“The parish must also avail one car to escort the youth,” the Italian-born member of the Comboni Missionaries (MCCJ) who was consecrated Bishop on March 25 directs, adding, “The pilgrimage is open to men and women between the ages of 18 and 28 years of age, who are reasonably fit, who are unmarried, and are involved in the life of their parish.”
In his letter in which he assigns Fr. Peter Garang the responsibility of overseeing the youth pilgrimage, Bishop Carlassare calls for individual contributions toward the trip, saying, “The cost for each person is 7,500 SSP (US$15.00), which covers food, accommodation, and transport.”
The youth pilgrimage that is to involve eight youth from each of the 16 Catholic Parishes of Rumbek Diocese “will be a powerful opportunity to come together as Catholics from all over the Diocese and be united with one another in prayer,” Bishop Carlassare adds.
He goes on to highlight the program of the youth pilgrimage saying, “The pilgrimage will begin on Tuesday the 28th of June and will last eleven days. We will spend the first week traveling to Juba by foot and by car, walking up to 25kms a day.”
“On our arrival in Juba we will take part in the Papal program,” the Italian-born member of the Comboni Missionaries (MCCJ) who was consecrated Bishop on March 25 says, and adds, “The group will return to Rumbek on Friday the 8th of July by car.”
In his June 1 statement, Bishop Carlassare acknowledges with appreciation the Holy Father’s solidarity with the South Sudanese saying, “The Pope has shown a deep concern for all the people of South Sudan and for the future of our country.”
Archbishop Welby and Rev. Wallace are to join Pope Francis in the final leg of his two-African-nation pastoral trip that is to begin in the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa, on July 2, and then to the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province in Eastern DRC.
In a May 7 joint-statement, the three church leaders described the planned July 5-7 trip to South Sudan as a “pilgrimage of peace” and urged South Sudanese leaders to foster the “way of forgiveness and freedom.”
On May 28, officials of the Holy See Press unveiled the itinerary of Pope Francis’ Apostolic visit to DRC and what they described an “Ecumenical Peace Pilgrimage to the South Sudanese Land and People”.
In another letter about the ecumenical visit dated Thursday, June 2, Bishop Carlassare invites “catechists and pastoral agents to attend the program in Juba on the occasion of the visit of Pope Francis.”
