“Church cannot remain indifferent”: Sudan, South Sudan Catholic Bishops Put Peace at Heart of New Strategic Plan

“The Church cannot remain indifferent in this suffering,” Cardinal Ameyu said, adding that it must be “the voice for the voiceless.”

The Local Ordinary of Juba Archdiocese since March 2020 rejected violence as a path to lasting peace, saying sustainable peace cannot be founded on the victory of one group over another.

He said peace requires justice, dialogue, forgiveness, respect for human dignity and attention to the causes of conflict.

Under the new strategic plan, the Catholic Church is to continue engaging political and community leaders, cooperating with other Christian denominations and religious communities, accompanying displaced populations and supporting reconciliation initiatives.

Cardinal Ameyu said humanitarian and peacebuilding interventions should help create the conditions necessary for displaced families to return safely to their homes.

Such efforts, he said, must go beyond emergency assistance and address the circumstances that force people to flee their homes.

He also called for the formation of Priests, women and men Religious, Catechists and lay Catholics to strengthen their participation in peacebuilding, reconciliation and development.

Cardinal Ameyu thanked SSCBC’s partners for supporting the Church’s accompaniment of communities affected by war and humanitarian crises, emphasizing that partnership extends beyond financial assistance.

“Partnership is not merely financial support. It is an accompaniment, mutual respect, shared responsibility and a common commitment to the Gospel,” he said.

He also pledged transparency, accountability and responsible stewardship in the management of resources entrusted to the Church.