Author: Anne

South Sudanese Prelate Encouraged Christians to Pray for an Increase in Farm Produce and Birth Rate

By Baraka John

As the Catholic Church commemorated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi, South Sudanese Prelate has requested Christians in all parishes of Tombura-Yambio Diocese to pray for an increase in farm productivity in the farming season to avert hunger.

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi is normally marked by a procession with the Blessed Sacrament.

Each parish from the six deaneries did a procession to celebrate the day. In the central deanery, thousands of Christians held a 3km procession to pray for an increase in farm productivity. 

The procession that was themed “Hail Jesus Christ in a Holy Eucharist” started from Yambio State Hospital to St Mary Mother of God Parish which included Christians from St Josephine Bakitha Parish and Patience at the State hospital joined the parishioners for the prayers.   

In his homily, Bishop Edwardo called on Christians to take time and pray for an increase in farm production as well as an increase in the birth rate among human beings to fulfill God’s command, who said, “Go out there and fill the earth”.

“Today we are praying that the gardens that we have planted may grow. We are also asking God to bless families so that there will be an increase in the birth rate because God has commanded us to fill this earth. So, we should use the things that God has given us properly, among it is to produce enough food and to have the number of people increased”.

Bishop Hiiboro said the procession signified that Jesus Christ is in our midst and pouring his blessing on the Christians, adding that Jesus knows all the needs of humankind.

“Today we shall be worked with Jesus on our streets, asking him to bless us. He is here, he knows our needs, among the needs we have put before him are our garden and the increase in birth rate, we need to produce”.

The local ordinary of CDTY strongly emphasizes the importance of engaging, urging Christians to discharge their duties with passion and love in order to get better rewards.

“Love your job, do it effectively, and diligently so as to get a better reward. If you are given an assignment, take it wholeheartedly show passion and love to do the work neatly”.

The Sunday feast was also used to pray for unity among people to pave the way for the peace of the Lord to prevail among His people and create a conducive environment for humankind.

Fr. Gamboripai William Abbass, “Respect this Mysterious Act of Jesus Offering His Own Flesh for the Salvation”

Mid–West Holy Spirit Deanery

 Fr. Gamboripai William Abbass the Episcopal Vicar of the Mid–West Holy Spirit Deanery and the Parish Priest of Regina Mundi Parish, St. Cecilia Bagidi Parish, and Bethlehem Parish shared with Rurugene online newsletter the way they celebrated the big day of Corpus Christi.

Many from Regina Mundi and Bethlehem parishes gathered at Ezo hospital where a procession of Corpus Christi started this morning going to the two parishes. The procession was led by two priests Fr William Abbass and Fr. Abraham Abayo. The commissioner of Ezo County Hon Abel Sudan joined the congregation to attend the procession, adoration, and Holy Mass of Corpus Christi.

Speaking at the opening prayers Rev. Fr. Abbass called on the Christians to respect this mysterious act of Jesus offering his own flesh for the salvation of mankind. He encouraged the congregation to find healing through the body and blood of Jesus. He then reiterated the call of the Bishop to pray for good farm yield and human reproduction.

He also encouraged the sick to believe in Jesus for healing and health workers to work to accomplish the Lord’s mission of healing on this Sunday of Christ Jesus.

In his homily, Fr. Abbass stressed the importance of Christ offering his body and blood for our sake by the grace of which we have abundant healing. He then urged the Christians to always observe a total dedication during the consecration at every holy Mass adding that it’s a mysterious moment during the Mass, a moment of miracle.

He further reflected on the two themes of prayers initiated by the Bishop of the CDTY to pray during the Eucharistic celebration and adoration for good farm production and human reproduction.

Fr. Abbass called upon the congregants to work hard and produce food in abundance as we pray for human reproduction.

He added that every woman needs food during pregnancy and after delivery to avoid anemia in order to have good health, and men too should eat well to work more on the farm. He continued and stressed that it should not only be farming for consumption but also for business since we have the available land that bears all the money that we need to reduce this monetary crisis in the country.

For his part, the commissioner of Ezo County Hon Abel Sudan emphasized the two themes of prayers of good farming yield and human reproduction adding that these are powerful blessings to the people of the County. Hon. Abel elaborated on his visit to Nabiapai a market bordering DRC, CAR, and South Sudan to stabilize the illegal cash collection that goes on at the market, he encouraged the general public to report any security threat to prevent instability.

“Peace is the Only Tool to Achieve Success,” says CODEP as they Continued with Peace-Building Program in Tombura

By Waure Emmanuel Eddy

Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CODEP), has conducted three days workshop in Tambura County on the provision of identification of tribes to create awareness and advocacy on Gender Equality in making decisions for peacebuilding.

CODEP is running a series of activities under the Catholic Diocese of Tambura Yambio, and the Peace Building Project which was funded by the United States Embassy Juba, implemented by CODEP under Peace Building.

 The three-day workshop brought about 60 participants from different communities in Tambura, basing their discussion on focus group discussions with chiefs, faith Based, youth, students, women, and men on conflict resolutions and transformation.

