DOR Overview - The Catholic Diocese of Rumbek

The Catholic
Diocese of Rumbek
South Sudan
An overview
First draft: version July 11th 2013
compiled by the Pastoral Department
The Catholic
Diocese of Rumbek
South Sudan
An overview
First draft: version July 11th 2013
Compilation and layout by Ernst Ulz
Pastoral Department
[email protected]
Photos (c) DOR Archive
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
The Catholic Diocese of Rumbek
(DOR) is one of seven catholic Dioceses
in the Republic of South Sudan.
It is located in the very heart of the
country, covering the whole territory
of Lakes State and the southern part
of Warrap State – a territory or around
65.000 km2 (larger than Switzerland). Its
population can be estimated to 1.5 million people, of which around 150.000
are Catholics, although reliable statistics
are not available.
Established as Apostolic Vicariate in
1955, it was elevated to the status of a
Diocese in 1974.
The leadership of the Diocese of
Rumbek since August 2011 was entrusted to Fr. Fernando Colombo mccj as Diocesan Administrator.
At this moment, the Diocese of Rumbek has 11 established missions or parishes, many of them with a number of
sub-parishes and around 150 chapels
and prayer stations.
The Missions of the Diocese are:
• Rumbek Holy Family Cathedral Parish (with Sacred Heart Rumbek and
Pacong as sub-parishes)
• Rumbek, Sacred Heart Parish
• Rumbek St. Theresa Parish
• Marial Lou, St. Daniel Comboni Parish
(with Romic sub-parish)
• Warrap, St. Daniel Comboni Parish
NORTHERN
BAHR EL
GHAZAL
in short ...
WARRAP STATE
Warrap
UNITY
STATE
Marial Lou
Diocese of Rumbek - South Sudan
Main Missions (2013)
Romic
to Aweil, Darfur
& Khartoum
JONGLEI STATE
to Tambura
& Central Africa
WESTERN
BAHR EL
GHAZAL
STATE
LAKES STATE
Tonj
Barghel
Cueibet
to Maper,
Leer & Bentiu
Agangrial Rumbek
WESTERN
EQUATORIA
STATE
Background Maps issued in 2005 by
University of Berne
Centre for Development and Environment
Steigenhuberstrasse 3, CH 3008 Berne, Switzerland
www.cde.unibe.ch
0km
25km
50km
75km
100km
(St. Teresa)
(Holy Family)
(Sacred Heart)
to Shambe
& River Nile
Pacong
Yirol
Wulu
to Mvolo
CATHOLIC DIOCESES IN SOUTHERN SUDAN
Mapuordit
Egypt
Bunagok/Aliap
Red
Sea
Libya
to Maridi,
Yambio
& DR Congo
Sudan
to Mundri,
Juba
& Uganda
Central
Afr ican
Republic
Eritr ea
Southern
Kordofan
EASTERN EQUATORIA
STATE
Uganda
Legend
Diocese of Juba
Diocese of Malakal
Renk
Diocese of Rumbek
Diocese of Tambura/Yambio
Melut
Manyo
Diocese of Torit
Malakal
Pariang
Upper Nile
Fashoda
Diocese of Wau
Maban
Diocese of Yei
Abyei
Kenya
Abiemnhom
)
"
Aweil East
Aweil North
Tw ic
) Aweil
Northern Bahr "
Aweil South
el Ghazal
International Boundaries
Bentiu
Baliet
Guit
Mayom
Canal
Fangak
Unity
Gogrial Gogrial
East
West
County boundaries
Longochuk
Aweil West
Raga
State boundaries
) Malakal
"
Panyikang
Rubkona
• Tonj, Don Bosco Parish
• Agangrial, Mary Mother of God Parish (with Cuiebet and Barghel subparishes)
• Wulu, St. Peter and Paul Parish
• Mapuordit, St. Josephine Bakhita
Parish
• Yirol, Holy Cross Parish
• Bunagok/Aliap, St. Anselm Parish
Blue
Nile
Renk
Manyo
Southern Darfur
Ethiopia
Southern
Sudan
Dem ocr atic
Republic of Cong o
White
Nile
to Juba
& Uganda
Chad
Luakpiny/
Nasir
Koch
Tonj North
Maiwut
Ulang
Nyirol
) Kuajok
"
Aweil Centre
Mayendit
Western Bahr
el Ghazal
Leer
Ayod
Warrap
Tonj East
Akobo
Rum bek North
Duk
Panyijiar
Jur River
Wau
Ethiopia
Uror
) Wau
"
Tonj South
Cueibet
Jonglei
Rum bek Centre
Pochalla
Tw ic East
) Rumbek
"
Rum bek East
µ
Central
African
Republic
Lakes
Nagero
Awerial
Lopa
Western Equatoria
100
Pibor
Mvolo
Terekeka
Mundri West
Yambio
Democratic
Republic of Congo
) Bor
"
Wulu
Ez o
Kapoeta
North
Mundri East
Kapoeta East
Central Equatoria
Ibba
Maridi
Eastern Equatoria
) Juba
"
) Yambio
"
Juba
Torit
Kilometers
50
Bor South
Yirol West
Tam bura
Nzara
Data Sources:
Caritas Internationalis
National and State boundaries based on
Russian Sudan Map Series, 1:200k, 1970-ties.
County Administrative Units digitized based on
Statistical Yearbook 2009, Southern Sudan
Commission for Census, Statistics and
Evaluation - SSCCSE.
Digitized by IMU OCHA Southern Sudan
0
Yirol East
Yei
200
The information shown on this map does not imply official recognition or endorsement of any physical,
political boundaries or feature names by the United Nations or other collaborative organizations. UN OCHA
and affiliated organizations are not liable for damages of any kind related to the use of this data.
Users noting errors or omissions are encouraged to contact the IM Unit, OCHA at [email protected]
Kapoeta
South
) Torit
"
Lainya
Budi
300
Ikotos
Code: SS-0207
Date: 23/06/11
IMU OCHA SS
Kajo-Keji
Morobo
Magwi
Uganda
Kenya
The administrativ e units and their names shown on this m ap do not imply
acceptance or re cognition by the Governme nt of S outhern S udan.
This map aim s only to support the work of the Humanit arian Comm unity.
OCHASudan
Sudanisisfunded
fundedby:
by:
OCHA
Commu nHumanitarian
HumanitarianFund
Fund
(Denmark,
Ireland,
Netherland,
Norway,
Commun
(Denmark,
Ireland,
Netherland,
Norway,
Spain,
Spain, Sweden
DFID), Switzerland,
ECHO, USAID
/OFDA
and Italy
Sweden
& DFID),&Switzerland,
ECHO, USAID/OFDA,
Italy
and Canada
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
History of the Diocese of
Rumbek1
Catholic missions in the area of today’s Diocese of Rumbek go back to the
“Apostle of Africa”, Saint Daniele Comboni himself. In 1957-58 he lived in the
mission station Holy Cross at Shambe, on
the western bank of the river Nile from
where the catholic missions among the
black Africans of Eastern-Central Africa
started.
But since then historical events and
political decisions hampered most of the
missionary activities in the area: soon after the death of Bishop Comboni - during
the so called “Mahdi Revolution” (1881
- 1899) against the Egyptian occupation
- Christian missionaries were expelled
from the territory of today’s Sudan and
South Sudan. Then, gradually the British
Colonialists gained control over the area
and ruled the Sudan until 1956. They
gave preference to Anglican missionaries
but distributed the country into catholic
and protestant areas. Almost the whole
territory of today’s Diocese of Rumbek
was allocated to the Anglicans.
Documents report a catholic mission
1 Most of the information in this paragraph derives from the booklet “Gold in the Crucible. History of 50 Golden Years Diocese of Rumbek 1955
– 2005”, collated by H.L. Bishop Caesar Mazzolari,
Fr. Fernando Colombo with Peter Kioni and Lucia
Amuyira, Kenya, 2005.
Shambe
in the town of Thiet in 19492, Rumbek in
19513 and Tonj in 19534, all by that time
under the Apostolic Vicariate of Bahr alGhazal (Wau).
Rumbek was established as Apostolic
Vicariate on July 3rd, 1955 by Pope Pius
XII5, including a territory much larger
than today’s Diocese of Rumbek. Ireneo
Wien Dud, a Southern Sudanese, was ordained Bishop and appointed Apostolic
Vicar of Rumbek.
