Church Calls for Unity in South Sudan
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro opened a recent pastoral address in Yambio by warning that a divided Church cannot bring healing to a traumatized nation. He urged clergy and lay faithful to model unity so the Gospel resonates with war-scarred communities.
Nonviolent Language as Tool for Healing
The prelate linked everyday speech to national stability, lamenting that poisonous words fuel tribal suspicion. ‘Nonviolent communication is the path of healing,’ he said, inviting believers to replace insults with respectful dialogue that builds, encourages and restores hope across ethnic and political lines.
He compared the Church to a radio station that must broadcast good news without interruption. If hearts are peaceful, he argued, words will naturally transmit peace. The call resonated with participants who later described the session as an antidote to despair.
Self-Reliance Amid Declining Aid
Turning to economics, Bishop Hiiboro noted that global donors increasingly look inward. He asked, ‘Can we not also say: Africa first, South Sudan first?’ Self-reliance, he insisted, confers dignity and stability, citing diocesan farms and community projects already funding schools and clinics.
He portrayed shortages as motivation rather than defeat, arguing that living within local means strengthens institutions. Observers from NGOs acknowledged the practicality of that stance, noting that unpredictable aid flows require resilient domestic revenues.
Family Reconciliation as National Foundation
The bishop traced national fractures back to households where siblings no longer speak. Healing, he said, must start around kitchen tables before it reaches state institutions. Community leaders present promised to mediate family disputes, seeing them as microcosms of wider tensions.
A Jubilee of Hope in Practice
Invoking the Church’s Jubilee of Hope, Bishop Hiiboro urged faithful to visit, encourage and materially support one another. Hope, he reminded them, is a mission carried by acts, not slogans. He prayed for wisdom to respond to crises ‘without error’ and with calm discernment.
Closing the address, he summarised the prescription: unity, peaceful speech, self-reliance and household reconciliation. ‘South Sudan will not be healed by violence, nor by dependency, but by unity, dignity and hope,’ he declared to sustained applause echoing through the cathedral hall.