Three church leaders today issued a joint statement that “Much more needs to be done in South Sudan to shape a nation that reflects God’s kingdom.”
The statement was issued by Pope Francis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and Moderator of the Church of Scotland Jim Wallace, marking the 10th anniversary of South Sudan’s Independence. They recalled the 2019 meeting with leaders of South Sudan and reiterated the Pope’s past desire to visit South Sudan.
“We recall with joy and thanksgiving the historic meeting of the political and religious leaders of South Sudan at the Vatican in 2019 and the weighty promises made on that occasion,” the statement said. “We pray that those promises will shape your actions, so that it will become possible for us to visit and celebrate with you and your people in person, honoring your contributions to a nation that fulfills the hopes of 9 July 2011.
“On this day marking ten years since South Sudan’s Independence, we send you our cordial good wishes, conscious that this anniversary calls to mind your past struggles and points with hope to the future. Your nation is blessed with immense potential, and we encourage you to make even greater efforts to enable your people to enjoy the full fruits of independence.”
Pope Francis encouraged the leaders of South Sudan to “pursue the path of fraternity and dialogue” during his “Urbi et Orbi” Blessing on Friday, December 25, 2020, in the Benediction Hall of the Vatican.
Violence and religious conflict has been an ongoing challenge in South Sudan. Msgr. Christian Carlassare MCCJ, the newly elected Bishop of Rumbek (South Sudan), was attacked on April 25 of this year.
Recovering in hospital three days later, the newly elected bishops said: “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.”
Here is the full statement, provided by the Vatican:
Their Excellencies
The Political Leaders of South Sudan
Your Excellencies,
On this day marking ten years since South Sudan’s Independence, we send you our cordial good wishes, conscious that this anniversary calls to mind your past struggles and points with hope to the future. Your nation is blessed with immense potential, and we encourage you to make even greater efforts to enable your people to enjoy the full fruits of independence.
When we last wrote to you at Christmas, we prayed that you might experience greater trust among yourselves and be more generous in service to your people. Since then, we have been glad to see some small progress. Sadly, your people continue to live in fear and uncertainty and lack confidence that their nation can indeed deliver the ‘justice, liberty, and prosperity’ celebrated in your national anthem. Much more needs to be done in South Sudan to shape a nation that reflects God’s kingdom, in which the dignity of all is respected and all are reconciled (cf 2 Corinthians, 5). This may require personal sacrifice from you as leaders – Christ’s own example of leadership shows this powerfully – and today we wish you to know that we stand alongside you as you look to the future and seek to discern afresh how best to serve all the people of South Sudan.
We recall with joy and thanksgiving the historic meeting of the political and religious leaders of South Sudan at the Vatican in 2019 and the weighty promises made on that occasion. We pray that those promises will shape your actions, so that it will become possible for us to visit and celebrate with you and your people in person, honoring your contributions to a nation that fulfills the hopes of 9 July 2011. In the meantime, we invoke upon you and all in South Sudan God’s blessings of fraternity and peace.
| FRANCISCUS | JUSTIN WELBY | JIM WALLACE |