Speaking during the opening of the three-day training, Mr. Justin Gunde Michael the acting Executive Director of Tambura County, acknowledged that this peace-building program is very important to the communities of Tambura because they are yearning for peace adding that CODEP is doing great work in Tambura, Yambio, and Ezo which means they will have sustainable peace.

On the other hand, Justin added that the authority of Tambura County is fully cooperative with (CODEP), for the effective success of this peace-building program in Tambura.

The participants acknowledged that they have seen a great change in this peace-building program and asked CODEP to continue with the program in Tambura for better peace in their localities.

Pioneer Catholic Bishop of Sudan’s El Obeid Diocese Eulogized as “Human Right Defender, a Good Leader and a Man of Prayer

By Sr. Henriette Anne (FSSA)

Bishop Macram Max Gassis, the first Catholic Bishop of El Obeid Diocese in Sudan, passed on in the U.S. at the age of 84. 

“On behalf of the Social Communication in our Bishop’s conference and above all in the Board of Governors for Catholic Radio Network, Board member of the University Council of Eastern Africa, Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, send to his family and diocese of El Obeid, Bishop Trile Tombe our sincere sympathy for the death Bishop Macram”, reads part of the statement signed by bishop Eduardo.

In a statement shared with Rurugene Online Newsletter the Bishop of South Sudan, Tombura – Yambio Diocese, Bishop Eduardo, eulogized the late bishop Macram as a “human rights defender, a good leader, and a man of prayer”.

“I have a fond memory of him, and his great admirer, in most of his responsibilities l, have had stepped into them to replace this great veteran. We shall truly miss him”, he continued, “Bishop Macram, a man of God indeed. He spent many hours daily and weekly in his little Bishop’s chapel. His fidelity to a life of prayer remained through all the dark days in the end, where his breviary and some prayer books were the only companions, he kept with him for his reading and prayer life. One could talk of his administrative skills and his erudition, his courage or braveness, his love for the poor and needy, his fight for justice, and his profound understanding of canon law and his knowledge of history but it was his love for the Church, especially the leadership of the Church, that marked him”.

Bishop Eduardo says in his Monday, June statement, “he had such talent and his gifts all pointed towards him playing a role of significant leadership in the Church, especially as his relationship with his priests grew stronger”.

The member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) died on Sunday, June 4, MCCJ Superior General, Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie announced in a statement that indicates that the late Bishop died in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.

The late Bishop Macram was born in September 1938 in Khartoum and ordained a Priest in June 1964 in Rome, Italy. He returned to his home Diocese of El Obeid in 1965, and served as assistant Parish Priest in Wad Medani.

Following the fall accusation by then the president of Sudan for supporting the rebellion of South Sudan and Nuba mountains paid him the huge price of being exiled from his country when he faced a major threat to his life, bishop Eduardo noted.

The prelate added, “We thank him for his creative work for the church in Sudan and South Sudan, his leadership of the Bishops Conference (it was he who influenced the setting up of the Catholic Radio Network, Catholic University, Rights of the Nuba People) and his care for the works of compassion and welfare in the diocese of El Obeid, Nuba people, the Republic Sudan and the whole New Republic of South Sudan. We are all in debt to this Holy Man”.

Bishop Eduardo’s Invitation to All Episcopal Vicars, Parish Priests, Heads of Institutions, and All the Faithful of CDTY on Corpus Christi Sunday

                                                                                                                  June 2, 2023

To: Episcopal Vicars, Parish Priests, Heads of Institutions, and All the Faithful of CDTY!

Dear Brethren,                                                                                              

Ref. Corpus Christi Procession Announcement

June 11^th, 2023, is the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ…Corpus Christi. Since the 13th century, one of the ways to honor this Gift to us is by processing through the streets with the Blessed Sacrament and publicly showing our belief in and offering our adoration to Our Lord in the Eucharist.

Theme:  Walking with Christ for Rich Harvest of our Farms, An increased Birthrates in our nation.

We pray for this year’s increase in our farm produce and high production of Birthrates. Since we, as a diocese through our parishes, cannot celebrate Holy Mass together and come to Church and receive Jesus at this time, He will come to YOU! Beginning at 8:00 a.m. on this Sunday indicated.

As we travel throughout the parishes in our diocese from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., we will go through as many blocks as possible from where our parishes are located, blessing the residents who live there. Please encourage your faithful to come along the ways where Jesus will be passing, those who may be at homes or places of their works When you hear the passing of Jesus in the procession, come outside and stand in front of your house or place to receive a blessing. Hopefully, it will be a beautiful day!

I would like to suggest to you that, you can use any splendid means to carry Jesus, by hand, car, horse, bicycle, motorbike, etc, and engaging some groups to lead will be fine.

