Outgoing Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan Lauded for “unwavering commitment to fostering peace, understanding”

The SCBC President continued, “Under your guidance, the Apostolic Nunciature has played a pivotal role in supporting humanitarian efforts, promoting dialogue among different communities, and protecting the interests of the vulnerable and the marginalized people, especially in our Dioceses.”

“We express our deepest gratitude for the tireless efforts, steadfast leadership, and unwavering commitment to the principles of justice and solidarity,” he further said. 

“You have done a great deal to this Church. You have been an exemplary Father; you have always shared the difficulties with us. I remember you visiting places like Malakal,” Cardinal Ameyu said.

“Thank you for your assistance to the Catholic Diocese of Malakal, especially during the time of the floods,” he said about the Dutch-born Vatican diplomat, who started his service as Apostolic Nuncio in May 2014 in Sudan.

Alluding to his service in the Khartoum-based Sudan Apostolic Nunciature years before he was appointed there to represent the Holy Father, the South Sudanese Cardinal noted that since 1998 Archbishop van Megen has been close to the people of God in Sudan and South Sudan.

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“Your work has had a great impact on many of our Priests and our people because you were working for them, and you were close to them. Thank you for participating in the formation of our Priests,” Cardinal Ameyu said.

He continued, “As you continue to be a diplomat of the Vatican State and the Holy Father, let your mission be that of fostering equality and dignity.”

“May this moment of transition be a time of celebration, gratitude, and reflection as we honor you and your legacy. May the Lord bless you in your next assignment and work. May we always remember your good works in South Sudan,” Cardinal Ameyu told Archbishop van Megen who continues to his diplomatic service in Kenya.

On May 14, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan as the first-ever  resident Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan.

South Sudan has been served by the Kenya-based Apostolic Nuncio in collaboration with a Charge d’Affaire based at the country’s Apostolic Nunciature in Juba.

Meanwhile, Archbishop van Megen has conveyed his gratitude to the government and the people of God in South Sudan for their “excellent cooperation.” 

Speaking to journalists Monday, August 5 after a farewell audience with South Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Ramadan Mohammed Abdallah Goc, the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya since February 2019 described the Pope’s February 2023 visit to South Sudan as “historical”.

“It would not have been possible without the support of the government,” Archbishop van Megen said, referring to the 3-5 February 2023 ecumenical visit, which Pope Francis realized alongside the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields.

On his part, Hon. Goc thanked Archbishop van Megen and the Catholic Church for their “contributions and assistance to the people of South Sudan, particularly in the realm of education.”

He assured the Nairobi-based Vatican diplomat that the government of South Sudan would continue to “enhance cooperation” with the Holy See.

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Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.