The Catholic Bishops of South Sudan were urged to be serious and take up their responsibilities to their dioceses and to the Church in the country.
Archbishop Paolino Lukudu Loro told his brothers bishops of South Sudan at the beginning of a two-day meeting that started today in Juba that they have to take the lead from the Government and work hard to develop their own churches.Archbishop Lukudu said the meeting, the third of its kind, will review the Bishops’ conference secretariat in South Sudan and study the constitutional process towards the permanent Constitution of South Sudan.
The bishops should also issue some guidelines to regulate contacts with partners.
Archbishop Lukudu added that the bishops should also discuss the presence of the Catholic Church in Pibor, Jonglei State.
The bishops said a number of religious institutes are coming to South Sudan.
It includes the Divine Word Missionaries to Lainya-Yei, Indian Oblates to Wau, Spiritans to Rumbek, Caritas Sisters already in Gumbo-Juba and the Daughters of St Anne, from Eritrea, planning to open two communities in Juba archdiocese.
The meeting started with a presentation on the relations between the Church and political powers by Fr Peter John Pearson, who heads the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office in South Africa.