 has laid the foundation stone for the construction of a National Pastoral and Leadership Centre (PALICA) in Juba.){kind=link}
Author: Chuol Jany| CRN| The Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SSS-CBC) has laid the foundation stone for the construction of a National Pastoral and Leadership Centre (PALICA) in Juba.
The ceremony was presided over by His Eminence Stephen Ameyu Martin Cardinal Mulla, President of the Bishops’ Conference, during a blessing Mass held at St. Paul Major Seminary on the morning of 11 March 2026.
The event was attended by several bishops including those from Yambio, Malakal, Yei, and the Archdiocese of Juba, along with priests and other clergy members.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Bishop of Yei Diocese, Rt. Rev. Alex Lodiong, said the first phase of the project has already begun and that the building will include office space and accommodation facilities for the conference.
“What we are coming here to witness is a foundation stone which we’ve seen there. May God continue to guide us to move forward with this project,” Bishop Lodiong said.
Cardinal Mulla said the start of the project demonstrates that the Church can accomplish major initiatives despite concerns about the resources required.
“We have come to push our energy together so that all of us have no fear in backing this building that is going to stand here. We have been deliberating since 2023 to have a building of the PALICA, a place that will help in training pastoral agents in both Sudan and South Sudan,” he said.
The Cardinal noted that although funding had been a major concern, the bishops agreed to rely on their own resources to begin the project.
“There was a question of money, money, money—looking for donors to help us. The bishops thought about it and said our land itself is money. We don’t need to look outside in order to build PALICA. We have to look within ourselves and our land to build parishes and PALICA, something that even people in Europe will appreciate that we have done well,” he explained.
Cardinal Mulla encouraged the Church community to remain confident and committed to developing strong institutions.
“Unless we get rid of fear, we will not do anything good for ourselves. We have to build good houses for our institutions,” he added.
The Bishops’ Conference has contracted Alassad Construction Company and M&M Technology to undertake the construction of the PALICA building, which is expected to be completed within two to three years.
The PALICA Centre is expected to serve as a office space, centre for training pastoral agents and strengthening the mission of the Catholic Church in both Sudan and South Sudan.