The blessing of Holy Cross Catholic Church, in Yirol, Lakes State, on Sunday was a joyous and thankful feast that gathered scores of people
Over 1000 adults found space inside the church while children were kept out by the police due to lack of space inside the newly built temple.On attendance were members from the local Church, donors from Italy and Spain, government officials, members from NGOs and Rumbek diocese personnel, Good News Radio reported.
Bishop Caesar Mazzolari of Rumbek, who led the blessing, said he was consecrating a place where life would be continually transformed by people gathering to listen to the Word God and through the celebration of the Sacraments of the Church.
The Commissioner for Yirol West, Diardit Bol Dak, thanked the bishop, donors, and all those who contributed in any way to the construction of Holy Cross Church which he described as “fantastic and gigantic”.
He promised to maximize security to guarantee peace and development.
Mr. David Deng Athorbei, GoSS Minister for Finance, extended to the congregation greetings and best wishes from GoSS president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, saying that he was personally sent to represent the president and that he would report back the joy he saw in Yirol.
The minister pledged to contribute with 50 thousand Sudanese Pounds and to procure a generator to power the new church, the primary school and the hospital.
The new Holy Cross Church took seven years of hard work to build, through the collaboration of many people known to Fr. Joseph Parlade, a Comboni Missionary from Spain, and Yirol parish priest.
He has served in Sudan for 40 years.