But the history of the Church remained very troublesome and confusing, so that regular evangelization work
was almost impossible. Less than a year
after the establishment of the Vicariate
of Rumbek, in 1956 the power in the
Sudan shifted from the British Colonialists to some Arabic tribes who governed
2
Gold in the Crucible, p. 24
3
Gold in the Crucible, p. 21
4
Gold in the Crucible, p. 24
5
SACRED CONGREGATION “DE PROPAGANDA FIDE”, Rome 13th July 1955,Protocol n. 3150/55,
quoted in: Gold in Crucible, p. 8
a troubled history
the Sudan from Khartoum. The Southern Sudanese never accepted the new
masters, and a freedom struggle begun
that would last practically half a century:
from 1955-1972 the so called “Anyanya”rebels led the fight. After a short period
of relative peace and autonomy of the
South, the Sudan People’s Liberation
Army (SPLA) took up arms in 1983 until
it forced the government of Khartoum to
the “Comprehensive Peace Agreement”
(CPA) in 2005.
In 1960, Rumbek’s Apostolic Vicar Ireneo Wien Dud was transferred to Wau,
while Rumbek Vicariate was entrusted
to Msgr. Lino Toboi (1960-1972).
In March 1964, all foreign missionaries were expelled from Sudan by the
Military Government of General Abboud. They all fled to the neighboring
countries of Uganda, Zaire and Central
Africa. They left the Church to very few
local clergy and catechists.
The persecution continued even after Abboud was overthrown in October
1964. Of particular note is the killing of
the Vicar General, Fr. Arkangelo Ali, in
July 1965 during a raid of Arab soldiers in
Holy Family Church Rumbek in the 1950’s
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Rumbek parish6. After his death also the
last priests left, including the Apostolic
Administrator Lino Toboi who escaped
to Zaire but remained officially in charge
until 1972. The Church in Rumbek was
abandoned for decades.
During the following period, a few
pastoral activities in the area (Rumbek,
Tonj, Yirol, etc.) were undertaken by the
Apostolic Vicarate of Wau.
Although in 1972 the Addis-AbabaPeace Agreement ended 17 years of civil
war, many catholic priests did not come
back to Rumbek Diocese. From 1974 to
1981, there was only one priest in the
territory of the Diocese of Rumbek: Fr.
Raphael Riel.7
Officially, Rumbek was elevated to
the status of a Diocese on December
12th, 1974,8 with the Apostolic Vicar of
Wau, Bishop Ireneo Wien Dud as Apostolic Administrator (until 1975) and
6
Gold in the Crucible, pp 52ff
7
Gold in the Crucibile, p 23
8
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/drumb.html
Fr. Colombo
Bp. Mazzolari
Bishop Gabriel Zubeir Wako, Bishop of
Wau (today’s Archbishop and Cardinal
in Khartoum), as caretaker (1975-1976).
The first Bishop of Rumbek was Gabriel Dwatuka, appointed on January
24th, 1976. In the same year, the missions of Tonj, Thiet and Warrap were
shifted to Rumbek Diocese, because of
political boundaries.9 Bishop Dwatuka
resigned in 1981 or 1982. The leadership of the Diocese was entrusted to the
Archbishop emeritus of Khartoum, Agostino Baroni mccj., who accepted to be
Apostolic Administrator of Rumbek from
1981-1983 – the year when the second
South Sudanese Liberation war started
(1983-2005).
Baroni was succeeded by Giuseppe
Pellerino mccj as Apostolic Administrator of Rumbek from 1983-1990. In 1986
Fr. Pellerino was held in captivity for 112
days. As soon as he was freed, he returned to serve his people in the area,
mainly in Tonj, until 1990, in spite of the
9
Gold in the Crucible, p 24
Fr. Pellerino
Archbp. Baroni
a troubled history
1857: Daniele Comboni lands at Shambe,
in today’s Lakes State
1975-1976: Bishop Gabriel Zubeir Wako
caretaker of Rumbek
1881-1899: Mahdi Revolution. Expulson
of Christian Missionaries
1976-1981 (or 1982): Bishop Gabriel
Dwatuka, first Bishop of Rumbek
early 1950’s: Construction of Rumbek
Holy Family Church
1981 (or 1982) - 1983: Archbishop Agostino Baroni as Apostolic Administrator
1955: Rumbek Apostolic Vicariate estabished
1983-2005: Second Southern Sudan Secession War (SPLA)
1955-1960: Bishop Ireneo Wien Dud as
Apostolic Vicar
1983-1990: Fr. Giuseppe Pellerino, Apostolic Administrator
1956-1972: Anyanya-Rebellion
1991-1999: Msgr. Caesar Mazzolari, Apostolic Administrator
1972: Addis Ababa Peace Agreement
1960-1972: Msgr. Lino Tiboi as Apostolic
Administrator
1964: All foreign missionaries expelled
from Sudan
1965: Fr. Archangelo Ali killed by Arabs
1972-1975: Bishop Ireneo Wien Dud as
Apostolic Administrator
1974: Rumbek Vicariate elevated to status of a Diocese
Bp. Dwatuka
Card. Zubeir Wako
1997: “Liberation” of Rumbek through
the SPLA
1999-2011: Bishop Caesar Mazzolari,
Bishop of Rumbek
2005: Comprehensive Peace Agreement
beween Khartoum Government and
SPLA/M
since 2011: Fr. Fernando Colombo, Diocesan Administrator
Mons. Tiboi
Bp. Wien Dud
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
many difficulties and military disruption.
Also in 1986 the local Clergy (only two
priests at that time) fled from the civil
war, taking refuge with many youths in
Ethiopia. In 1992 they returned to Sudan, but not to the region of Rumbek,
which was then occupied by the government of Khartoum.
Mazzolari became Apostolic Administrator in 1991 and was consecrated Bishop in January 1999. Under his leadership, the Diocese of Rumbek was rebuilt
practically from scratch to the present
shape.
The first important step was to reactivate the diocesan presence in the so
called “Liberated Area” – the territories
of Southern Sudan conquered by the
Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).
This was possible by July 1991, and the
region of Yirol was the first to be served
but had soon to be abandoned again due
to the war activities. However, Rumbek
was still under the occupation of the
forces of Khartoum and practically inaccessible for the Bishop, who directed the
Diocesan activities from other towns of
Southern Sudan or Nairobi and through
– often highly risky - trips into the territory whenever possible.
In the following years Missions were
built up far away from the main roads “in
the bush” where the people fled to from
the atrocities of the war: Mapuordit
(1993), Marial Lou (1994), Agangrial
(1995).
Fr. Arkangelo Ali
Notwithstanding the scarcity of personnel, the Diocese continued to serve
the Lakes province and large areas of the
Diocese of Wau and the Nuba Mountains. The Diocese developed 12 centers,
only 4 of which remained operative; the
others had to be abandoned one by one,
because of war activities.
In May 1997, Rumbek township was
re-conquered by the SPLA forces and the
Bishop was able to take again possession of the Episcopal town. The whole of
Rumbek had been razed to the ground.
Since around 1997, the Diocese of
Rumbek assumed also the pastoral care
of the “liberated areas” in the Diocese of
a troubled history
Wau, since its Bishop was impeded from
reaching this territory. With the large
missions of Nyamlell and Gordhim in this
area, the Diocese of Rumbek served an
area covering 80,000 km2 and an estimated population of around 3,800,000
until July 2010, when these missions
were handed back to Wau Diocese.10
Tonj and Yirol Missions were reopened in 1999, Warrap reopened in
2003, in the same year when Wulu and
Aliap/Bunagok Mission were founded. In
2005, the missions of the Jesuits in Rumbek became a parish.
Bishop Mazzolari led the Diocese until his death on July 16th, 2011, only one
week after the Republic of South Sudan
had obtained independence (July 9th,
2011).
Since then, the leadership of the Diocese of Rumbek has been entrusted to
Fr. Fernando Colombo mccj as Diocesan
Administrator.
10 Letter of agreement of Bishop Caesar Mazzolari (Diocese of Rumbek) and Bishop Rudolf Denk
Majak (Diocese of Wau): Resetting the boundaries
between the Dioceses of Wau and Rumbek, Rome,
March 11th, 2010.
Only the altar fresco of the Holy
Family Cathedral Church in Rumbek was there, when the Apostolic
Administrator Caesar Mazzolari
visited it in 1992, together with
Fr. Raphael Riel and Fr. Benjamin
Madol.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
organizional structure
How DOR is organized
The main administrative work of the
Diocese of Rumbek is shouldered by the
following:
The Diocesan Administrator Fr. Fernando Colombo, leads the Diocese in absence
of a Bishop during this period of sedisvacancy. Under him are three Departments:
• The Administration Department in
“Bethany House”, Nairobi is coordinating all other departments, the logisticians in Nairobi and Rumbek, and
managin the diocesan finances.
