Bishop Hiiboro outlined practical steps toward peace and development, saying, “Peace begins when you reject tribal hatred, you refuse violence, you choose dialogue instead of revenge.”
He added that “development begins when you value work, you stop waiting only for NGOs, you start with what you have.”
On holiness, the Catholic Church leader noted that the youth’s pledge “to live a life of holiness, rooted in prayer, good morals, and Christian values,” emphasizing that “holiness is not for priests only. Holiness is not for old people. Holiness is for youth.”
“Let no one despise your youth, but set an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.” He explained that holiness means “saying no to drugs,” “respecting your body,” “faithfulness in relationships,” and “prayer, even when it is hard,” he said.
Quoting Don Bosco again, Bishop Hiiboro told the youth, “Run, jump, make noise — but do not sin,” adding, “You can be joyful and holy. You can be modern and faithful. You can be young and responsible.”
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On entrepreneurship, the Catholic Bishop highlighted the youth pledge “to embrace a culture of simple entrepreneurship, starting small and practical.”
He cautioned against unrealistic expectations, saying, “Not everyone will get an office job. Not everyone will go abroad. But everyone can work.”
Bishop Hiiboro encouraged practical initiatives such as “one garden, one motorcycle business, one tailoring machine, one poultry project, one phone repair skill.” He quoted Pope Francis: “A youth without work is a youth without dignity.”
The Bishop emphasized, “Work is dignity. Work is peace. Work is development.”
Bishop Hiiboro spoke about social responsibility, echoing the pledge “to keep society at heart, working for peace, unity, service, and the common good.”
He told the youth, “You are not youth only for yourselves. You are youth for the Church. You are youth for the nation.”
The South Sudanese Catholic Bishop urged care for “the elderly, the poor, the displaced, those wounded by war,” and called on the youth to reject “corruption, hatred, revenge, manipulation by bad leaders.”
He assured the youth of the Church’s closeness, saying, “Don Bosco walks with you. The Church walks with you. Your Bishop walks with you.”
Quoting Pope Francis, he said, “Dear young people, do not be spectators of life. Live, love, dream, and risk.”
The January 28-31 event brought together over 3,500 young people from across Western Equatoria State, drawn from its ten counties and 43 Catholic Parishes or her 5 Deaneries plus a Vicariate.
In a goodwill message to the young people, the representative of the Holy Father in South Sudan expressed his spiritual closeness to the youth and assured them of his prayers for the success of the event.
Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan noted that although he was unable to be physically present, he remained united with the young people “in spirit” as they celebrated the annual assembly.
Recalling his presence at the previous youth gathering, the Nuncio added, “I had the joy to be with you last year for the gathering at Yambio, and am with you again in spirit this year.”
He noted that the annual Youth Assembly coincides with the feast of St. John Bosco, whom he described as “that great Patron of the Young,” whose charism “continues to animate thousands of educational institutions throughout the world.”
The first-ever resident Apostolic Nuncio in South Sudan highlighted the mission of Don Bosco, saying, “Don Bosco worked especially for the formation — human, spiritual, and academic — of the poor, helping them to grow into mature disciples.”
Archbishop Séamus who has served as Nuncio in the east-central African nation since his appointment in May 2024, acknowledged the longing for peace in the country.
“Indeed we are all ‘athirst for peace’ in South Sudan,” he said.
The Irish-born Vatican diplomat, who, at his Episcopal Consecration, was assigned the Titular See of Árd Sratha expressed the hope that the young people gathered would take up the responsibility of promoting peace in their daily lives.
“I pray that the young people participating in today's Assembly will become peace-makers and peace-builders in their own families, in their schools and communities,” he said.
Archbishop Séamus recalled the Pope Leo XIV’s words to young people during the Jubilee of Youth in Rome on October 7, saying, “Dear friends, let us listen to the voice of God within us and overcome our selfishness, becoming active artisans of peace. That peace, which is a gift of the risen Lord, will become visible in the world through the common witness of those who carry his Spirit in their hearts.”
“That indeed is my prayer for all who take part in today's Youth Assembly and Festival,” the Apostolic Nuncio said.
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