POPE'S MESSAGE TO CATHOLICS OF SOUTHERN SUDAN

VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 1996 (VIS) - During a pastoral visit November 9 to 18 to the dioceses of Torit, Tombura-Yambio and Rumbek, in southern Sudan, Apostolic Pro-nuncio Archbishop Erwin Josef Ender delivered a message from the Holy Father to these Catholic communities.

In this message, dated October 24, the Pope recalls that when he was in Khartoum in February of 1993, "my ardent desire was to meet with you, but unfortunately, circumstances did not permit it. Nonetheless, I have remembered you every day in my prayers."

"Even in the midst of all types of violence, you know how to love and bring relief to others. When discrimination and injustice afflict you, you know how to persevere in the faith and in communion with the Church, Body of Christ. When everything seems to have failed, you know how to give signs of goodness and solidarity, which make it possible to hope in a better tomorrow."

"I encourage you," adds John Paul II, "to remain united to your Bishops, and never to despair. ... I entrust you to the intercession of Blessed Josephine Bakhita and of Blessed Daniel Comboni, the patron saints of your communities. I would like to assure you of the prayers, in solidarity, of the entire Church and of the untiring efforts of the Holy See to direct the attention of the international community toward your tragic situation."

In a communique accompanying the message, Archbishop Ender says that the main objective of his pastoral visit "was to assure the Christian communities in the war zones that they had not been forgotten."

The pro-nuncio adds that during his visit he found "a great desire and determination among people to improve and effectively develop the conditions of their individual, family and social lives. Urgent appeals have been made not only in order to obtain food and medicine, but also for better education. ... But what is most necessary," he concludes, "is a just and lasting peace."
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