• The Education Department with it’s
offices in Rumbek and Nairobi coordinates the schools and teachers in
the Diocese
• The Pastoral Department in Nairobi is
in charge of the specifically pastoral
tasks of the Diocese in the parishes
and diocesan institutions
The diocesan health department
is indefinitely constituted as an NGO
named Arkangelo Ali Association (AAA)
and works autonomously from the main
diocesan orgnisational structure.
The 11 parishes are collaborating
with the various departments depending on the nature of the tasks.
A number of institutions work within the Diocese but independently or in
loose collaboration.
Catholic Diocese of Rumbek / South Sudan – Tentative Organogramm 2013
Bishop
(Diocesan Administrator / Vicar General)
Education Dep‘t
Administration
Department
Education Field Office
Coordinating all Departments
Comboni
Secondary
Schools
Comboni
Primary
Schools
Finance
Rumbek
Logistics
Pandoor Guest
House
Teachers‘
Training
College
Nairobi
Logistics
Danilo Camp
Lokichoggio
Loreto Girls
Secondary Sc.
Health
Palica
Rumbek
Minor
Seminary
Women‘
s Desk
Justice &
Peace
Youth
Secr.
Holy
Childh.
Arkangelo Ali
Associasion
(AAA)
(operating
outonomously)
Hospitals Health
Centres
Parishes
Rumbek Ecol.
Training Centre
Priests
Jesuits‘
Agricultural Sc.
Rumbek
Holy
Family
Barghel
Vocational Sc.
Pastoral Dep‘t
Sisters
Council
Principal
Catechists
Rumbek
Sacred
Heart
Bunagok /
Aliap
Marial
Lou /
Romic
Wulu
Diocesan Clergy
Women
Rumbek
St.
Theresa
Children
Yirol
Youth
Mapour
-dit
Justice & Peace
Agangrial/
Cuiebet
Tonj
Congregations / Fidei Donum
Warrap
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
administration and logistics
“Bethany House” in Nairobi
DOR Administration
Department
The Administration Department
of the Diocese of Rumbek is located in
“Bethany House” in Nairobi/Kenya and
has the task of overall coordination of all
administrative, financial and logistic activities in the Diocese in support of the
Bishop/Diocesan Administrator. As such,
the Department headed since 2007 by
Mr. Jonathan Barsby coordinates the
other two departments in Nairobi, is in
charge for all issues involving the bank,
oversees the logisticians in Nairobi and
in South Sudan and the income generating activities of the Diocese, consults the
ordinary of the Diocese and other Diocesan Staff on administrative and legal
issues, ensures the maintenance of the
Diocesan facilities and keeps contacts to
key donors and other guests of the Diocese.
Logistics
The lack of infrastructure in South
Sudan, the long distances within the
diocese and the difficulty of sourcing
goods in South Sudan requires high logistical knowledge for purchase, shipment, clearing of goods and transport
of persons. Logistics is organized by two
logistic officers: Mr. Barnabas Kipkoech
in Nairobi and Mr. Abednego Marol in
Rumbek. They organize the purchase of
goods – mostly in Nairobi - according to
established transparent procurement
procedures, the formalities for obtaining
tax exemption letters for South Sudan
and the transport of the goods to Rumbek either by road or via air. The logisticians are also in charge of the smooth
processing of flight bookings and local
transports in Nairobi as well as in Rumbek.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Diocesan Institutions in
the Education Sector
DOR-Education Department
During the Second Secession war
(1983-2005), there were no functioning
governmental educational services in
Southern Sudan.
The Diocese has a lively history of
rapid development in the last two decades; in its mission centers are well-established primary schools locally known
as Comboni schools, these institutions
are the most reliable in the country so
far. More than 9.000 pupils are educat-
ed in nine Comboni Primary Schools in
various parishes. There are additionally
eight major “satellite” schools for a further 4.000 students which have no formal buildings and function in the open
air under trees.
There is also an Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) for approximately 500
adults held in schools in the afternoon.
The Education Department of the
Diocese of Rumbek is coordinating the
diocesan educational sector from two
offices: the Diocesan Administrative Offices in “Bethany House” in Nairobi as
well as the Education field office in Rumbek. These offices provide the administration, management and supervision of
education
financial management of the education
programs. The education coordinator
since 2012 is Mr. Moses Kopurot.
The Education Department is responsible for the construction of classrooms,
supply of school materials and books.
It also ensures that teachers are well
trained in order to provide quality education while the Governments of Lakes
State and Warrap States are in charge for
the payment of the (local) teachers.
Most of the education activities are
made possible through the support of
many donors: mainly MISEREOR Germany, CEI, CESAR Italy, HORIZONT3000
Austria, DKA Austria and eRko Slovakia,
the European Commission, PORTICUS
Netherlands, and DFID (BSF) UK. >
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
education
continue
Diocesan Institutions in
the Education Sector
Secondary Schools
Besides the Primary Schools, there
are several Secondary Schools in the
Diocese of Rumbek run by different religious congregations:
• Loreto Girls Secondary School Rumbek is run by the Loreto-Sisters ad has
actually 125 female students from six
states of South Sudan
• Comboni Senior Secondary School in
Mapuordit has 178 male and 27 female students and is taken care of by
the Sisters of Our Lady of The Sacred
Heart (OLSH)
• Secondary School of the Salesian
Fathers, offering forms 1 to 3 (108
students)
Students of Loreto Girls’ Secondary School
Vocational Training
Teachers’ Training
• The Ireneo Wien Dud Vocational
Training Centre in Barghel is run by a
Comboni Priest Fr. Giovanni, catering
for learners of primary 6-8, teaching
mechanical engineering and masonry and other skills; with a total of 68
students.
• The St. Peter Claver’s Ecological
Training Centre in Rumbek, run by
the Jesuits in St. Theresa Parish, is
training secondary school graduates
in electronics and plumbing, especially skills related to the installation
of photovoltaic systems and water
pumping systems.
• The Jesuits are also building up an agricultural school near Rumbek.
In addition to the ongoing in-service
teacher training courses offered by the
Education Department on a regular
bases, the Diocese of Rumbek is actually finishing the construction works of
a Teachers’ Training College at Cueibet,
with funds of the foundation CESAR from
Brescia. It will be able to offer courses
of 2 years certified by the Ministry of
Education. The initial intended intake in
2014 will cater for 2 classes of 15 students each.
Classrooms of the Teachers’
Training College in Cueibet
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
pastoral
Diocesan Institutions for Pastoral Work
Without trying to enumerate the many pastoral activities on the level of the parishes or sub-parishes, below is a list of Institutions operating or coordinating Pastoral
work at a Diocesan Level or collaborating with the Pastoral Department in Nairobi.
Pastoral Department of the Diocese
of Rumbek
The Pastoral Department of the Diocese of Rumbek is still located in “Bethany House” Nairobi/Kenya. It’s main aim is
to provide the clergy, religious and catechists working directly in the field of pastoral and evangelization with what they
need for their service: Upkeep, medical
care, transport, spare parts, housing,
construction and maintenance of parish facilities, consultation and support in
the development, implementation and
administration of pastoral projects and
raising funds for them. The person in
charge of the Department is since 2010
Mr. Ernst Ulz.
The Pastoral Department works under the direct supervision of the Diocesan Ordinary and responds directly to
him. The main partner in the “field” is
PALICA Rumbek. Other partners are all
the Diocesan Priests as well as religious
clergy and Sisters doing pastoral work
in the parishes and Diocesan Organizations.
The Team of PALICA Rumbek
PALICA Rumbek (Pastoral-LiturgicalCatechetical Centre)
The Institution coordinating Pastoral Work “in the field” is the PastoralLiturgical-Catechetical Centre – short:
PALICA – in Rumbek. It is, among others,
in charge of:
• The formation of catechists through
various activities
• The ongoing formation of clergy, religious and ecclesial lay staff
• Visiting all the parishes of the Diocese for monitoring and training especially catechists and Sunday School
Teachers.
• Translation of catechetical and liturgical material into the local language
Dinka
• Keeping a small bookstore of basic literature for pastoral work and liturgy
for the missionary personnel as well
as for common Christians
• Providing the parishes with hosts,
mass wine and other needs for the
liturgy
• Offering specific workshops to specific groups, such as Sunday School
Teachers’ Training, Dinka Languageand Culture-Courses …
• Hosting participants of workshops of
any kind for Christians at reasonable
prices
The Director of the PALICA is Fr. John
Mathiang, a local diocesan Priest. He is
assisted by Sr. Maria Goretti Tumuheirwe, an Evangelizing Sister from Uganda.
