CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- The Jubilee Year of Mercy was observed throughout the world but one bishop in South Sudan, suffering from war and famine, said it was especially needed in his country.<\/p>\n\u201cThat was so timely for us in South Sudan, that a people have to learn to forgive one another,\u201d Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of the Diocese of Tombura-Yambio told CNA of Pope Francis\u2019 proclamation of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, which lasted Dec. 8, 2015 to Nov. 20, 2016.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we find that forgiveness to be the key to solving much of the problems in our country,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s not easy for serious crimes, for individuals or for families to forgive. This is a process,\u201d and one that the Church is \u201ccontinually talking to people\u201d about.<\/p>\n
Bishop Kussala\u2019s diocese is in the West Equatoria State, where he works with the Sudan Relief Fund to bring needed supplies those in his local Church.<\/p>\n
In December 2013, violence erupted in the capital city of Juba and it quickly spread throughout the country. A civil war ensued between forces loyal to the country\u2019s president and those loyal to the vice president. Peace agreements have been short-lived, with violence quickly resuming.<\/p>\n
More than 1 million refugees have fled the country since the war broke out, the United Nations has said, and over 2 million within the country have been displaced from their homes. Starvation and hunger, lack of clean drinking water, and lack of education are among the most pressing problems.<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization in 2015 called the situation there one of the worst health emergencies in the world.<\/p>\n
An announcement from the U.S. State Department on Monday noted that, according to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, there was \u201cethnic cleansing in multiple parts of the country, with people driven from their homes through murder, starvation, gang rape, and the burning of villages. This situation is intolerable, will worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the best of my knowledge, the whole country is in a war,\u201d Bishop Kussala said. \u201cThere\u2019s no part which is peaceful.\u201d He noted that \u201cif the war that is on now is not stopped, then it can fester, it can develop into a very serious conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n
The South Sudanese people \u201cneed immediate support to stop this war,\u201d the bishop appealed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d like to ask the Catholic community here to pray for us. This is a very difficult time of temptation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
For the people to forgive one another, there also needs to be \u201can authority\u201d to provide a secure environment, he insisted.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the moment we have difficulties with our security personnel\u201d and the \u201cstructure of government,\u201d he noted, adding that \u201cthe program for reconciliation is paramount for us, and all the churches.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut to do so, we need to dialogue person-to-person, community to community. And this lead us to a national dialogue and to healing. But all this needs time, and is a process. And needs support in order to do it,\u201d he explained, \u201cfinancial support and moral support.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is here where the Sudan Relief Fund is providing much-needed aid to the country, he said, providing for the material needs of the people, like basic services, medicine and medical personnel, and education.<\/p>\n
The fund is also providing for the country\u2019s spiritual needs, contributing to the formation of priests and religious, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a lot of young people who\u2019d like to be priests. The formation of these young people is a challenge,\u201d Bishop Kussala noted. \u201cAnd our religious sisters \u2026 they are doing tremendous work in these health centers and schools, and these women deserve support,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we would love to request a closeness and being in touch with us,\u201d he asked of Catholics in the U.S.<\/p>\n
Another problem in the country is the recruitment of child soldiers. According to UNICEF estimates, 16,000 child soldiers have been recruited by government and opposition forces since the war began in 2013.<\/p>\n
Bishop Kussala noted his diocese\u2019s new policy on protecting children and said UNICEF \u201chas encouraged the government and all the armed groups to make sure that children are safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we have always tried to keep contact with these groups\u201d they have access to, he said, \u201crequesting them to give back the young children.\u201d He noted Pope Francis\u2019 December prayer intention, for an end to child soldiers, and said he is \u201cstill holding on this call of the Holy Father to make sure that children are safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Yambio, South Sudan, Dec 14, 2016 \/ 03:04 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- The Jubilee Year of Mercy was observed throughout the world but one bishop in South Sudan, suffering from war and famine, said it was especially needed in his country.<\/p>\n
“That was so t…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-middle-east-africa"],"yoast_head":"\n
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