If one could speak of the successes on pastoral issues for Sudan and South Sudan then the Solidarity Pastoral Team must be one of the agents which deserved a credit. The Solidarity Pastoral Team has done a lot including the promotion of the capacity building programs to the agents of evangelization and Church institutions on Sudan and South Sudan.
Speaking to the AMECEA Online News, Sister Annette St-Amour IHM, who is a member of the Solidarity Pastoral Team said, “Since then, we have worked together with the SCBC to support and establishment the Teacher Training Institutes in Malakal and Yambio and rebuilt the Health Training institute in Wau.”
Sister Annette said, “Specifically, Solidarity Pastoral was established initially to help support the formation of clergy, religious and lay people and to deliver a peace and reconciliation project. And responding to the impact of the on-going war and conflict before and after independence, the Solidarity Pastoral Team has facilitated programs related with Trauma-Healing, Women as Carriers of Peace and providing pastoral care of Internally Displaced People in the Malakal UN Protection of Civilians Camp.”
In 2005, the Congregations of Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests, in responding to the pastoral needs of the Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference (SCBC) after the end of civil war, decided to harness their resources in order to work with Bishops in promoting holistic work of evangelization.
In addition, the Solidarity Pastoral Team has, since 2009, collaborated with Fr. Philip Bingo of the National Pastoral Department of SCBC and all the dioceses in promoting capacity building to the key Pastoral Agents in all the Dioceses.
Some of those who are currently involved in the Solidarity Pastoral Team in South Sudan are Fr Manuel Ginete CM, Sr Annette St-Amour IHM, Fr. Mike Bassano MM, who are part of the team promoting the capacity building of the pastoral agents in South Sudan. Others are Sr Cathy Arata and Sr Barbara Palenczy, who have coordinated and facilitated Trauma-Healing Experiences and Workshops for Women, as Carriers of Peace.
“Despite the current situation of war, displacement of people and hunger”, Sr. Annette said, “We have a missionary commitment to be where the people of God are. They are a wonderful people our presence is a testimony of hope and assurance that God has not abandoned his People.
Sr. Annette was speaking during the Workshop for the Inter-Diocesan Pastoral Team from the dioceses of South Sudan. The Workshop was held in Juba and conducted by AMECEA Pastoral Department in collaboration with SCBC, under the theme, “Revitalization of SCCs as Tool for Grass root Evangelization”
By AMECEA Online News Correspondent, Juba in South Sudan