Priests offer a unique and irreplaceable spiritual service to the society and together with seminarians they need a special attention for their welfare.
This was the view Bishop Erkulano Lodu Tombe of Yei shared with journalists on Friday at the end of a four-day meeting of the heads of diocese in South Sudan.
Bishop Erkulano said priests like everybody else get old and sick and need care and replacement.
He added that the Church needs to engage in constant recruitment and proper preparation of seminarians to be the future pastors of the people of God.
Bishop Erkulano said some dioceses have more seminarians than others because the vocation for the priesthood is a call from God and not a private right.
Bishop Erkulano noted that for young men to persevere as seminarians and as priests they need dioceses, parishes and families with strong faith.
He added that perseverance is key to answer God’s call to the ordained ministries.