St. Martin Congregation Celebrates Golden Jubilee in South Sudan

St. Martin congregation celebrates Golden Jubilee in South Sudan
Monday 26 March 2007 02:30.

By Isaac Vuni

March 25, 2007 (JUBA) — The Catholic Archbishop of Juba diocese, Rev.
Paulino Lokudu Loroo said Christians of southern Sudan particularly in
Juba, should thank God for the gift of St Martin de Porres, religious
congregation that has dedicated themselves in availing vocational
training and teaching of youth and women empowerment at all levels.

As we celebrate the golden jubilee, we are proud to have among us the
first southern Sudanese St. Martin de Porres religious Brother who
hails from Kapoeta Noth County of eastern Equatoria state, Rev. Bro.
Agusto Lopeta, born in 1922 and too his first religious vow on March
19th 1975 along with other four southern Sudanese at Okaru.

We should thank God for this gift of vocation through St. Martin
brothers. He challenges all Christians to be witness of Christ wharves
they may be to prove themselves by being proactive Christians.

He was speaking at the celebrate marking the fifty year of St. Martin
de Porrous Brothers, catholic religious congregation, whose lifestyle
are surrounded with vows of poverty that makes them to be poor as
Jesus Christ, chastity makes them to be chase as Jesus Charist and
obedience makes them to be obedient as Jesus Charist and hence they
became the rock of poorer people especially among southern Sudanese
during the dark era of National Islamic led government of Omar Hassan
el Bashir.

Nevertheless, the Catholic Diocese of Yei bishop, Rev. Erkulano Lodu
Tombe says the Almighty God is full of Marcy, love and forgiveness to
all humanity therefore would avail itself at any center of Christian's
celebrations at any time. That is why we are celebrating the golden
jubilee of the congregation at a time when southern Sudan is
experiencing relative peace.

Bishop Tombe appeals to suspected corrupt government officials that
might be contemplating to commit suicide in order to end their life
because of shame and fears of going to prison to seek solace with God.
(Rev. Bro. Agusto Lopeta, renewing his50 years of religious vows today
at st Teresa Cathedral Kator Juba pic by Isaac Vuni)

He says God loves all his creatures and willing to receive them
irrespective of crimes they might have committed. Therefore apple to
such people to refrain from evil thoughts and instead confessed their
sins and God will forgive them.

He further said corruption and injustice are cardinal sins that
Christians should refrain from, especially looting their own resources
that render developmental services to all southern Sudanese.

Bishop Tombe also appeals to those civil servants who are entrusted to
take care of public fund to be responsible and apply the norm of
transparency and be accountable to the people because whatever they
are getting are in the name of the people of southern Sudan including
church personnel.

"It's better for them to confess their sins and they will be forgiven
by southern Sudanese people and the Almighty God", pleaded Bishop
Tombe.

He urges all southern Sudanese Christians not to abundant business
management because he said it's the sound basis for economy
empowerment of southern Sudanese. The bishop further rule out
allegation that Catholic are running away from politic, rather, its
part en parcel of humanity, therefore, it would be naïve for anyone to
think of that.

Bishop Lodu declared that that individual who wants to swallow public
funds are murders.

If they are people who have southern Sudan in their hearts, the better
be advised to repents than running away ,otherwise, they are not the
true sons of southern Sudan, he cautions.

The Bishop caution came at a time when some five senior government
officials of southern Sudan are arrested on cases related to
corruption with some involved in smuggling money to neighboring
countries.

On the other hand, archbishop Paulino Lokudu Loroo, the main
celebrant, pleaded to Almighty God, "What do you now wants of St.
Martin brothers congregation who have, in our natural eyes,
accomplished 50 years of service to the people centered on their vows
of poverty, chastity and obedience among southern Sudanese and
Ugandan?, he questioned.

We should thank God for the gift of St. Martin congregation in
southern Sudan particularly in the archdiocese of Juba where they are
involved in various promotional activities for the youth and women
empowerment. In southern Sudan, there are tow brothers congregations,
St. Martin Brothers based in Juba and St. Joseph Brothers based in
Wau. Lord gives them more strength and wisdom to continue serving our
people, he concluded. (Members of St. Martin Brothers at St. Teresa
Kator Cthedral renewing their religious vows to day, pic by Isaac
Vuni)

The congregation was founded by late bishop Sisto Mazzoldi. Currently
the community has 50 professed brothers serving in various parts of
catholic Archdiocese of Juba and Mpigi district in Uganda .The
brothers are mould in taking oath of obedience, poverty, charity,
chastity, humility and bringing joy and faith to people.

The occasion was witness by Major General Peter Cirilo, member of
State Council of minister at government of national Unity Khartoum,
Justice Ambro Riink Think, chief Justice of southern Sudan ,deputy
governor of eastern equatoria state, Allan Locurh, minister of health
,state of central equatoria ,cabinet ministers and hundreds of
thousands faithful Christians. As I file this report, the colorful
celebration is going on t St. Teresa cathedral Juba.