In Christmas Message, Bishop Eduardo Calls for “Embracing Joy, healing and Hope Despite the Challenges”
In Christmas Message, Bishop Eduardo Calls for “Embracing Joy, healing and Hope Despite the Challenges”
By Sr. Henriette Anne, FSSA
Bishop Eduardo the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio (CDTY) is calling on the people of Western Equatoria State to embrace joy, healing, and hope despite the challenges.
“And so, my dear brothers and sisters, I invite you to joy, healing, and hope this Christmas Season, not because we have no difficulties to face in the days ahead, but because God has come down to Earth to encounter each one of us and to embrace us as His beloved disciples”.
In his Christmas 2023 message shared with the Rurugene Online Newsletter on Monday, December 24th, the prelate said, “Just as Christmas may occur during times of distress, so too does it offer us each year a message of joy, healing, and hope. This hope is rooted not in the human events of the day, but in the eternal message of salvation”, he continued, “to be joyful even in the midst of so many troubling events does not diminish our solidarity with those who suffer, but rather speaks to the bright Christmas promise of the Angels”.
In acknowledging the challenges and threats faced by many during the holiday season today, those with loved ones at war, those grappling with illness, unemployment, or the loss of family members, those without homes or countries, the lonely, and those on the margins of society. Bishop Kussala encouraged his flock to find solace in the timeless message of Christmas: "Do not be afraid…for a Savior has been born for us who is Christ and Lord."
As he delved deeper into the significance of the Nativity, the prelate painted a vivid picture of Mary’s selfless offering and profound love within the Holy Family. He emphasized that the birth of Jesus was God’s gift to a world overshadowed by darkness- a darkness symbolizing evil and human brokenness. Christmas, he proclaimed, was a time for genuine hope and the promise of new life, rooted in the belief that God had faith in humanity.
In his message, he addressed recent developments, specifically the Vatican’s announcement, Fiducia Supplicans regarding same-sex marriages. Bishop Kussala reaffirmed the Catholic stance on marriage, echoing the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, Church traditions, and African Values.
“Just exactly, seven days to this Christmas the announcement Fiducia Supplicans, published by the Vatican, on December 18, 2023, has sparked a wide range of reactions across the world, including right here in the Republic of South Sudan, particularly in the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, which of course does not change the Catholic Church’s stance on same-sex marriages or unions. Here we affirm that marriage is reserved to one man and one woman, as is enshrined in the Holy Scriptures, Church teaching, and our African traditions”.
Amidst the confusion and varied reactions, the bishop called for a united stand in prayer and a steadfast commitment to the unchanging truth of Jesus Christ. His words resonated with strength and joy, urging the faithful to hold fast to the teachings of the Holy Bible and the sacred traditions that had guided their faith for generations.
“In the face of all the seeming confusion, please we need a united stand in prayers and approach based on the Holy Scriptures, our African and the Church traditions to know the truth of Jesus Christ that is unchanging. I ask my brother bishops, priests, religious and the faithful that we all join with a voice of strength and joy in the Lord and stay true to the teaching of the Holy Bible, church and our African traditional value regarding the correct teaching on Marriage only between Man and Woman. Indeed, the new document reemphasized that marriage is a lifelong union between a man and a woman, and nothing less or more”.
