Prayer, unity, forgiveness, and reconciliation: this is the message sent, from a hospital bed, by the Comboni Msgr. Christian Carlassare, bishop-elect of Rumbek, in South Sudan, the victim of an attack in which he was wounded in the legs, during the night of April 25 to 26.
After the first medical attention at the hospital of Rumbek, run by CUAMM – Doctors with Africa, the bishop was transferred to Nairobi (Kenya) for further care and therapy. In a video message in English, addressed to the Rumbek Catholic community, posted on the Comboni Missionaries website, the bishop says: “I take this opportunity to greet each one of you, brothers and sisters in Rumbek. I am well and I am improving. It will take me some time to walk on my own legs again, but I am sure I will return to be with you. Please let us remain united in prayer and ready for forgiveness in our community. Seek justice with the same heart of God, that is, a merciful heart that can teach peace, mercy towards each person because these values are present in the depths of the heart of each of us. Even if I am far away, I feel united with you, let us remain united in this process of reconciliation”.
Msgr. Christian Carlassare, M.C.C.J., was born on October 1, 1977, in Schio, Vicenza, Italy. After primary and secondary school, he attended an orientation course at the Comboni Missionary Seminary in Thiene, Vicenza. He carried out his postulancy and philosophical studies in Florence at the Theological Faculty of Central Italy, and his novitiate in Venegono Superiore, Varese. He was awarded a baccalaureate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University (2000-2003) and a baccalaureate in missiology from the Pontifical Urban University (2003-2004) in Rome.
He made his solemn profession in Rome in 2003 and was ordained a priest on September 4, 2004.
After ordination, he attended an English language course (2004-2005) and went to South Sudan to learn the Nuer language at the Holy Trinity Parish, Old Fangak County (2005-2006). He subsequently held the following positions: vicar (2006-2007) and parish priest of the same parish in Jonglei State (2007-2016); member of the Secretariat of Animation of Vocations and Basic Formation (2011-2019); provincial councilor of the Comboni Missionaries, South Sudan (2012-2019); secretary of the Provincial Council of the Comboni Missionaries (2014-2016); vice provincial in South Sudan (2017-2019); and promoter of vocations and director of the orientation course (pre-Postulancy) for the Comboni Missionaries in Moroyok (Juba) (2017-2020). From 2020 until the present he has served as vicar general of the diocese of Malakal.
