By Sr. Laurencila Akinyi, FSSA.
YAMBIO, South Sudan – In a powerful pastoral letter addressed to a nation grappling with the aftermath of conflict and displacement, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio has declared the coming Advent season a pivotal moment for spiritual and social rebuilding, tying it directly to the Pope’s Jubilee Year of Hope.
Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala’s Diocesan Advent Message for 2025, titled “Jubilee Year of Hope, Synod on Synodality,” frames the traditional period of waiting for Christmas as a direct response to the struggles of South Sudan. The message, released this week, is a blend of theological reflection and a stark assessment of the nation’s condition, referring to the local landscape as a “beloved land of many wounds.”
The Bishop’s letter is structured around the four themes of Advent – Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love applying each as a balm for specific national ailments.
“Hope for a land that cries… hope for a Church that rises,” he writes, directly naming communities from Tombura and Yambio to Ezo, Nzara, and Maridi, underscoring that the message is for “every corner where a heart is waiting for God.”
In a call to action that moves beyond the pulpit, Bishop Hiiboro Kussala challenges every Christian in the diocese to make a personal vow: “Where others sow anger, I will plant peace.” He explicitly calls for laying down “the weapons of words and the weapons of hands,” a clear reference to the ethnic and political conflicts that have plagued the region.
The message acknowledges the profound trauma endured by the populace, stating that “joy has survived wars, hunger, trauma, and exile,” and defining this resilience as a “stubborn miracle.” Despite this, the Bishop insists that the community is called to “rejoice even when tears are still on our faces,” asserting that “God’s joy is stronger than our sorrows.”
A significant portion of the appeal focuses on practical love, urging the faithful to “love beyond tribe, beyond past, beyond borders.” It specifically highlights the need to support strangers, refugees, those who have caused harm, children needing school fees, and the isolated elderly, framing these acts as the true engine of rebuilding.
The letter culminates in a final diocesan appeal, portraying Advent not merely as a liturgical season but as an active “spiritual rebuilding of our diocese and our nation.” Bishop Hiiboro Kussala paints a clear picture of Christ “walking the dusty roads of Western Equatoria, knocking at the fragile doors of South Sudan,” imploring the people to prepare their hearts, communities, and parishes to welcome Him.
Accompanied by a newly composed Diocesan Advent Prayer, the message serves as both a beacon of comfort and a bold roadmap for reconciliation, positioning the local Church as a central agent of hope and healing in one of the world’s youngest and most challenged nations.
