Cardinal Ameyu Calls for Christ-Centered Pastoral Renewal as South Sudan’s Juba Archdiocese Unveils Strategic Plan

The pastoral plan is also expected to strengthen pastoral care for families, young people, people preparing for marriage, newly married couples, widows, widowers and single people.

With peace and reconciliation remaining major challenges in South Sudan, Cardinal Ameyu said the Church must become an agent of healing.

“Peace is elusive in our country. Reconciliation is elusive in our country,” he said.

He called for the Church to become a place of peace and “trauma healing,” while urging Priests to advocate for the rights of the poor and vulnerable.

The Archbishop of Juba further challenged the Archdiocese to make the implementation of the Synod on Synodality tangible at parish level by creating a culture of listening and discernment.

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“We need to have a changing attitude, a listening attitude,” he said.

Small Christian Communities (SCCs) are expected to play a central role in this process. Cardinal Ameyu called for stronger collaboration among diocesan structures, parish priests, religious communities, and the lay faithful in establishing and sustaining them.

He also insisted on monitoring and evaluation to ensure that pastoral priorities produce measurable results.

“What have we accomplished thus far? What must we do this year? Where are we going?” he asked.

The Catholic Church leader presented the strategic plan as a covenant rooted in the Church’s relationship with Christ and expressed through communion, participation and mission.

As the Archdiocese moves toward implementation of its 2026–2030 strategy, he urged Catholics to embrace a spirit of renewal and co-responsibility, invoking the Holy Spirit and Mary, Queen of Peace, to accompany the Church.

“Together, we must move together,” Cardinal Ameyu said, emphasizing that the future of the Archdiocese depends on a shared commitment to Christ, the Gospel and service to the people of God.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.