By Sr. Laurencila, FSSA.
Reverend Father Victor Sende, the priest entrusted with ministry in three mission parishes across Maridi County, continues to inspire hope and transform communities through exemplary pastoral leadership rooted in service, simplicity, and dedication, the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio reported.
Serving St. Lucy Parish Mambe, St. Agnes Parish Ras’Olo, and St. Monica Mission Parish Bar’Olo, Father Victor has demonstrated that authentic priestly ministry extends far beyond sacramental celebration to embrace every aspect of human development and community rebuilding in a region still recovering from the painful effects of prolonged conflict.
Rather than being overwhelmed by limited resources and challenging conditions, Father Victor has embraced his mission with remarkable joy, determination, and creativity, choosing to become an instrument of hope and transformation in communities where basic infrastructure remains limited and memories of violence and displacement remain fresh.
Leading by Personal Example
One of the most striking aspects of Father Victor’s ministry is his willingness to set a personal example through physical labor. Community members are regularly inspired to see their parish priest personally picking up a hoe and cultivating the parish farm alongside the faithful. He is actively engaged in beautifying and maintaining parish compounds, demonstrating through his actions that no task is too small for a servant of God.
His involvement in manual labor embodies several important messages: that authentic leadership begins with personal example, that stewardship and self-reliance are spiritual virtues, that the dignity of labor is a fundamental value, and that priests are called to be in solidarity with their people, sharing not only their spiritual burdens but also their daily work.
Since his arrival at these parishes, Father Victor has devoted himself wholeheartedly to the spiritual, social, and human development of the communities entrusted to his care, initiating important programs despite resource constraints.
Expanding Educational Opportunities
Among his notable achievements is the promotion of education through the opening and support of schools for children, giving many young people access to learning and opening pathways to a brighter future. In a region where conflict disrupted education for many years and where poverty limits school access, Father Victor’s commitment to educational initiatives addresses one of the most critical development challenges.
Empowering Women and Families
Father Victor has championed women’s livelihood initiatives, empowering mothers and families through practical skills training and income-generating activities that strengthen family welfare and community resilience. By focusing on women’s economic empowerment, he recognizes that women are often the stabilizing force in families and communities, and that investing in their economic capacity has multiplier effects throughout society.
Healing from Trauma
Recognizing the deep wounds left by years of insecurity and displacement, Father Victor has promoted mental health and psychosocial support activities, helping individuals and families find healing, reconciliation, and renewed hope. This dimension of his ministry addresses invisible injuries of conflict—trauma, loss, grief, and broken relationships—that persist long after violence ceases.
Building Peace
As a committed peacebuilder, Father Victor continues to foster dialogue, forgiveness, coexistence, and unity among communities. His efforts contribute significantly to restoring trust and strengthening peaceful relationships among people who may have experienced conflict or harbor lingering suspicions toward one another.
Mentoring Youth
Young people have found in Father Victor a mentor, guide, and friend. Through youth programs, leadership formation, sports activities, faith formation, and skills development, he is helping to shape a generation of responsible and productive citizens who can contribute to building a more peaceful and prosperous nation.
Promoting Food Security
Understanding the importance of food security, Father Victor actively promotes agriculture and farming initiatives, encouraging families to make productive use of their land. His personal participation in farming serves as a powerful testimony that development begins with commitment, discipline, and hard work—values he embodies in his own life and ministry.
Improving Access to Clean Water
He has also supported initiatives aimed at improving access to safe and clean water, recognizing that water is essential for health, dignity, and sustainable development. In many rural areas of South Sudan, lack of access to clean water is a primary cause of disease and stunted development.
Ministry Beyond the Altar
The Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio praised Father Victor’s witness as a reminder that the mission of the Church extends beyond the altar into every aspect of human life. Through prayer, service, hard work, and solidarity with his people, he is helping to rebuild communities, restore hope, and strengthen the foundations of peace.
The diocese congratulated and encouraged Father Victor for his exemplary priestly witness, noting that his ministry reflects the words of Jesus Christ: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Matthew 20:28).
Living Proof of Transformation
Father Victor’s witness demonstrates that even in places recovering from conflict, faith, dedication, and hard work can transform communities and open new pathways toward a brighter future. His example challenges other priests and pastoral workers to assess how fully their own ministries address the holistic needs of their people.
The popular saying embraced by Father Victor’s ministry captures its essence: “A priest who works with his people wins the hearts of his people.” Through his humble service and visible commitment to integral human development, Father Victor has earned the deep affection and respect of the communities he serves.
As the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio continues its mission of evangelization and integral human development under Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala’s leadership, priests like Father Victor Sende provide living examples of how gospel values can address the most pressing needs of vulnerable communities while building cultures of peace, hope, and solidarity.
