The Pope has urged the men and women religious of South Sudan to “get their hands dirty” with the suffering people. “The waters of the great river, in fact, collect the heartbreaking cry of your community, the cry of pain for so many lives destroyed, the drama of a people fleeing, the affliction of the hearts of women and the fear imprinted in the eyes of children”, Francis exclaimed in the meeting he had with them in the Cathedral of Santa Teresa in the capital of South Sudan, Juba.
The Pontiff has asked the bishops and other religious men and women of this country, born in 2011 after its independence from Sudan and in which an attempt is made to implement a peace agreement after years of wars that have led this nation to be one of the poorest countries in the world, that they take into account “the tears of a people immersed in suffering and pain, martyred by violence”.
The Pope has also asked that they not think that “responses to the sufferings and needs of the people can be given with human instruments, such as money, cunning, power”, but that “docility” is required.
“Before the Good Shepherd, we understand that we are not the heads of a tribe, but compassionate and merciful shepherds; that we are not the owners of the people, but servants who are inclined to wash the feet of brothers and sisters; that we are not a worldly organization that administers earthly goods, but rather the community of the children of God”, Francis recalled.
For this reason, in one of the poorest nations in the world, where close to 75 percent of its population lives on humanitarian aid, the Pope has assured that his first duty is not to be a “perfectly organized” Church, but a Church that, in the name of Christ, “he is in the midst of the painful life of the people and gets his hands dirty for the people.”
It may interest you: Nicaragua cancels legal status to the Association of Banks and 16 entities
“We must never exercise the ministry pursuing religious and social prestige, but walking in the midst and together, learning to listen and dialogue, collaborating among ourselves ministers and with the laity”, he assured.
He also urged them to “intercede in favor of our people, we too are called to raise our voices against injustice and prevarication, which crush people and use violence to carry out their businesses in the shadow of conflicts.”
In the same way, he pointed out the work of the Church in this country, where there is an important work of the missionaries, “because of what they do in the midst of so many trials and fatigues.” “Thank you, on behalf of the entire Church, for your dedication, your courage, your sacrifices and your patience,” he said.
During the Pope’s trip there was a reprisal attack perpetrated by rebels from the National Salvation Front (NAS) that has left at least 27 dead and two injured in Kajo-keji county (Central Equatoria, South Sudan), as reported by local media on Friday.
The attack targeted alleged cattle farmers from Bor county who had murdered 21 locals to avenge six co-religionists killed by NAS members, according to the region’s commissioner, Phanuel Dumo Jame Lokajasuk.