Pioneer Catholic Bishop of Sudan’s El Obeid Diocese Eulogized as “Human Right Defender, a Good Leader and a Man of Prayer
Pioneer Catholic Bishop of Sudan’s El Obeid Diocese Eulogized as “Human Right Defender, a Good Leader and a Man of Prayer
By Sr. Henriette Anne (FSSA)
Bishop Macram Max Gassis, the first Catholic Bishop of El Obeid Diocese in Sudan, passed on in the U.S. at the age of 84.
“On behalf of the Social Communication in our Bishop’s conference and above all in the Board of Governors for Catholic Radio Network, Board member of the University Council of Eastern Africa, Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, send to his family and diocese of El Obeid, Bishop Trile Tombe our sincere sympathy for the death Bishop Macram”, reads part of the statement signed by bishop Eduardo.
In a statement shared with Rurugene Online Newsletter the Bishop of South Sudan, Tombura – Yambio Diocese, Bishop Eduardo, eulogized the late bishop Macram as a “human rights defender, a good leader, and a man of prayer”.
“I have a fond memory of him, and his great admirer, in most of his responsibilities l, have had stepped into them to replace this great veteran. We shall truly miss him”, he continued, “Bishop Macram, a man of God indeed. He spent many hours daily and weekly in his little Bishop’s chapel. His fidelity to a life of prayer remained through all the dark days in the end, where his breviary and some prayer books were the only companions, he kept with him for his reading and prayer life. One could talk of his administrative skills and his erudition, his courage or braveness, his love for the poor and needy, his fight for justice, and his profound understanding of canon law and his knowledge of history but it was his love for the Church, especially the leadership of the Church, that marked him”.
Bishop Eduardo says in his Monday, June statement, “he had such talent and his gifts all pointed towards him playing a role of significant leadership in the Church, especially as his relationship with his priests grew stronger”.
The member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) died on Sunday, June 4, MCCJ Superior General, Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie announced in a statement that indicates that the late Bishop died in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
The late Bishop Macram was born in September 1938 in Khartoum and ordained a Priest in June 1964 in Rome, Italy. He returned to his home Diocese of El Obeid in 1965, and served as assistant Parish Priest in Wad Medani.
Following the fall accusation by then the president of Sudan for supporting the rebellion of South Sudan and Nuba mountains paid him the huge price of being exiled from his country when he faced a major threat to his life, bishop Eduardo noted.
The prelate added, “We thank him for his creative work for the church in Sudan and South Sudan, his leadership of the Bishops Conference (it was he who influenced the setting up of the Catholic Radio Network, Catholic University, Rights of the Nuba People) and his care for the works of compassion and welfare in the diocese of El Obeid, Nuba people, the Republic Sudan and the whole New Republic of South Sudan. We are all in debt to this Holy Man”.
