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Emulate Leaders with Integrity in Society, Clerics Urge Catholic Youth in South Sudan

Some youths in South Sudan at the inaugural session of the spiritual retreat of South Sudan’s Juba Archdiocese.

Young Catholics in South Sudan have, at the inaugural session of the youth spiritual retreat of South Sudan’s Juba Archdiocese, been called upon to pick leadership qualities portrayed by good leaders in the East Central African nation.

“If you, young people want to be good leaders, you have to follow the examples of leaders who are already doing their job well in the society,” the Secretary General and Acting Youth Chaplain in the Archdiocese of Juba, Fr. Samuel Abe told the youth.

In his opening speech at the Good Shepherd Peace Centre Saturday, December 5, Fr. Samuel further said, “We need youth to make a difference; they say that by their fruits, you will know them; you need to make a difference in your leadership styles applied in parishes.”

The Youth Chaplain encouraged the group of Young Christian Students (YCS) among youth leaders selected for the four-day retreat to learn from one another especially from fellow youth leaders offering good services in the twenty-two Archdiocesan parishes. 

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He explained to the 40 participants aged between 16 and 40, “Most of you are still in the secondary schools and you always need to follow the example of people who are ahead of you so that when given responsibility you will be able to do it as your elders are doing.”

Set for Saturday, December 5 to Wednesday, December 9, the retreat is focusing on Bible and Youth, Youth and Evangelization and vision for better South Sudan.

The youth selected from various parishes of the Archdiocese for the retreat in preparation for the 2021 activities are chairpersons, general secretaries, secretaries of liturgy, sports and finance and some members.

In reference to the Holy Scripture, the President of Religious Superiors’ Association of South Sudan (RSASS), Fr. Federico Gandolfi reiterated a similar appeal on role modelling good leadership practices

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“We have to understand leadership by examples of people whose stories are told in the Holy Scripture, stories portraying what it means to lead other people,” Fr. Federico said.

He added, “It is important to remind ourselves what it means to be leaders in a Catholic way and more than the Catholic way, in the Holy Scripture.”

Addressing the Catholic youth at the same event, Fr. James Wani Dumo of the Missionaries of Africa reminded the youngsters not to take leadership jokingly.

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He said, “The Church gives holistic formation, human, spiritual, psychological and some of us are standing strong today because of the formation we received when we were youth.”

“Youth are the backbone of the Church, the pillars of the Church and therefore it is the opportunity as the leadership of the youth in the Archdiocese of Juba to take all leadership skills not only for yourself but also for your brothers and sisters,” Fr. James said.