He calls upon the people of God in his Episcopal See “to pray the prayer directed for Diocesan Year of Faith, to make an hour of adoration every day alone or with a group, and finally pray Holy Rosary daily and ask the maternal protection of Mary, Mother of help for our two brothers and many more.”
Earlier, in two separate statements, Bishop Hiiboro asked the leadership of Western Equatoria State as well as the national government to provide answers on the “whereabouts” of Fr. Luke and Michael.
In his April 28 statement, Bishop Hiiboro provided timelines of his missing Priest, who he said travelled “by road on Motorbike together with his Driver Mr. Gbeko.”
“They were last found online at 1:00 PM when called by Catechist Ngbandua of Maringindo,” the South Sudanese Catholic Bishop said, and added, “UP until now Fr. Luke and his Driver have not reached Tombura and are missing, their telephones are off.”
Meanwhile, in his April 29 statement that he addressed to South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, Bishop Hiiboro sought the President’s “intervention for the release and safety” of Fr. Luke and Michael.
Fr. Luke, he explained, “had gone on a pastoral mission to serve the people of God in Nagero County where he has been working. On his return on 27th April 2024, we lost contact with him to date. The area where he and his driver went missing is under the control of the SPLM/ (10) forces.”
“As a church, we appeal to Your Excellency to help us bring Fr. Luka and those with him alive,” Bishop Hiiboro said in his April 29 letter to President Kiir, which he shared with ACI Africa.
In his May 2 statement, Bishop Hiiboro says, “Our destiny is in God’s hands. God must change the hearts of all, bringing peace to this nation.”
“The Republic of South Sudan as a nation has suffered a lot and it should end,” the Local Ordinary of CDTY since his Episcopal Consecration in June 2008 laments.
He goes on to urge all South Sudanese to “work for durable peace”, adding that “for the last ten years, South Sudan has been in conflict and only tears and brokenness of innocent people have remained.”
