Editor’s note: This is a report from Father Michael Bassano, 74, a Maryknoll missionary who ministers at a UN Protection of Civilians Camp by the White Nile in South Sudan. Previously a priest in the Diocese of Syracuse, Father Bassano has served as a Maryknoll missionary in Chile, Thailand, Tanzania and, steadily since 2014, South Sudan. He reports on Pope Francis’ recent visit to South Sudan, where, as Catholic News Service has noted, a 2005 peace agreement set the stage for the country’s independence from Sudan in 2011. But a civil war broke out two years later and repeated attempts to negotiate peace and a power-sharing agreement have failed to quell the violence.
By Father Michael Bassano, MM
Words cannot adequately express what an unforgettable, memorable experience it was to see the Pope this past weekend
It all began on Friday morning, Feb. 3rd, when I went to the Juba airport [far to the south] to greet our 50 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons: 25 from Bentiu [in the northern part of South Sudan] and 25 from Malakal [POC] camp [where Father Bassano works in the northeast), welcoming them to participate in this papal visit. We then chose four of them to participate in an interview with a staff member of the UNHCR [UN refugee agency] office. After a nice lunch provided for us, the four people from the Beniu camp and the Malakal camp were interviewed by Charlotte from UNHCR. Our people spoke from the heart about the reality of living in the camp and of their hope for the future.
On Saturday morning, Feb. 4, there was a meeting with Pope Francis for all bishops, priests and religious sisters and brothers at St. Theresa’s Cathedral in Juba at 9 a.m. Sitting near the end of one of the pews, I was able to catch a glimpse of the Pope as he came down the main aisle in a wheelchair. His message to all of us gathered there was to be prophetic in our searching for justice and peace in South Sudan. It was a message to end this senseless bloodshed of war and be prophets of peace. The day before when speaking to the president and governmental leaders, he reiterated that message to stop this senseless bloodshed and return to fulfill the peace agreement of 2018.
Pope Francis also referred to Moses saying that we also must help people out of suffering to a new life of hope and peace.
In the afternoon the IDPs from Beniu, Malakal, Wau and Juba were invited to a special gathering to meet Pope Francis, Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and the Rev. Ian Greenshields, moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. There were over 800 people in attendance. After the opening prayer, the deputy of the head of UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan] gave a speech explaining the serious crisis going on in South Sudan with renewed fighting, displacement of thousands of people, the increase of violence and sexual abuse against women and children and the severe food-shortage crisis where over two-thirds of the country (8 million people) are hungry.
Following this came the most touching and impressive testimony of three young children named Joseph, Johnson and Rebecca (from the Beniu, Malakal and Juba IDP camps)
Joseph spoke to the Pope saying:
“Pope Francis, I have lived in an IDP camp since I was eight years old. I am asking for your prayers that one day I may leave this camp in Beniu and start a new life.”
Johnson said:
“Pope Francis, I am living in the Malakal POC camp and my parents are not able to find any jobs to help have food and the basic necessities we need. It is my uncle who was able to get a job and provide for us. My dream is to leave the camp one day and fulfill my dreams.”
Rebecca spoke and said:
“We love you, Pope Francis, thank you for coming to be with us. I am asking your blessing today for all the children of South Sudan and those in my camp in Juba that one day we can all live in peace.”
After the children spoke the Pope gave his message thanking the children for their words and assuring them of his support, prayers and blessings. The Pope was very clear in his message, saying: “The future is not in refugee camps.”
He was encouraging all of us to look to the future with hope. Immediately upon concluding his address, 20 people were invited to personally greet the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland to shake hands with them. I had the honor to accompany one of the people from our camp to go with her and greet them. Each person upon greeting the Pope was given the gift of the rosary. It was an unforgettable moment to be with the people in greeting the Pope.
The gathering concluded with singing and dancing by the IDPs and the blessing of them by the Pope. It was an incredible gathering to witness.
After this, I went with members of the South Sudan Council of Churches to an ecumenical prayer service by the three leaders at 6 p.m. The theme was “May they all be one” (John 17) and the reading was from Acts of the Apostles 2: “And they were all of one mind and spirit.” The service concluded with the three leaders blessing the people:
“May the Lord bless and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace” (Book of Numbers 6).
Upon conclusion of this Ecumenical Prayer, we all returned home for a needed rest to prepare for the next day.
On Sunday, Feb.5, at 8:45 a.m. was the Celebration of the Eucharist with Pope Francis on his last day here in South Sudan. We all rose early at 5 a.m. to go to the John Garang Mausoleum [burial place of the man who led the country to the 2005 peace agreement] Park where we had the Ecumenical Prayer the evening before. Over 50,0000 people were in attendance as he came in the Popemobile to greet all of us before beginning the Mass. At the celebration he told the people that what Jesus said long ago is now real today: They are the “salt” of the earth and the “light” of the world in South Sudan today.
The Pope also told the people gathered there that two words are also important to remember: “hope” and “peace.” He went on to say that the women of South Sudan are the hope of this country because of their resilient faith despite the struggles and sufferings they have faced for so many years. Everyone then immediately broke into applause and all started singing.
Before his final blessing he told the people of South Sudan:
“I hold you in my heart as I return to Rome today. You will always remain in my heart.”
When the celebration had concluded and the Pope left with the Bishops for the farewell at the airport all the young people and everyone else continued to dance and sing for what they had seen and heard today.
What an incredible, unbelievable weekend it was!! Life is about making memories. We give thanks to God for what we have been given this weekend.
The Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace led by Pope Francis will remain in the hearts of the people of South Sudan as they hope for peace and better times to come in their lives.
These are my reflections of my experience during the papal visit.
