The recent appointment of the Catholic Archbishop, Stephen Ameyu Martin Mullah as cardinal by Pope Francis has been welcomed by Monsignor Ionut Paul, the Charge de Affairs of the apostolic nunciature in South Sudan.
Paul said the decision demonstrates Pope Francis’s intimacy to the South Sudanese people.
“The appointment of the archbishop of Juba expresses once more the closeness of Pope Francis to the South Sudanese people and his wish to open path of reconciliation and peace,” said Paul.
“The cardinal (Ameyu) will represent the voice of the South Sudanese people and Sudanese people in the consistory and also he will bring the voice of our people here in South Sudan and Sudan closer to the Holy Father,” Paul said during Monday’s press briefing held at the Catholic General Secretariat in Juba.
Pope Francis on Sunday during his weekly customary appearance at St. Peter’s square appointed 21 new cardinals including, three prelates from South Africa, Tanzania and South Sudan.
Francis announced his preferences saying the ceremony to officially install the catholic churchmen as cardinals will be held on September 30th this year.
Stephen Ameyu Martin Mullah, the Archbishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Juba, said the elevation of the church in South Sudan is recognition of the local church by the Holy Father.
“This elevation is not elevation for a single person, it is elevation of the whole church and so the work of a cardinal will always be for serving all people of God and for serving the church,” Ameyu said.
“The church is elevated to the universal level though it is always universal, the local church in South Sudan has been elevated to a level of a cardinal, recognition for the local church in south Sudan,” he added.
