RSASS Executive Body visits the Minister of environment.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Tuesday this week as executive body of RSASS we had the opportunity to visit the new elected Minister of environment, honorable Josephine Napwon.
The Minister welcomed us in her private house where we had a small talk and fr. Daniele Moschetti briefly told her about RSASS and our recent meeting on "Laudato Si". We gave her a copy of the encyclical and a copy of our final communique.
Honorable Josephine looked pleased as she is very close to the Church and hopes in further cooperation.

Peace to you all
Executive Body RSASS

Final Communique of RSASS General Assembly

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

few days ago we ended our Annual General Assembly of RSASS. It's been a nice time we'd spent together and we all agreed on the final statement we have already handed to the Minister of Environment hon. Josephine Napwon.

Here below a copy of our final document:

Religious Superiors’ Association of South Sudan (RSASS)

LET US TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMON HOME, SOUTH SUDAN

Workshop on the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si - Final Statement – Juba, 30 April 2016

“Let us read the signs of times” (Cf. Mt 16:3)

We came together in Juba from the 27 to 30, April, 2016, as representatives of the more than 500 religious present in South Sudan to reflect on the message of the Encyclical letter of Pope Francis “Laudato Si” (May You be praised) and its implications for us today.

While the country is trying to come out from the violence, death and destruction of the civil war and implement peace, we are called to overcome our anxieties and fears and not to lose hope. We ‘raise up our heads’ (Lk 21:28) and read the signs of the times. We don’t want to react to any kind of challenge we have to face but to interact with one another and with all people of good will and live our universal call of being co-creators of the world we live in.

Looking around at our reality in South Sudan, we SEE some worrying signs: pollution of the water, of the land, of the air; deforestation and cutting of trees without replacement, burning the forests, overgrazing; oil exploitation as the major income for the country but as a grave polluting agent.

Exercising our JUDGMENT, we see a breaking of the fundamental relationships that make us men and women created in the image of God. In the long years of war we lost the relationship with our brothers and sisters, becoming like Cain who killed his brother. We have lost our relationship with God who has entrusted to us, as stewards, his creation, and making ourselves lords of creation we put in danger our sacred home. We have lost sight of the common good because of greed and thirst for power.

As the prophet Micah (6:8) said we feel called to ACT justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with our God. Education of children and youth and formation of leaders is a priority in our parishes and schools. As a Church we feel the need to be a prophetic voice towards those who are decision makers in the political arena through our commitment to Justice, Peace and the Care of Creation. By using the media, particularly radio, we intend to spread the message of Laudato Si in our communities. Liturgical celebrations and international days of observance can be the chance to sensitize our people on the importance of planting trees, keeping the environment clean, particularly in urban areas, and improving and practicing agriculture.

Finally, we cannot avoid making a personal reflection on our life-style, being self-critical and open to change, aware that the resources at our disposal are limited. Our spirituality has to be translated into our actions.

Together with Pope Francis, Let us sing as we go. May our struggles and our concern for this planet never take away the joy of our hope. (No. 244)

Best regards to all of you
Executive Body RSASS

HOME - Yes; our Common Home

Please follow the link by clicking on the below word HOME; you will be amazed.

You'll have the chance to watch an outstanding video about our common HOME. It's the history of our planet and how us - human beings - have treated it and risk to put into a great danger

HOME

National Assembly THIRD DAY

Again being together as Religious in South Sudan has begun by celebrating Mass; here there is a brief summary of the homily

Extract on the homily:

Jesus gives a new commandment as he is the “new Torah”, the new way of salvation that why he can give a new commandment; he calls us to Love one another. Love is an act of the will and a concrete action; in any situation we found ourselves we are called to choose whether to love or not; and so offer love to all our brother and sisters and towards the whole creation.

St. Francis was not an ecologist; there was no such a concept in the 1200; he was a man deeply in love with Jesus Christ; with God. He recognises God as Creator and therefore all that has come into being is our brother and sister. The Creation has a value as it is the “first book” through which we understand the presence of God and can “go to him”.

As religious we have something more to tell the world; not only that our planet is in danger due to the abuse of it we have carried out for centuries; but that this world is a gift from a Father who cares for us and wants us to be co-creators of his handiwork.

This was how the Nile welcomed us this morning:

Work in the assembly and presentation of the Group works

Let it be... second day of RSASS Assembly

We have hit the second day of our annual meeting.

Fr. Daniele Moschetti has opened the day by presiding the Mass and during his homily reminded us all the importance of "remain" in Jesus in all what we do and not to lose hope in the future. He told us about St. Daniel Comboni experience for whom remaining in God  meant to keepfaith in all the difficult circumstances he'd found himself.

After Mass fr. Peter Nox enlightened us again on environmental and ecological issues. This morning approach has been more scientific revealing the important studies which lie behind Pope Francis Enciclical Laudato Si.

Enjoy the pics; more will be added later, just be patient ;-)

 

Pollution effect :-)

 

Group works!!









Opening Mass at RSASS Annual General Assembly 2016

The General Assembly has begun with the Holy Mass presided by H.E. Charles Daniel Balvo

This is a brief extract of his homily.

Act of the apostles, what was their identity? Who were they? Simply Jews or missionaries to the gentiles? To whom do they have to go? And they had the first gathering in Jerusalem to decide to see if they were something new but still recognising their origin.

They were both, rooted in the Jewish tradition, but they were bearing something new. We have inherited that “newness” of life and we keep preaching it all over South Sudan. The things that keeps us together is the Lord Jesus himself; he's the vine we are the branches. Whatever we face his life and love is present in our own lives; yet sometimes we cut off ourselves from him.

These are important days for South Sudan, maybe peace will come, but the best will come if we do not forget our mission, spreading the love of God remaining rooted in Jesus Christ. Paul was convinced that nothing can separate us from God, we shall not forget that.

Have a good work to all the participants

 

 

And these is just some Group Work after plenary session

 



RSASS General Assembly

CHURCH PERSONNEL TO ATTEND WORKSHOP ON 'LAUDATO SI' AND MINISTRY IN SOUTH SUDAN

The Religious Superior's Association in South Sudan (RSASS) will hold its annual conference later this week (April 27-30, 2016) in Juba, South Sudan. Some 76 Religious men and women from across the country are expected to attend this assembly.

During the workshop, participants will be looking into Pope Francis' Laudato si' guided by the theme "caring for our home: reflections on 'Laudato si' and its implications on Religious Life and ministry in South Sudan". 

After the three days workshop RSASS will held its Annual Assembly on 30 April.

The workshop will be facilitated by Fr. Manny Ginete. Fr. Peter Knox, the Principal of Hekima College, in Nairobi, and Sr. Rosemary Oduol of Wau, are among the speakers at this conference. 

The encyclical Laudato si' (literally "Be praised" or better, "Praise be to you"), dated 24 May 2015, was officially published on 18 June 2015 and is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. It has the subtitle 'On Care For Our Common Home'. 

For an overview of this Papal document, access the link below which offers a useful guide for an initial reading of the encyclical. It will help you to grasp the overall development and identify the basic themes of Laudato si': http://www.news.va/en/news/laudato-si-a-press-guide-to-the-new-encyclical

Also, get to know a study guide by CAFOD by clicking on this link: http://catholicclimatemovement.global/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Laudato-Si-study-guide-final.pdf