They are assisted by catechists and local
professional translators.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
continue
Diocesan Institutions for
Pastoral Work
Women’s Desk
Almost all the missions and many
outstations of the parishes have well
functioning Women Groups emphasizing
on different aspects of empowerment of
women: Adult Education, Income Generating Activities such as sewing, oil products, handicrafts, Women’s Restaurants,
Justice, Peace and Reconciliation trainings and initiatives, Trauma Healing, etc.
On the diocesan level, these initiatives
are coordinated and supported by the
Women’s Desk. With very little available
means this office finds efficient ways of
giving support to the Religious Sisters in
the parishes and the female catechists
who are natural leaders of women.
Women’s workshops for the group leaders in the parishes are taking place annually.
The Diocesan Women’s Desk is entrusted to Sr. Mary Mumu OLC, a Kenyan who has been working for and with
women in Rumbek for more than a decade now.
pastoral
Diocesan Youth Secretariat and Youth
Centre
Equally, youth groups are well established in all of the missions of the
Diocese. A Diocesan Youth Secretariat is
supporting them. The main event of this
secretariat is the annual Diocesan Youth
Congress, where around 500 to 1000
youth gather for three days of reflection,
prayers, entertainment, sharing of experiences and news. Additionally, the new
Youth Centre in Rumbek is available not
only for youth from Rumbek but from
all over the Diocese. Youth Secretary is
Fr. Marko Tong, a young local diocesan
priest.
Diocesan Justice & Peace Desk
Justice, Peace and Reconciliation is
one of the four core priorities of the Diocese of Rumbek and therefore promoted
on many levels, e.g. on the grassroots in
the parishes and sub-parishes, in the ordinary announcement of the Gospel and
in homilies, through Radio programs, in
Women Groups, during the formation
of catechists, etc. Additionally, the Diocesan Justice & Peace Desk offeres various seminars in various parishes and in
Rumbek.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
pastoral
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Diocesan Institutions for
Pastoral Work
Coordination Office for Pastoral with
Children
More than half of the population of
South Sudan is younger than 18 years.
During the assemblies and liturgical celebrations of the Church, the percentage
of children is even bigger, as they are
particularly attracted and open for the
message of the Gospel, even though
very few have been baptized.
In 2011 the Diocesan Administrator
found it necessary to entrust two young
religious sisters – Sr. Anne Wamalwa
ESM and Sr. Coleta Wanjala ESM - with
the task to coordinate the pastoral work
with this privileged group on a diocesan
level. They visit the parishes and assist
them in their pastoral work with children
with advice and animation of events for
the children. They are hoping to get
some funding for establishing their office in order to facilitate their work.
St. Bakhita Minor Seminary
and Vocational Work
Vocational work happens on various
levels in the Diocese. An annual “Vocation Awareness Meeting” for young
women and men presents the different ways of totalitarian Christian life.
An annual “Orientation Course” helps
young men to distinguish their vocation towards priesthood and gives the
diocesan vocational director the possibility of a first evaluation. The Diocese
of Rumbek does not have a major seminary, but does have a Minor Seminary
in Mapuordit with around 45 students.
Fr. John Skinnader, a Holy Ghost Father,
is the rector, and the newly ordained Fr.
John Malou are accompanying them in
their spiritual and vocational formation
while they attent the Catholic Secondary
School in the mission.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Regular Pastoral Programs
In the recent years, the Diocese of Rumbek has been establishing a number of
regular pastoral programs on a diocesan level. The following list is not exhaustive.
Diocesan Youth Congress
Since 2008, between 500 and 1000
youth from all over the Diocese gather
for the annual Youth Congress (except
2011). For the youth this is one of the
rare occasions to go beyond the limits of
clans and tribes to know and appreciate
age-mates from other parts of the country and experience how the faith creates
unity beyond the known borders. It is a
modern evangelization event with liturgical elements, talks and discussions of
burning issues, visibility towards the surrounding population, sports, music and
relaxation.
pastoral
Pastoral Programs with children
Feasts for children. Once a year,
usually at the occasion of the liturgical
feast of the children (28. December),
we feel,the mostly poor children living
in the territory of the Diocese, should
have a great feast-day without worries
and needs. Therefore each parish holds
a little feast for them, with sports and
games, songs, stories, snacks and drinks.
Alleluia Dancers and Altar Servers:
Altar Servers and Alleluia Dancers are an
integral part of the Eucharistic celebra-
tions in our Diocese, especially on Sundays and Feast-days. They are trained
and receive catechesis within the missions either directly by the parish priest,
or by a religious sister or by catechists.
In some parishes, like in Rumbek Holy
Family Parish, they are invited to real
“seminars” of 2-3 days where they receive more profound teaching about the
mysteries celebrated in the liturgy and
the Word of God – of course combined
with a lot of plays, games and songs.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
pastoral
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Regular Pastoral Programs
Itinerant Formation of Catechists
Catechists have been the backbone
of Evangelization in South Sudan for
decades, and the Church in this country
cannot be realized without their contribution. Actually, the Diocese of Rumbek
has around 450 catechists. The formation of these catechists is crucial, but it’s
challenging in the given conditions. Due
to high transport costs, tough road conditions and the insecurity of the war, in
the past it was never possible to gather
the catechists for a longer period at the
Bishop’s see in Rumbek. In response to
this challenge, since 2008, the team of
the PALICA-centre visits every year each
mission of the Diocese and offers in loco
courses of one week for the catechists.
This “Itinerant Formation of Catechists”
has borne great fruits, and the Diocese is
committed to continue.
Courses for Head Catechists at PALICA
A catechist in Thiet subparish
with a bicycle
sponsored by MIVA Austria
A new series of more intense formation for head catechists started in Rumbek in November 2012: the PALICA will
offer two courses per year for 30 “head
catechists”, each course with a duration
of one month. This project will go on for
Visit in a “Cattle Camp” during the annual Dinka Culture- and Langage
Course
the next three years and reach approximately 180 committed catechists, who
we expect to share what they learne
with the other catechists in their areas.
Dinka Language and Culture Courses
Especially created for newly arriving
missionaries and lay staff, the PALICA is
offering a course of three months in the
language and culture of the predominant ethnic group in the Diocese - the
Dinka - in order to give them basic understanding of their way of living and enable
them to have simple conversation with
the local population. The Dinka-courses
are occasionally also frequented by staff
of other organizations who highly appreciate this service. Teachers are the local
diocesan priests (Fr. John Mathiang and
Fr. Marko Tong) plus native trained language teachers.
Retreat of Diocesan Priests
The group of Diocesan Priests is still
very small. Four of the seven of the incardinated priests are native South Sudanese, three are East African expatriates. In addition there are two diocesan
priests working in the Diocese of Rumbek
who are incardinated in other Dioceses.
At least once a year these priests have a
retreat for one week with the Bishop or
Diocesan Administrator outside the territory of the Diocese.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Rumbek
Holy Family Cathedral
Parish
Rumbek Holy Family Cathedral Parish
is the “Mother Church” of the Diocese in
the capital city of Lakes States and one of
the largest cities of South Sudan.
The pastoral care of Rumbek Holy
Family Parish with its outstations is entrusted to a Diocesan Priest of Rumbek,
Fr. Andrea Osman. A number of former
outstations of this parish have become or
are about to become independent parishes recently, first of all St. Theresa Parish Rumbek, then Sacred Heart (near the
market of Rumbek), and most recently
Pacong, which will also take care of the
chapels of Malengagok and others which
were under Holy Family previously.
The community of Missionaries of
Charity (MC), next to the cathedral compound runs an orphanage and a health
centre for the most disadvantaged persons in Rumbek.
Sr. Mary Mumu OLC has been managing the St. Monica Women Group in
Rumbek since the year 2000, still during
the Second Secession war (1983‐2005).
The group still exists, has various income
generating projects, is offering programs
for peace and reconciliation, women
empowerment, alphabetization, tailoring courses, etc. It is now extending its
activities to a number of outstations
around Rumbek such as Malengagok,
Rumbek Holy Cross (at the Secondary
School), Pan‐ba‐kol, Pacong, Rumbek
Sacred Heart and recently Lang‐cok Millitary Camp in the North of Rumbek.
The Comboni Primary School in Rumbek is one of the largest of the Diocese
with approximately 1.550 pupils – not
considering the satellite schools. A Secondary School is in the phase of planning.
Loreto Girls Secondary School is situated 7 km west of the town of Rumbek.
