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Before departing on his flight to Africa on Tuesday morning, Pope Francis met with a group of refugees and migrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan at the Vatican.
Pope Francis said Sunday he is concerned about recent deadly clashes in the northern part of South Sudan.
The ecumenical visit to South Sudan to be undertaken by Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields, is awaiting the Holy See’s “official announcement”, the Archbishop of South Sudan’s only Metropolitan See has said.
Pope Francis is in contact with the head of the Anglican Communion and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in view of realizing their postponed ecumenical trip to South Sudan.
Members of the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) have, in a collective statement, urged the parties to the September 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) to commit to ensuring peace following the end of the transitional period.
South Sudan has political leaders lacking in humility, the Catholic Bishop of Wau Diocese in the East-Central African nation has said, regretting the fact that the lack of humble leaders does not move the country forward.
The pope released a video message in which he urged the Congolese and South Sudanese people to place their hope in God.
"In anticipation of our pilgrimage of peace this coming summer, we look forward to visiting your great country.”
The Bishop-elect for the Catholic Diocese of Yei in South Sudan, Mons. Alex Lodiong Sakor Eyobo, has called upon the people of God in the East-Central African nation to work together and be part of the Church that fosters “love and forgiveness”.
“There are no major risks” to Pope Francis’ safety in South Sudan, Bishop Christian Carlassare said.
On Monday, Pope Francis met the South Sudan bishop-elect whose consecration was postponed last year after he was shot in the legs shortly after his nomination to lead Rumbek diocese.
The shooting of the Bishop-elect for the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek in South Sudan last year was part of a plot to “scare him away” from the Episcopal See to which he had been appointed, and to have him abandon his mission in the Diocese, a suspect has told the High Court in Juba.
The Catholic Priest suspected to have been involved in the plans to shoot the Bishop-elect of South Sudan’s Rumbek Diocese has denied the claims, saying he was “not party” to the plot.
The people of God in South Sudan await the possible pastoral visit by the Holy Father “with a lot of anxiety and hope”, the Archbishop of the country’s only Metropolitan See has told ACI Africa in an interview.
The people of God in South Sudan’s Malakal Diocese are taking part in the ongoing preparations for the Synod on Synodality despite the humanitarian emergency due to floods, the Local Ordinary of the South Sudanese Diocese has said.
A Catholic Bishop in South Sudan has cautioned young people in the East-Central African nation against politicians who mislead the youth, using them to achieve their selfish goals.
A suspect in the shooting of Mons. Christian Carlassare, the Bishop-elect for the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek in South Sudan, lobbied to be appointed Bishop of the South Sudanese Episcopal See, a witness has told the court in Juba.
Pope Francis has accepted the retirement of Bishop Erkolano Lodu Tombe of the Catholic Diocese of Yei in South Sudan and appointed his successor.
Pope Francis and the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury are expected to visit South Sudan to “encourage the peace process,” various media reports indicate.
Three suspects in the shooting of the Bishop-elect for the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek in South Sudan closely related with one of their co-accused, a Catholic Priest, a witness has told the court in Juba.