NB. The Feast of Corpus Christi and its Relationship to the Eucharist

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the whole Christian life. The feast of Corpus Christi is a celebration of Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist. It parallels the celebration of Holy Thursday in commemoration of the institution of this sacrament. When the Eucharist is carried through the streets in solemn procession, the Christian people give public witness of their faith and devotion toward the sacrament of the Eucharist

The Sacrament of the Eucharist is a sign and cause of the unity of Christ’s Mystical Body because it stirs up an active “ecclesial” spirit in those who are more fervent in their Eucharistic devotion. Eucharistic adoration cannot be detached from the liturgical and communal celebration of the sacrament or from the commitment to the poor and to justice. One draws strength and justification from the other.

The Corpus Christi procession is a centuries-old tradition of the Catholic faith to process the Real Presence of Jesus — the Eucharist — in public. The feast of Corpus Christi was established, in 1247.

Processions, ordinarily led by the cross, are an expression of the fact that the Christian life is a constant movement toward God and that prayer is always a kind of “walking with God”; they are a public image of the Church in continual pilgrimage here on earth.

1. the cross bearer carrying the cross or banner, flanked by the candle bearers;
2. religious associations, devotion groups, Institutions like schools, etc., perhaps carrying their own banners;
3. religious in their habits;
4. the clergy, in choir dress (and copes if available);
5. the concelebrants of the Mass;
6. the two thurifers in front of the canopy, customarily swing the thuribles with their inside hands. (Note: They should not walk backward. But the boat bearer walks to one side of them, not at the center. When required, he goes to the thurifers and places incense in the thuribles in the course of the procession.)

Brothers and Sisters, we bring Christ, present under the sign of bread, onto the roads of our city. We entrust these streets, these homes, and our daily life, to his goodness. May our roads be the roads of Jesus! May our houses be homes for him and with him! May our life of every day be penetrated by his presence.

With this gesture, let us place under his eyes the sufferings of the sick, the LACK OF PEACE AND VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRIES, the solitude of young people and the elderly, temptations, and fears — our entire life. The procession represents an immense and public blessing for our city: Christ is, in person, the divine Blessing for the world. May the ray of his blessing extend to us all!

With our theme, please let us from now on be Walking with Christ for a Rich Harvest of our Farms, An increased Birthrates in our nation.

Know this brother, in the Corpus Domini procession, we walk with the Risen One on his journey to meet the entire world. See you all on Sunday!

With love and blessings,

+ Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala

Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio

Fr. Santino Wise Makuei, “Use the Great Gift of the Holy Spirit that You have Received to Pray for Your Brothers and Sisters”

By Sr. Henriette Anne (FSSA)

“Dear friends, today is one of the great joys, for the Spirit has been poured out in our hearts, today is the day we sent forth to proclaim peace and forgiveness from the one who is everlasting peace, he continued, let us take an example of our brothers and sisters who came to Juba from Khartoum, the IDP, they have nothing to eat, they don’t have clothing, medication, they are in a difficult situation, we are the ones to pray for them, we are the ones to contribute for them, we are to be in solidarity with them, these are our people, they are our brothers and sisters, so we are to pray for them”.

Reflecting on the Gospel of the day, “Peace be with you! Peace be with you!”, Fr. Santino stressed, “So for us today we need also to pray for our dear ones and especially for the government of Khartoum to have reconciliation, the healing of wounds and all forms of division”.

He further pointed out that there are varieties of gifts of the Holy Spirit that are meant to be used for the benefit of the entire body of Christ, “some people are really talented, they can preach, they can sing well, among other gifts, I invite you that just like the human body is made up of many parts that work together, so we too are the members of the church united as one body in Christ, let us use our different gifts for the benefit of each other”, he narrated.

Fr. Santino who is among the three priests that were ordained last month by the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, noted that the Holy Spirit intercedes for the believers to live sinful pride behind and give glory to God in all that they have achieved adding that the Holy Spirit is a gift for those who have shared in Jesus’ glorification through Baptism.

“Keep the Prophetic Voice that Pope Francis Asked of the Church in Juba”, US Ambassador to Bishop Eduardo

Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio met the US Ambassador to South Sudan, H.E Micheal J. Adler at his office in Juba.

The US Government has been funding peace-building programs through Interfaith Council for Peace Initiatives in Western Equatoria and through Justice and Peace Commission.

 The two men shared more about the need to intensify peace-building activities all over. 

From the widespread conflict in WES and beyond to the return of a full-scale war in

Sudan, violence has gone wild.

We live in times of crisis, the likes of which we have not seen for almost three-quarters of a century, Bishop Eduardo the Ambassador.

Inspired by Pope Francis’ 2020 encyclical Fratelli Tutti and his recent appeal to church personnel at Kator Cathedral in Juba, that the church must always explore ways, the Catholic community can bring bold, creative proposals to current problems and help build a post-pandemic world more attuned to a Catholic vision of integral ecology, human development, and peace, stressing to bishop Eduardo to be the Prophetic Voice in South Sudan.

It is crucial to uphold Catholic Peacebuilding in Times of Crisis: Hope for a Wounded community, such roles pay.

CDTY remains grateful to the US government for standing firm alongside South Sudanese during hard times and working times.

Bishop Eduardo extended a warm invitation to the Ambassador to visit Western Equatoria State.

St. Theresa Mission Hospital Annual Budget Successfully Passed

Members of Board of Governors