The Loreto sisters came from Ireland to
South Sudan in 2006 and in 2008 opened
a Secondary Boarding school for girls at
the invitation of the Catholic Bishop of
Rumbek. The management are fully
qualified teaching staff and work in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, using the new Secondary Syllabus
for South Sudan and the Government
of South Sudan (GoSS) examination. In
the past 5 years, the high standard of
teaching and discipline has given Loreto
a very good standing with parents and
students. In 2013 Loreto Girls school has
125 students from six states of South
Sudan. The girls follow the Government
of South Sudan secondary curriculum
and avail of a range of extra‐curricular
activities unequalled in the region. In
2012/2013, the Loreto Sisters also started a Primary School which is still operating under trees. Classes are also offered
to adults.
the missions
Opened: around 1955, reopened after
1997
Parish Priest: Fr. Andrea Osman, Diocesan Priest
Location: Rumbek Town, capital of
Lakes State, approx. 2 km distant from
Rumbek Airport
Religious Congregations:
• Evangelizing Sisters of Mary (ESM)
• Sisters of Our Lady of Charity (OLC)
• Missionaries of Charity (MC)
• Loreto Sisters (I.B.V.M.)
Sub-parish: Pacong
Outstations/prayer centres: Five (Adhol, Nyinkot, Aber, Pantit, Ababu, Langcok
Catechists: 17
Schools and other Institutions:
• Comboni Primary School Rumbek
•
•
•
•
with 1.549 pupils (2013), plus satellite schools
Loreto Girls Secondary School with
125 students
Loreto Primary School with 442 students
St. Monica Women’s Group
Orphanage and Hospital of the Missionaries of Charity
Diocesan Institutions:
• House of the Bishop
• Education Field Department
• DOR Logistics Field Department
• PALICA
(Pastoral‐Liturgical‐Catechetical Centre)
• DOR Women’s Desk
• DOR Justice & Peace Desk
• DOR Pontifical Missionary Childhood Office
• DOR Youth Secretariat and Youth
Centre
• PANDOOR Guest House
Holy Family Cathedral Rumbek was built in the 1950ies
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
continue
Rumbek
Holy Family Cathedral
Parish
In addition to the parish institutions
the parish also hosts most of the Diocesan
institutions in its territory – except the Minor Seminary and Radio Good News.
History
The Cathedral of Rumbek Diocese
in her tomultous history has become a
symbol for the equally interesting story
of the Diocese of Rumbek. It was built
shortly after Rumbek had been instituted as an Apostolic Vicariate in 1955. In
the same year the first South Sudanese
Meeting at the St. Monica Women’s Centre
the missions
Liberation War (1955‐1973) started.
In 1960 Fr. Paulino Doggale, the parish priest of Rumbek Cathedral, was arrested and condemned to years of prison for having protested against Sunday
abolition by the Islamic Government of
Khartoum. In 1964, The Sudanese Regime expelled all foreign christian missionaries from the country. In July 1965,
Arab soldiers killed the Vicar General, Fr.
Arkangelo Ali, in July 1965 during a raid.
After these events, the priests escaped
and the cathedral of Rumbek was closed
and burnt down though some catechists
continued to assist the Christians. In
1972 an Apostolic Delegate was able to
re‐open the Mission in Rumbek. During
the Second Seccession War (1983-2005),
Rumbek had to be abandoned again. Up
to 1997 the Bishop (or Apostolic Administrator) of Rumbek led the Diocese from
Kenya. In May 1997 the SPLA/M gained
control over Rumbek. By that time, the
see of the Bishop in Rumbek township, it
was vastly destroyed: The Cathedral, the
Bishop’s House, the residence of Fathers
and Sisters, the premises of the medical
dispensary were in a desolate condition.
The only thing left of the cathedral was
a part of the round wall and the wall behind the altar with a painting of the holy
family.
Little by little, the mission was rebuilt.
Up to now the Priests live in humble
houses and the late Bishop Caesar Mazzolari was living in a small two‐rooms
Convent of the Evangelizing Sisters
in Rumbek
The current accomodation for the
diocesan priests in Rumbek
July 2013: Construction of the new
residence for priests in Rumbek
shelter on the parish compound.
In early 2013, the Diocese has started
building a more solid house in the parish for the resident pastors and travelling
priests of the Diocese.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
the missions
Pachong
Sub-parish
Pachong, a former outstation of
Holy Family Cathedral, is a parish in the
process of its erection. In 2012, the Diocesan Administrator, Fr. Fernando Colombo mccj, entrusted to the Diocesan
Priest Fr. John Waweru to build up this
mission. Since then he has been able to
construct a humble church consisting on
a structure of steel, iron sheet roof and
mud bricks, as well as a two‐rommed
house for the resident priest.
It covers an area of around 10 square
kilometers.
Pachong was originally the oldest
mission in the area Rumbek: Because
the town had been reserved to Anglicans
by the British Colonialists, the Comboni
Missionaries chose this place in the periphery of Rumbek to build up a mission.
The wars from 1955 to 2005 destroyed
Opened: 2012
Priest in charge: Fr. John Waweru, Diocesan Priest
Location: Lakes State, around 20 km
East of Rumbek on the road to YirolJuba
Outstations: 5 (Malengagok, Pan Bar
Kou, Amer, Pacon Centre, Pan Awac )
April 2013: Church of Pacong
under construction
“Malual Bab” construction 1983
Rumbek
Sacred Heart Parish
Catechists and faithful at
Malengagok chapel
all this work. However, the first local
priests of our Diocese originate from
that area.
According to the book “Gold in the
Crucible”1, the village of Pachong was
razed by the army of the Sudanese Government on Christmas Eve 1984. Seven
people were reported killed, many
wounded and the village plundered.
1
“Gold in the Crucible. History of 50 Golden
Years Diocese of Rumbek 1955 – 2005”, collated
by H.L. Bishop Caesar Mazzolari, Fr. Fernando Colombo with Peter Kioni and Lucia Amuyira, Kenya,
2005., p. 81
Sacred Heart Rumbek is an outstation of Rumbek Holy Family Parish and
founded before the beginning of the
second South Sudanese Secession war
(1983‐2005), probably on July 1st 1983 in
a location by then called Malual Bab. Fr
Magalasi is the first parish priest of the
new parish of Malual Bab, and Fr. Bettini
acts as coadjutor.
Probably in 1987, the fighter jets of
Khartoum attacked the new Church during
Sunday Mass, while the faithful waited for
Fr. Raphael Riel who had gone home to collect his bible which he had forgotten. The
ruins remained untouched until 2012, although used for liturgical celebrations.
Around 2005, the late Bishop Caesar
Mazzolari decided to re‐open the mission as sub parish of Holy Family Cathedral Parish and put in charge Fr. Andrea
Osman and Fr. Henry Gidudu, both Diocesan Priests.
In January 2011, the newly erected
Sacred Heart Church Ruins 2011
Diocesan Radio Station Radio Good
News started broadcasting from their
facilities in the immediate neighborhood
of the ruins of the Church.
In 2011, the Diocesan Administrator
Fr. Fernando Colombo declared Sacred
Heart as an independent parish in Rumbek and put Fr. Don Bosco Ochieng, Diocesan Priest, in charge of it. From the
end of 2012, Fr. John Mathiang, Diocesan
Priest, is parish priest.
Fr. John Mathiang also renovated and
roofed the ruins of the Church building.
The parish has now three outstations: Malou, Meen Atool, Malith.
Opened: July 1983
Parish Priest: Fr. John Mathiang, Diocesan Priest
Location: Rumbek Town, near market
and city centre
Outstations: 3
Catechists: 5
Institutions: Radio good News
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Rumbek
St. Theresa of the Child
Jesus Parish
In 2005, the Jesuits’ Province of East
Africa opened the “St. Peter Claver Jesuit
Mission”. The members of the community were Fr. Salvatore Ferrao, Fr. Joseph
Rodrigues and Brother Francis. They
opened their Foundation in Rumbek to
promote evangelization in marginalized
areas, north of Rumbek as well as basic
education and training ,religious formation.
In 2005 Bishop Caesar Mazzolari
opened there formally the parish of St.
Theresa of the Child Jesus.
The Jesuits run the St. Peter Claver
Ecological Training Centre which offers
training to local youth in water and sanitation as well as solar energy. They offer
further classes in Computer Science.
An agricultural training centre of the
Jesuits is under construction.
