSS) students against discouragement, and instead make every effort to focus on their studies with commitment. 

In his homily Tuesday, September 19 during the Convocation Mass of CUoSS, Mons. Ionut Paul Strejac urged the students to become aware of their “important role” in the South Sudanese society, identify their respective dreams and aspirations in life, and pursue them. 

“Dear students, you have an important role to play; work hard and be committed, and don’t be discouraged,” Mons. Strejac said, and added, “When you find it hard through this academic year, just remember we started with the Mass of the Holy Spirit. He will give us new strength, a new heart, and a new spirit.”

Credit: ACI Africa

The Romanian-born Vatican diplomat continued, “As Catholic University students, you are called to put your hope in God and to be an example of serving and working for the common good of the society and the communities you are coming from.”

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“The Catholic University is a prestigious institution and has to bear witness in its way of doing things, the way the students behave, and the teachers,” Mons. Strejac said during the Eucharistic celebration that was held at CUoSS main campus in Juba.

He underscored the need for all those that are part of CUoSS family to be witnesses of “light for others”, fostering quality output. He said, “The quality, the engagement, the commitment, all these should bear witness to be a light for others.”

Credit: ACI Africa

“We need the help of the Vice Chancellor and the team, the commitment of the team of teachers; but we need something else, something stronger. We need the help of the Holy Spirit,” the Juba-based Chargé d'Affaires of the Vatican Nunciature in South Sudan further said during the September 19 Holy Mass. 

He went on to underscore the need to be attentive to the will of God in life, and the “special mission” to which God is calling each person.

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Credit: ACI Africa

“We all have our own plans and aspirations, but still there is something that is given to us by God. God gives us a special mission and is giving us His Spirit in order to fulfill this mission that He is entrusting us with,” the Vatican diplomat said.

He continued, “being in a Catholic University, we are aware that our work, our studies are special because they have to be rooted in God’s law, in Christian values professed by the Catholic Church.”

Credit: ACI Africa 

“What we are invited to do at the beginning of this year is to place God’s law at the center of our life,” Mons. Strejac said, and added, “With this Holy Mass today, we place God at the center of our lives and our studies.”

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Kerbino Kuel Deng is a South Sudanese journalist who is passionate about Church communication. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.