By Gladys Fred Kole
Auxiliary Bishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Juba, Santo Loku Pio Doggale, has urged the sons and daughters of Kajo-Keji County, Central Equatoria State, not to sell their land for money and positions.
Bishop Santo was speaking during ordination of a priest and two deacons in Sacred Heart Parish, in Kajo-Keji.
He also warned against destroying properties, burning houses, and killing of people.
For his part, Bishop Lodiong Alex Sakor of Yei Catholic Archdiocese, who hails from Kajo-Keji, urged political parties to work together in rebuilding the reopened parish.
“We don’t want another form of destruction on our schools and churches; these services help us; why should we spoil things that help our lives? Lodiong questioned.
He emphasized that the parish has been reopened now, and they don’t want it to be destroyed again, stressing that they don’t want to run to refugee camps again.
“Let us continue to build ourselves, and we can. Let us be given an opportunity to have peace, and at least let this peace be genuine. Let us not see ourselves as enemies,” he appealed.
The cleric said the political parties should only be competing to provide the best services.
“If any party wants to rule this country, bring the best service to them (citizens); otherwise, we reject you,” he concluded.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Rev. Fr. Waran Charles Joseph Akonda, the newly ordinated priest, highlighted the strong relationship between the church and the government.
“While the church relies on the government for civil protection and equal service delivery to all people in this nation, the government relies on the church for equal guidance in the work that they do,” Waran noted.
The priest said the government should be assured that the church shall continue to work, pray, and collaborate for true peace, justice, and reconciliation in our beloved country. “Let us continue to desire and embrace peace for our goodness.”
“Let us love our country and ourselves; in so doing, we will stop the destruction, hatred, jealousy, and torturing of innocent people, all sorts of division that exist among us, and all abuse of human rights that exist today in our societies and nation, South Sudan,” he said.
After 12 years of no ordination in the diocese of Yei, the newly ordained priests are Rev. Fr. Waran Charles Joseph Akonda, Deacon Emmanuel Konga Kenyi Loku, and Deacon Joseph Unzi Wilson Wurube.
The ordination was held under the theme “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” Colossians 3:23.