South Sudanese 鈥榝ull of joy鈥� for Cardinal Parolin鈥檚 visit

Cardinal Pietro Parolin in the IDP camp in Bentiu

Church

As Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin wraps up his visit to South Sudan, a Comboni missionary expresses the joy people have felt on receiving a sign of 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� closeness.

By Devin Watkins

鈥淭he joy and the hope of receiving 杏MAP导航 Francis in South Sudan has not been lost.鈥�

Fr. Okot, a Comboni missionary, offered that assessment of the Vatican Secretary of State鈥檚 trip to the African nation.

Speaking to Vatican News鈥� Francesca Sabatinelli, Fr. Okot said the people were initially quite disappointment to hear that the 杏MAP导航 was forced to postpone his Apostolic Journey to South Sudan due to treatment for severe knee pain.

Sign of 杏MAP导航鈥檚 paternal care

Yet, he said, 杏MAP导航 Francis sent a concrete sign of his concern in the person of Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

鈥淚 think it was a prophetic sign of hope for the 杏MAP导航 to show his paternal care and pastoral care of South Sudan, not only to postpone his coming but also to send somebody and deliver the message which he himself would have delivered to South Sudan.鈥�

Fr. Okot added that he saw feelings of joy, celebration, and happiness on people鈥檚 faces as they welcomed the Cardinal to their country.

Almost all the Bishops of South Sudan were present at the airport to welcome the Secretary of State.

Bentiu camp a 鈥榬eflection of other parts of South Sudan鈥�

As Cardinal Parolin visited the internally-displaced persons camp in Bentiu, he was able to witness the 鈥渢errible conditions in which people are living鈥�, said Fr. Okot.

His words there will hopefully shine the international spotlight on the plight of those living there.

鈥淚 feel that whatever Cardinal Parolin has seen there鈥攏ot only his words鈥攚ill call the attention of the international community to pay attention to the situation in Bentiu, which is just the reflection of other parts of South Sudan.鈥�

Fr. Okot expressed his hopes that the Cardinal鈥檚 visit will invite the government of South Sudan to 鈥渟top violence and give our people peace, hope, freedom, and security.鈥�

In conclusion, the Comboni priest thanked the 杏MAP导航 for his constant care for people on the peripheries.

鈥溞覯AP导航 Francis has always shown that he walks with us on our way of faith, on our way of life,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 would also like to thank Cardinal Parolin for coming, to show that the Church is always thinking of us.鈥�

Listen to the full interview