Sr Alice from South Sudan on Pope's Visit

The Holy Father is expected to visit Democratic Republic of Congo from January 31st to February 3rd and then spend two days in South Sudan before returning to the Vatican.

We asked Sr . Alice Jurugo Drajea, Superior General of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Institute, about her expectations on the visit of Pope Francis.

"We ask for Peace, Peace, and Peace!"

"As a religious sister, the Pope’s visit and that of the other major religious leaders from the world's developed countries to us here in the “heart of Africa” is a tangible support to our efforts in the evangelization of the suffering people of God in South Sudan.

On several occasions, the Pontiff has vehemently urged the agents of the Gospel to go out to the peripheries, as shepherds, they should smell like the sheep; meaning that; as sisters we must leave our comfort zones in the confines of our convents and reach out to the poor, the disadvantaged and the vulnerable groups.

Pope Francis is demonstrating what he tells us his collaborators to do as consecrated men and women by coming out despite his ailing health, coming out to reach us in our difficult situations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. These two countries are in similar situations.

Peace, Peace, and Peace!

The lasting peace must arise from their hearts of the people of all walks of life – a transformed heart that will shun revenge, seek forgiveness and reconciliation, accept the other tribes as brothers and sisters, abhor culturally intrinsic malpractices such as land grabbing from the weak, forceful displacement of quiet ethnic groups, cattle thieving and we must reduce the mind-set of superiority complex."

Sr. Alice is the only General Superior from South Sudan who is a member of UISG. Her Institute was founded in Juba - South Sudan by the Comboni Missionary bishop Sixtus Mazzoldi, the first bishop of Juba. It is an Institute of Diocesan right since 2018 and its 180 members work in Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda and USA. UISG Communications Office

Read the expectations from some sisters in Congo (in French)