Opened: 2005
Parish Priest: Fr. Salvatore Ferrao SJ
Location: In the North of Rumbek,
covering from there the area up to the
border of Lakes State
Religious Congregations: Jesuits
Outstations: 3 (Maper, Alor, Holy
Chross Chapel at Rumbek Secondary
School)
Catechists: 5
Institutions:
• St. Peter Claver Ecological Training
Centre
• Agricultural School (under construction)
• Mechanical workshop run by the
Arkangelo Ali Association (AAA)
the missions
Warrap
St. Daniel Comboni Parish
Warrap parish was opened by Comboni missionaries in 1954. After all the
Missionaries were expelled from Sudan in
1964, the premise became army barracks
and headquarters for the governor of “Arabs” who fought against the population
of Southern Sudan.
In 2003 ‐ two years before the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) –
Bishop Caesar Mazzolari allowed the
parish work to be resumed by the congregation of the Apostles of Jesus. At the
moment, there are two priests in Warrap: Fr. Victor Madirax AJ and Fr. Alex
Ojera AJ.
Opened: 1954 (2003)
Parish Priest: Fr. Victor Madirax AJ
Location: Warrap State, South Sudan,
approx. 70 km northeast of Wau and
80 km north of Tonj
Approximately 100 km north of Rumbek is the outstation of Maper. Fr. Salvatore has been going there occasionally
since 2001. In 2012/2013, Fr. Salvatore
Ferrao managed to build a small house
on the plot given to the Church a to ensure pastoral coverage of the area.
Religious Congregations: Apostles of
Jesus
Outstations: 24
Catechists: 48
Schools / Institutions:
The small house in the outstation
of Maper
Comboni Primary School (1.012 students in 2013)
Sunday Mass under trees
Warrap Parish House
The parish has 48 catechists and 24
outstations or Chapels: Warrap centre,
Awul Chapel, Apor Lang, Pagarelit, Rum
Gir, Lur‐chuk, Pagol, Rum‐athony, Mabiordit, Kirik, Majok, Agany, Lor‐abeit,
Aliek, Pantnei, Lual, Makok, Kuany, War‐
pach, Majang‐titr, Pankot,Manlor, Farasika, Alabek.
The people of the area belong mainly
to the ethnic groups of the predominantely pastoralist Dinkas and the Jur Chol
who are farmers.
Warrap Mission has a large primary
school, but not yet a Church building.
Around 800 persons pray alone in the
main parish under the shades of Mango
Trees.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
the missions
Marial Lou
St. Daniel Comboni Parish
Marial Lou Parish was established in
1994 with the Diocesan Priest Fr. Benjamin Madhol who was soon joined by Fr.
Mario Riva, a Comboni Missionary.
Marial Lou is located in a swampy
area far off the main roads, During the
Second South Sudanese Secession war
(1983 – 2005) people took refuge there.
The Church followed them and build a
mission among them.
The Church built a Primary School
and a large TB‐clinic, a kindergarten and
finally a Girls Boarding School “St. Bakhita Boarding School”. The Arkangelo Ali‐
Association (AAA) runs a hospital.
Even after the war, Marial Lou saw
many conflicts between neighboring
clans with disastrous consequences. Several communities working in Marial Lou
fell victims of the attacks or insecurity. In
2010 the Priests of the order “Verbo InOpened: 1994
Parish Priest: Fr. Benjamin Madol, Diocesan Priest
Location: Warrap State, approx. 80 km
north of Tonj
Outstations: 8 outstations (Ngapagok,
Palal, Achuat, Akuop, Langkap, Kiriit,
Majak and Athiangpuol) and 4 prayer
Marial Lou Parish House
The “Church” of Romic is a huge tree with a bamboo fence around
Romic
Subparish
Church Construction Site
carnato” and the “Evangelizing Sisters of
Mary” had to be evacuated. Today, there
is only one Diocesan Priest in charge of
the mission.
The mission is still without a church,
people pray under a tree. Actually the
parish priest is struggling to build a small
church.
centres (Panther, Alerwai, Magooll and
Parieng)
Catechists: 16
Institutions:
• Comboni Primary School (1074 pupils in 2013)
• TBC-Clinic
• Hospital run by the Arkangelo Ali
Association
Romic is a young growing center near
Marial Lou on the main road from Tonj
towards northeast into Unity State. It has
been a subparish of Marial Lou.
during the last war people had fled
from the main roads into the bush, (and
the Church followed there and built up
Missions like Marial Lou), now people are
moving towards the main roads, so places
like Romic become increasingly important
alsO for the Church.
In 2011, Bishop Caesar Mazzolari
agreed with a Priest of the Diocese of El
Obeid, Fr. Ireneo Majok Jangko, a native
from Romic area, to ensure a permanent presence of a priest in Romic. After Mazzolari’s death, the Diocesan Administrator, Fr. Fernando Colombo mccj,
confirmed this status and continued supporting the sub parish in view of making
it an independent parish.
People in Romic are still praying under a tree, the father has a humble 2‐
rooms’ house. As a small income generating activity, in 2013 a number of locally
built guest houses (tukuls) was erected.
Opened: 2011
Parish Priest: Fr. Ireneo Mayok, Diocesan Priest
Location: Warrap State, near Marial
lou Mission, approx. 80 km north of
Tonj
Outstations: 16 prayer centres
(Aliang, Panhial, Paweng, Pagur, Pautakou, Makuach, Unlit, Ngapaguk, Kachuat, Mapara, Unchuei, Palal, Tuerangot, Carayika, Mayen Adoor, Abiok)
Catechists: 30
Schools/Institutions: Mission primary school with 516 pupils (2013)
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Tonj
Don Bosco Parish
In 1953, the church of Tonj was built
as an outstation of Thiet mission, which
was founded in 1949 by the Comboni Fathers under the Diocese of Wau.
After the end of the first South Sudanese Independence war (1955‐1972), a
house was built for Fathers and Sisters
as well, but most times remained empty.
In 1980 Bishop Gabriel Dwatuka
(1979‐1982) appointed the Diocesan
Priest Fr. Benjamin Madol as the first
resident priest of Tonj.
In June 1982, the Salesian Fathers
took over the place with Fr. Ernesto de
Gaspari as parish priest and Fr. James
Pulickal as assistant. In 1983 Salesian Sisters joined.
In Nov. 1986, shortly after the beginning of the Second Secession War, Fr.
James Pulickal was imprisoned by the
Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLM)
and Fr. Ernest left for Wau; the mission
remained unattended to. Only Fr. Giuseppe Pellerino mccj., by then Apostolic Administrator of Rumbek, attended
the place occasionally coming from Wau.
But basically, Tonj Mission was dormant
up to 1994, and then was attended from
Marial Lou Mission.
In August 1999 the Salesians, with Fr.
James Pulickal, came back to reopen the
mission and a year later the Salesian Sisters Sr. Myriam and Celestina joined.
The mission has since developed
saturating the entire area and integrating the diversified minorities’ Bongo,
Jur, Dinka and Fertit (Mapel) into a reconciled people through the intense Don
Bosco inspiring presence among the
youth, and through outstanding pastoral, educational and health programs.
Tonj Mission has now 27 outstation
Sspread over a wide area, five of them
have primary schools with around 200
the missions
students each and pastoral centers,
namely Mabior Yar (35km distant), Malual Mok(18km), Aguko (36 km), Kuelcok
(15 km), Bab Cok (15km). In Thiet there
is a large church. Other chapels and primary schools are under construction.
The Salesian Sisters manage “Bakhita Centre”, consisting of a nursery and
primary school, a Women’s Centre with
agricultural training program, Accelerated Learning Programs for Adults and a
Youth Centre.
Opened: 1953 (1999)
Parish Priest: Fr. James Pulickal SDB
Religious Congregations:
• Sisters of Mary of Kakamega (SMK)
• Missionary Sisters of Mary, Help of
the Christians (MSMHC)
• Salesian Sisters (FMA)
• Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB)
Location: Warrap State, 120 km West
of Rumbek on the Road to Wau
Outstations: 27
Catechists: 40
Institutions:
• Bongo Primary School of Salesian
Fathers (800 pupils - handed over to
the government in 2012/2013)
The Kakamega Sisters and Missionary
Sisters of Mary, Help of the Christians
are active in both, health care and Pastoral work.
Radio Don Bosco has been on air
since 2010.
