Andrew Kaufa, smm
The new President of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SSCBC) Bishop Yunan Trille Tombe Kuku welcomed the reconfirmation of Bishop Stephen Ameyu Martin as the new Archbishop of Juba.
This is stated in the statement addressed to the Archbishop, the priests, Religious men and women and the laity faithful of the Archdiocese of Juba, issued on March 14, 2020
On behalf of all the bishops, Rt. Rev. Trille who is the President of Sudan Conference of Catholic Bishops (SCCB) has expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for accepting the resignation of Most Rev. Paolino Lukudu as archbishop of Juba and for the appointment of Most Rev. Stephen Ameyu as the new Archbishop of Juba.
Bishop Trille reiterates gratitude for “the steady position of the Holy Father towards the people of South Sudan in general, and the Church in particular; his repeated calls for peace; his significant fatherly attitude of touching each one of us through the concrete and sincere gesture of kissing our feet in the person of our leadership; strengthening our Church by his prayers and the recent provision of the Shepherd leadership to the dioceses of El Obeid, Torit, Malakal and Juba.”
“We are indeed in debt of thanks for the last reconfirmation of His Grace Stephen as Archbishop of Juba,” the statement continues.
However, Rt. Rev. Trille has expressed the deep concern of the Conference over the actions taken by some individuals in the local Church against the appointment of the Archbishop Ameyu saying, “I do fully comprehend the rising wave of tension provoke by some individuals, but that should not pave way to feelings of mutiny and anger.
Bishop Trille who is the Bishop of El Obeid Catholic Diocese, called on the faithful of Juba to respect the feelings of the majority Catholics in the Archdiocese.
“It is on this note, we further appeal to you brethren in faith to respect the feelings of the majority of Catholics in the Archdiocese: mothers, fathers, young men and women, children, priests, religious women and men who are profoundly hurt by the actions and behavior shown by a few who are said to represent the indigenous tribe rather than the indigenous Christian Catholics of Juba”, he noted.
Bishop Trille encouraged the Catholic faithful in the Archdiocese to use their human rights to express their opinion correctly with respect, integrity of faith and morals.
He added that it is unfortunate that the faithful used language of threat to the extent of physical violent confrontation which resulted into a shed of fraternal blood of the priest.
“This is indeed, unfortunate, lawfully unacceptable and against the Christian spirit of charity and worse enough executed during the Holy Season of Lent.