South Sudanese Government Official Hails Catholic Church’s Contribution to Country's Human Development

He observed, “Evangelization has spread Christianity’s values of love, forgiveness, unity, and coexistence across our communities. We have seen one great example of a doctor here, the first doctor in children’s health services, clinics, and hospitals that save our people.”

In his January 12 speech, the government official acknowledged the sacrifices of early missionaries for enduring “hardships, diseases, insecurity, and long journeys” in their “mission to preach the Gospel and uplift the human dignity of our people.”

“At that time, malaria was killing missionaries, the whites. There were no roads. There were only footpaths,” he said, and went on to describe the 100-year-old South Sudan Parish as “not only a place for worship, but a symbol of resilience, faith, and hope.”

For him, the people of God today have room and opportunity to do more. “Our time is much better. We should now do more than what they did.”

He said that while early missionaries in South Sudan had no houses, Priests, and other pastoral agents in the country today have places to sleep. He added, “Roads have improved, and we now even have medicine for malaria, which means we should do more than what they managed to do.”

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Governor Lojore, who also represented South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit at the event, assured the Catholic Church of the government's commitment to strengthening the existing partnership in the areas of education and youth empowerment.

“The government is ready to strengthen partnerships with the Church to advance this shared goal,” he said and added, “As we celebrate this centenary, I call upon the Catholic Church and faith-based institutions to expand development efforts, especially in education.”

The Eastern Equatoria State government official described investment in education and the empowerment of young people with practical skills as “essential for improving the well-being of our community and achieving sustainable livelihoods and economic growth.”

He lauded the Catholic Church for its role in promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation, noting that the Church’s voice helped save lives during difficult times. 

“The Church’s voice for peace, justice, and reconciliation saved lives and emerged as a light when the darkness seemed overwhelming,” he said, and urged citizens to commit themselves to peace and work together for development. 

He said, “Let us commit ourselves to peace, unity, and prosperity. May this centenary inspire us to work harder for a just, peaceful, and prosperous Eastern Equatorial State.”

Nicholas Waigwa is a Kenyan multimedia journalist and broadcast technician with a professional background in creating engaging news stories and broadcasting content across multiple media platforms. He is passionate about the media apostolate and Catholic Church communication.