• Five satellite schools with around
200 students each and other four
schools functioning under the trees
• Secondary School of the Salesian Fathers, (108 pupils in 2013)
• Boarding facility for Girls of the
Kakamega Sisters (25 girls)
• Bakhita –Centre of the Salesian Sisters, consisting in (1) Bakhita Primary School of the Salesian Sisters
(282 pupils in 2013), (2) Bakhita
Women’s Association & agricultural project, (3) Bakhita Accelerated
Lerarning Program – (32 ladies) (4)
Bakhita Youth Centre
• TB‐Clinic
• New Hospital (in phase of construction) …
• Radio Don Bosco
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
the missions
Agangrial
Mary Mother of God Parish
Cueibet
subparish
Agangrial Mission was established in
1995 by Comboni Fathers and Comboni
Sisters around 20 km off Cueibet at the
Main Road from Rumbek to Tonj and
Wau. Like Mapuordit and Marial Lou, the
mission was built up in the bush, where
the people fled from the atrocities of the
Civil War between Southern Sudan and
Cuiebet sub parish is located on the
main road. After the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement of 2005 and the following relative stability people are moving out of the bush towards the main
road. Cuiebet is becoming a booming
center, where there was almost no building during the war.
Fr. Joseph Pellerino built up a small
church in 2006 and the Korean Fidei‐Donum Priests built a house for themselves
in 2012. A larger church is planned.
Agangrial Parish Church
Opened: 1995
Parish Priest: Fr. Gregory (Sang Hyup
Lee), fidei donum
Communities:
• fidei donum-priest from the Diocese of Suwon, Korea
• Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother
of the Church (MSMMC)
Location: Lakes State, 20 km south of
Cuiebet, of Rumbek-Wau-road
Sub-parishes: Cuiebet, Barghel
Catechists: 17
Schools / Institutions:
• Comboni Primary School Agangrial
with 680 students (2013)
• St. Bakhita TBC‐clinic (entrusted to
AAA)
Priest in Charge: Fr. Peter (Jung Ji
Yong), fidei donum
Accelerated Learing Program (ALP)
for adults in Cuiebet Parish
the Sudanese government troupes. The
humble church of Agangrial was built
around 2006/2007.
Since 2008, Agangrial Mission was
entrusted to a community of Fidei‐Donum Priests from the Diocese of Suwon
/ South Korea, who are developing the
mission and Cuiebet sub parish rapidly.
Communities:
• fidei donum-priest from the Diocese of Suwon, Korea
• Comboni Sister (CMS)
The Comboni Sisters’ community settled in Cuiebet in 2009 and is active in
pastoral work and Adult Education.
One of the dearest initiatives to
the late Bishop Caesar Mazzolari is the
Teachers’ Training College in Cuiebet,
which has been under construction since
2010 and is planned to be completed by
the end of 2013.
Barghel
subparish
In Barghel sub parish, the main project of the Comboni Missionaries under
the leadership of Fr. Giovanni
Girardi mccj is the Ireneo Wien Dud
Vocational Training Centre (a vocational
school for masonry, carpentry, etc. combined with a secondary school).
Location: Lakes State, ca 50 km west
of Rumbek on the road to Yirol‐Wau
Priest in Charge: Fr. Giovanni Girardi
mccj.
Catechists: 19
Communities: Comboni Fathers
Schools / Institutions:
• Teachers’ Training College in Ciuebet (to be opened in 2014)
• Adult Learning Program in Cuiebet (cooperated by Sr. Evette, as a
principal)
Location: Lakes State, ca 20 km west
of Cuiebet on the road to Tonj
Schools / Institutions: Ireneo Wien
Dud Vocational Training Centre with
61 students in 2013
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Wulu
Saints Peter and Paul Parish
Wulu is around 40 km distant from
Rumbek. Wulu county has approximately 20.500 inhabitants, while the “payam”
(smaller administration unit) of Wulu
counts 7.800 persons.
Wulu Mission was officially opened in
2003 and entrusted to the Congregation
of Apostles of Jesus but remained vacant
starting from 2007/2008, because of lack
of priests. After that it was taken care of
by the Rumbek Holy Family Cathedral
Parish in Rumbek (45 km distant).
In 2009, violent tribal clashes destroyed 2009 almost the whole of the
humble mission facilities and made
them uninhabitable. The Comboni Primary School was given to the local civil
authorities.
In 2010, the late Bishop Caesar Mazzolari decided to reconstruct the mission
and agreed with the congregation of the
Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans) to entrust
the pastoral care of Wulu to them. In exchange he would make sure that a solid
house was built for them. But Mazzolari
died only a few weeks before – August
2011 – sufficient donors were found to
re‐build the parish house.
From 2011 until now the reconstruction is going on. A borehole was drilled
April 2012, in August 2012 a small house
was completed, in April 2013 the parish
compound was fenced with a steel fence.
Joyful faithful after Sunday Mass in Wulu Church
the missions
Opened: 2003 (2012)
Parish Priest: Fr. Sospeter Kiarie CSsP
Communities: Holy Ghost Fathers
(Spiritans)
Location: Lakes States, around 45 km
South of Rumbek on the road to Mvolo
Catechists: 8
The installation of a photovoltaic system
for electricity and the water pump will
start in July 2013.
The humble Church building is still
done in simple compressed mud with a
grass roof.
The Spiritans came at the end of
2012 to Wulu and started their pastoral
and developmental service for the community.
In Wulu county, there are two ethnic groups: The Jurbeli, who are mostly
farmers, and the Dinka who are pastoralists. The Jurbeli are now the dominant
tribe there, who were joined by the
Dinka during the confusion of the secession wars. However, after the peace
agreement of 2005, the two groups did
not manage to stay together any more,
and in 2009, the Jurbeli chased the Dinka
away. In this conflict, also the facilities of
the parish were destroyed. At the present, the Dinkas are coming back little by
little to regain their lost territory.
The Spiritan community (Fr. Sospeter Kiarie and Fr. Nolasco Joseph) in
front of the new parish house of Wulu.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Mapuordit
St. Josephine Bakhita Parish
Mapuordit is a remote zone around
20 km south of Aluakluak on the road
connecting Rumbek and Yirol, where
people fled during the war.
It is the oldest mission (after Yirol)
since the Diocese entered the so called
“Liberated Area” (conquered by the
SPLA). In 1992, the Comboni missionaries were forced to evacuate Yirol and
chose to stay in Mapuordit. In 1993 MaOpened: 1993
Parish Priest: Joseph Pellerino mccj
Religious Congregations:
• Comboni Fathers (MCCJ),
• Sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred
Heart (OLSH),
• Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans, CSsP)
Location: Lakes State on the border to
Western Equatoria State, approx. 20
km off Akot at Rumbek‐Yirol
Road (80 km from Rumbek)
Catechists: 30
Outstations: 18: 5 of them have with
simple permanent shelters (Agany,
Makuragar, Aluakluak, Atiaba, Mathiangic) others are simple prayer centres
with very poor facilities: Aguran, Ngop,
puordit began to flourish with a diocesan priest, Fr. Raphael Riel, and Comboni
Church personnel, Fr. Joseph Pellerino,
Fr. Michael Barton and Bro. Dominic.
Today, Mapuordit is one of the best
developed missions, conducted by
Comboni Missionaries and Our Lady of
the Sacred Heart Sisters from Australia
as well as – since January 2013 a priest
from the Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans)
in charge for the Minor Seminary assisted by a newly ordained Diocesan Priest,
John Malou, who is a native of this area.
Kakor, Piny Path, Pandit, Marial Bek,
Mayom, Dongic, Adol, Aduel, Paloc, Titagok, BarPakeny, plus pastoral visits in
10 Government schools
Schools/Institutions:
• Comboni Primary School with 1.364
students enrolled in 2013, plus five
satellite schools
• Comboni Secondary School with 205
students (2013)
• School for Nurses with 47 students
(2013)
• St. Josephine Bakita Minor Seminary with 45 seminarians
• Mary Immaculate Hospital
• Three women groups in Mapuordit
with various activities
• Aluakluak Women’s Restaurant and
Group
the missions
Sunday Mass in the new parish church of Mapuordit
Mapuordit Mission has 18 outstations. In addition, the missionaries offer
Catholic Religious Education and liturgy
in 10 Government schools.
There are also a number of expatriate
professional supportive staff working in
the Education and Health sector.
The Rural Hospital “Mary Immaculate”, founded in 2002, is now known
as the best hospital in Lakes State and
notwithstanding the hardly accessible
location, people come from far to get
treatment there. It has been built up and
is led by Doctor Rosario Iannetti, a Comboni Brother, together with Slovakian
rotating teams of Doctors (from TRNAVA
University). It has around 100 beds in different wards and registered almost 4000
inpatients and over 1000 operations in
2012.
The OLSH Sisters from Australia are
doing an outstanding educational and
pastoral work in the mission.
There are three women Groups in
Mapuordit led by Sr. Rita Grunke OLSH:
St. Bakhita Women Group is empowering local women in Mapuordit and
several outstations with an holistic approach. Women’s Restaurants generate
income to the women in Aluakluak since
2012 and Mapuordit since 2013. The St.
