The Vatican Secretary of State’s eminence cardinal Pietro Parolin calls on Seminary students to take advantage of their formation years as they prepare to join church ministry and priesthood services to become a good shepherd.
Senior religious leaders encouraged the seminarians to perform three dimensions: humanity, spiritual and academic.
Cardinal Parolin, who visited South Sudan last week, spoke with seminary students at St. John Paul Major Seminary in Juba before he departed to Rome, Italy, on Friday.
“This is the time of your formation, take advantage of this time, this is my suggestion, is my advice, is my consul to you, take advantage of this time of formation because it will never come back,” Parolin said.
Parolin further stated that the formation is meant to educate and strengthen Seminarians ahead of their tasks to become priests that can perform their duties diligently.
He urges seminary students to be good Christian shepherds and protect the image of religion.
“You must be seen by your people in your parishes or in whatever ministry you will be engaged. Let the Christian community know the image of Christ in you.
The president of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ conference, Bishop Tombe Trile, shared with the Cardinal how St. John Paul started 40 years back.
Tombe called on seminarians to take the words of Cardinal Pietro Parolin out of them. They will become priests, Bishops’ and Cardinals.
“Cardinal told you that will become priests, among you will become Bishops’, and among you, some will become Cardinals. So you should take your vocation wholeheartedly to become some of the mentioned personalities in the ministry.”
He said St. John Paul National Seminary brings Seminarians from all the Dioceses in Sudan and South Sudan.
Trile says the Catholic Church in Sudan and South Sudan had kept the Church as one, not following the political division.
“We loved to keep the Church one, we don’t follow the political division, and we remain Catholic in Sudan and South Sudan, and bring these young ones together and leave the politicians fighting on their own.”
He asked his eminence, Cardinal Pietro, to tell his Holiness that the Church in Sudan and South Sudan is alive because it is giving birth to young priests in the two countries.
On the other hand, the rector of St. John Paul National Seminary, Rev. Father Baptist Karim, encouraged priests and the formatters not to lose interest. However, there are many challenges in evangelization.
“To us priests and formatters, in the evangelization that we do, there is always, or there will be suffering, but let us not be afraid because Jesus has promised us joy, happiness, and above all, eternal life.”
Karim commended the historic pastoral visits of the Cardinal that brought Pope Francis messages of hope to the people of South Sudan.