Fr. Sam with Congregation in St Bakhita Church [©Gurtong]
By Deng M. Koch
AUSTRALIA, 18th July, 2011 [Gurtong] - An inter-denominational Prayer service has been conducted over the weekend for the new Republic of South Sudan in Perth, Western Australia, by a number of Christian Churches.
Held at the Vietnamese Catholic Church building in Westminster, South Sudanese, Vietnamese, and Australian Christians from various Christian denominations and of various cultural backgrounds, joined together to welcome and pray for the world’s newest Country. A symbolic flag hoisting was done by uniformed SPLA members.
Christian groups in Australia are praying to the Almighty God, both for thanks giving and for future stability and prosperity in the African Continent, the region and in the new country of South Sudan, whose people have endured the worst and longest of suffering mankind has ever witnessed.
Their final achievement of an independent country is therefore seen as a long awaited deliverance by the Almighty, out of the hands of a powerful oppressor.
Parallel prayers for the new country in Saint Bakhita were conducted in different languages that are spoken in South Sudan including Arabic, Nuer, Dinka, Shilluk, and Ndogo (Western Bhar El Ghazal).
Meanwhile, the Sudanese catholic congregation at Saint Josephine Bakhita church, led by Fr. Albert Sam, conducted a special memorial prayer for the late Catholic Bishop of Rumbek Diocese, South Sudan, who suddenly passed away two days ago.
His grace Bishop Caesar Mazollari, an Italian born Missionary who had spent decades in South Sudan serving the most persecuted and oppressed Christian people in the world, reportedly died of suspected heart attack, while conducting a routine prayer service.
The late bishop and his fellow missionaries, under very difficult security and logistical conditions, worked hard to provide the most basic of services to the war-traumatised civilian populations in South Sudan.
Their services included but not limited to: makeshift but the most functional of schools, primary healthcare services and transportation of the sick and vulnerable civilians to and from neighbouring countries.
Some of the living examples of Bishop Mazollari’s work include Mapuordit primary and secondary school in Yirol and Agangrial Camboni Primary school in Cueibet County in Lakes State. His most recent innovative development is the Loreto Girls School in Rumbek.
All these were mentioned in his memory; the passing of Bishop Mazollari, a courageous man who gave up his Italian privileges, and chose to dodge bombs and bullets in South Sudan with the people he so dearly loved, marks the end of an era that will live on in the memories of generations to come.
The living lord that he so dedicatedly served was humbly asked to rest his soul and of all those who died in the noble cause for and service of mankind.
Lest we forget!