Joseph’s Women Group operates among
the “poor and blind”, and a third women
group in “Panamat” centre runs - among
others - a gardening project.
The Comboni Primary School has 1.364
students. There are five satellite schools
with permanent classrooms (Agany, Dongic, Titagok, Atiaba, Piny Path).
Combony Senior Secondary School
had 27 female and 178 male students in
2013.
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
the missions
tion (AAA).
The mission has two big primary
schools: Holy Cross had 1.749 students
in 2013, St. Daniel Comoboni School
794. There are 27 satellite schools 10 of
them with permanent school buildings,
Opened: 1993
Holy Cross Church Yirol is the largest church in the Diocese of Rumbek
Yirol
Holy Cross Parish
The Mission – one of the most developed in the Diocese of Rumbek ‐ has 54
outstations, 9 of them with permanent
Churches or Chapels buildings and 7
with temporary Chapels buildings in iron
sheets and mud.
There is a community of four Comboni Fathers: Fr. Joseph Parlade, Fr. Antoine
Kondo, Fr. Deivide Octavio and Fr. Hector Ayon plus the Comboni Seminarian
Lwanga Cornelio.
The community of Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church has
two member at the moment: Sr. Patricia
Tumushabe and Sr. Immaculate Nyanyonga.
Chapels in permanent building:
Nyang, Lekakudu, Panakar, Pagarau, Billing, Adior, Malik, Arwau, Majak.C hapels
in temporary building in iron sheets and
mud: Kadula (Returnees Yirol), Nohmlao (Returnees of Nyang), Shambe, Lualngeng, Langatoot, Anuol, Genggeng.
Other Chapels in grass: Betoi, Lokidwayot, Titmarier, Akokoi, Panabi, Matbaar, Arer, Mading Awen, Ramciel, Tot,
Bunagany, Akonkon, Thonaburkok, Yaly,
Kap, Pirchok, Ichuuluk, Kuch, Mathiang,
Ngop, Burtit. The rest are chapels under
the trees and centres in the schools.
The St. Joseph Hospital in Yirol is administrated by the Arkangelo Ali Associa-
now they are under the administration
of the County Education office but the
mission has the paternity and the spiritual responsibility. Through the missinaries, 19 satellite schools receive food aid.
The Sisters in Yirol mission take care
of four women centres : Adior, Billing,
Titmarier, Lualngeng.
Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Parlade mccj
History:
Religious Congregations:
• Comboni Fathers (MCCJ),
• Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother
of the Church (MSMMC)
Daniele Comboni, the “Apostle of
Africa” started in 1857/58 his mission
among the Africans from Shambe at the
River Nile, which is located in today’s territory of Yirol Mission.
The Diocese of Rumbek started its activities in the so called “Liberated Area”
– the territory conquered by the Sudan
Peoples’ Liberation Army (SPLA) ‐ in Yirol in November 1991. The missinoaries,
however, had to leave Yirol during the
military occupation from the North (April
1992 – May 1997) and then resumed its
support from Mapuordit.
In 1999 Yirol was fully reopened as
Holy Cross Mission with its own Comboni School, dispensary and wide evangelization.
In 2009, the big Holy Cross Church
was inaugurated.
Location: Lakes State, Around 120 km
south east Rumbek on the Road to
JubaRoad (80 km from Rumbek)
Catechists: 100
Outstations: 54 (9 with permanent
buldings)
Schools/Institutions:
• Holy Cross Primary School with
1749 students enrolled in 2013,
plus 27 satellite schools
• St. Daniel Comboni Primary
School, 794 pupils ( 2013)
• St. Bakhita Kindergarten
• 4 Women’s Centres (Adior, Billing,
Titmarier, Lualngeng)
• Hospital administered by the Arkangelo Ali Association
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Bunagok (Aliap)
St. Anselm Parish
Bunagok and Aliap are two different
names used for the same mission.Bunagok/Aliap parish was established in April
2004 by Bishop Caesar Mazzolari. The
first parish priest was the late Fr. Raphael
Riel. The mission at the extreme eastern
New parish house
end of the territory of the Diocese of
Rumbek still needs much development
but is located on a strategic point, that
is near the proposed new capital city of
South Sudan, Ramciel and also near the
river Nile.
It has been twinned to Gussago, Italy
in February 2005 and needs to be developed at all levels of evangelization,
education and health since it has been a
neglected area.
The parish has around 12 prayer outstations, among others Abuyung, Mingkaman, Awerial Centre, Alel, and Kaltok.
The mission is located in a territory
which is traditionally mainly covered by
the Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS – Anglican Tradition).
In 2010/2011 a new small parish
house and a little multipurpose hall,
functioning also as a church, were built
in the Parish.
Opened: 2004
Multipurpose Hall
Parish Priest: Fr. Charles Wasyeba, Diocesan Priest
radio stations
Catholic Radio Stations
Nine Catholic Radio Stations are operating under the Catholic Radio Network
in the Sudan and South Sudan. They have
been playing a key role in the civic education, initiatives for Justice and Peace,
Trauma Healing, Women Promotion, Evangelization and in the process of Nation
Building of South Sudan.
In the Diocese of Rumbek there are
two stations, covering not only the whole
area of the Diocese but far beyond.
Radio Good News Rumbek
Good News Radio is a community‐
based diocesan radio station. Translated
in the indigenous language (Dinka) as
“Radio Thong Path”, Good News Radio
broadcasts mainly in Dinka language
since the natives of the region of its coverage are predominantly of the Dinka
tribe. But there are also programs in
English, particularly the daily news and
pre‐recorded programs addressing topical community issues.
The radio started with 8‐hour daily
broadcast in 2010 under the leadership
of Fr. Don Bosco Ochieng. It’s present
Director is Norbert Otieno. With a coverage of up to 150km radius, the waves of
Good News Radio reach out to around 1
million people in six of the ten States of
South Sudan in different degrees.
Radio Don Bosco Tonj
Radio Don Bosco started broadcasting in 2010 under the director Fr. Cyril
Odia SDB with 8 programs, and later increased the number of programs to 16
an now 26 per week. The signal of the
Radio Station has an outreach of about
130 km. It covers almost the whole Warrap State (approx. one million inhabitants), Wau (160.000 people) and the
surrounding Western Bar El Ghazal State
as well as Cuiebet, Agangrial, Mapel and
the areas around those Centres. The present director is Fr. Shyjan Job SDB.
Location: Lakes State, around 80 km
southeast of Yirol
Outstations: 12 prayer centres
Catechists: 6
Aliap Primary School
Schools / Institutions: Primary School
with 401 pupils (2013)
Radio Good News Rumbek
Radio Don Bosco Tonj
DIOCESE OF RUMBEK - SOUTH SUDAN
Diocesan Priests
• Fr. Benjamin Madhol, South Sudanese: Marial Lou
• Fr. Andrea Osman, South Sudanese:
Rumbek Holy Family
• Fr.
Ireneo
Mayok,
South
Sudanese,:Romic
• Fr. John Mathiang, South Sudanese:
Rumbek, Sacred Heart
• Fr. Marko Tong, South Sudanese:
Rumbek, Holy Family
• Fr. John Malou, South Sudanese: Mapuordit Minor Seminary
• Fr. John Waweru, Kenyan: Pacong
• Fr. Don Bosco Ochieng, Kenyan: Nairobi
• Fr. Henry Gidudu, Ugandan: Rumbek
• Fr. Charles Wasyeba, Ugandan: Bunagok/Aliap
Religious Congregations
working in the Diocese
Female Congregations
• Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother
of the Church (MSMMC): Yirol and
Agangrial
• Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Sisters
(OLSH): Mapuordit
• Missionaries of Charity: Rumbek
• Our Lady of Charity: Rumbek
• Evangelizing Sisters of Mary (ESM):
Rumbek
• Loreto Sisters (IBVM): Rumbek
• Comboni Sisters (CMS): Cuiebet
• Sisters of Mary of Kakamega (SMK):
Tonj
• Missionary Sisters of Mary, Help of
the Christians (MSMHC): Tonj
• Salesian Sisters (FMA): Tonj
Male Congregations
• Comboni Fathers (MCCJ): Yirol, Mapuordit, Rumbek, Barghel
• Holy Ghost Fathers / Spiritants (CSsP):
Wulu, Mapuordit
• Jesuits (SJ): Rumbek
• Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB), Tonj
• Apostels of Jesus (AJ), Warrap
fidei donum
• Fidei Donum Priests from the Diocese of Suwon/South Korea: Agangrial, Cuiebet