Plans Underway for Launch of Binational Eucharist Congress and Jubilee in South Sudan

“During our Extraordinary Assembly of the Bishops’ Conference for Sudan and South Sudan held in St. Paul’s Major Seminary in Munuki in October 2022, we the Bishops agreed to hold the celebration of the Eucharistic Congress conjointly with the 50 years anniversary of the establishment of the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the local Church in Sudan and South Sudan,” he said.

Bishop Nyodho explained the relevance of the Eucharistic Congress to the people of God in Sudan where a civil war broke out on April 15, and South Sudan where a civil conflict has continued since December 2013. He said, “Our unity comes through the Eucharist which is the central point of our spiritual life to express our oneness as people who are torn apart by war, natural calamities, and political instability.”

He went on to appeal for active participation in the preparations for the twin celebrations that are being organized under the theme, “One body, one spirit in Christ”.

“I take this opportunity to appeal to our Catholics, sisterly churches, and the people of goodwill to support the celebration through the mobilization of resources through the sub-committees tasked with that responsibility,” the South Sudanese Catholic Bishop said.

Also speaking during the September 1 press conference, the Secretary of the planned celebrations, Fr. John Lo’boka Morris, explained the various symbols of the logo that had been unveiled.

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The Official logo of the Eucharistic Congress and the Golden Jubilee celebration. Credit: Kerbino Kuel Deng/ACI Africa

“The top of the logo contains the symbols of Sudan and South Sudan separated after the independence, super mounted by a sign of the cross representing the Conference of Sudan and South Sudan Bishops that has always remained one Conference in the two countries,” Fr. Lo’boka said.

The Juba-based Provincial Superior of the Apostles of Jesus Missionaries (AJ) in South Sudan further said, “The logo also features in the center the bread and the cup that represent the body and blood of Christ, on top of the bread and the cup is the symbol of the discerning Holy Spirit which symbolizes the power of the Holy Spirit to turn bread and the wine into the body and blood of Christ.”

“Also in the logo are the people of God gathered around the bread and the cup constituting the Church in Sudan and South Sudan symbolizing one body, one spirit in Christ,” Fr. Lo’boka explained.

The South Sudanese Catholic Priest who served as Pope Francis' translator during the ecumenical visit to South Sudan continued his explanation of the Eucharistic Congress logo, highlighting the link with the family. 

“In the logo also is the symbol of the family representing the importance of the family to the Church,” the 54-year-old native of South Sudan’s Yei Diocese who speaks English, Italian, Arabic, French, and Kiswahili said. 

Credit: Kerbino Kuel Deng/ACI Africa

On his part, Bishop Alex Lodiong Sakor of Yei Diocese emphasized the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. 

“The Eucharist is the public manifestation of the faith of the Church in honor of Jesus Christ who is in the Eucharist,” Bishop Lodiong said during the September 1 press conference.

Meanwhile, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba underscored the need for the people of God in the two neighboring countries to support the initiatives that members of SCBC are spearheading.

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Bishop Santo Loku Pio called upon “each and every one to embrace the important call by the Bishops of Sudan and South Sudan as one body, one spirit in Christ.”

He said SCBC members will direct their immediate collaborators in their respective Dioceses to organize particular celebrations within the year to prepare the faithful for the final closing of the Eucharistic Congress celebration in November 2024.

Kerbino Kuel Deng is a South Sudanese journalist who is passionate about Church communication. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.