By Tombura James
The Arch Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba, Stephen Ameyo, has urged the Clergy and the faithful to continue observing and adhering to the lockdown restrictions until further directives are provided, because churches are going to remain closed until the restrictions are lifted.
He said the restrictions provided by the government and the World Health Organization (WHO), is to save lives, which is the primary duty of everyone.
Arch Bishop Steven encouraged all the faithful to remain patient and continue praying in their homes as usual or follow the prayers on Bakitha Radio, 91.O FM, and other radio stations.
While briefing the journalist at the Catholic Arch diocese in Juba on Friday, Rev. Fr. Samuel Abe Joseph, the Secretary General, Archdiocese of Juba, said South Sudan Council of Churches asked every christian denominations to prepare a guide line to be observed in the churches in case the lockdown is lifted; the Catholic Church has designed their copies ready for used if churches are re-opened.
“Each denomination is asked to prepare itself as a condition for re-opening and for us as catholic, we came up with our guideline booklet so that if the government asks us to begin the worship, it will find us already prepared,” Said Rv. Fr. Samuel said.
Rv. Fr. Samuel said, according to the guidelines, if the lockdown is lifted, social distancing will be kept, using masks, using hand sanitizers before entering the church, singing will not be there in the church and registrations will be conducted for easy follow-up.
He urged the faithful to wait until the government announces the re-opening of the churches and also listen to the voices of the churches, otherwise by opening churches illegally may endanger the lives of many people. “Any church opened is illegally operating without the go-ahead of the government and of the South Sudan Council of Churches” he cautioned.