Michael Brooks
The Catholic Church in South Sudan is composed of one ecclesiastical province with one archdiocese and six suffragan dioceses. According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, the Catholic Church was the largest single Christian body in Sudan since 1995, with 2.7 million Catholics mainly concentrated in South Sudan. Later estimates put the number of Catholics in South Sudan at about 6.2 million people out of a population of over 16 million, or 37.2% of the population.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholics in South Sudan | 6.2 million |
| Percentage of the population that is Catholic | 37.2% |
| Total population of South Sudan | 16.7 million |
| Number of bishops in South Sudan to date | 31 |
| Number of ecclesiastical provinces | 1 |
| Number of archdioceses | 1 |
| Number of suffragan dioceses | 6 |
| Patron saint | Josephine Bakhita |
| Year Catholic missionaries first arrived in Sudan | 1842 |
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What You'll Learn
- Catholic missionaries arrived in Sudan in 1842
- The Catholic Church is the largest single Christian body in South Sudan
- South Sudan has one ecclesiastical province with six suffragan dioceses
- The patron saint of South Sudan is Josephine Bakhita
- Catholic bishops have criticised the government for failing to implement the 2018 peace agreement
Catholic missionaries arrived in Sudan in 1842
The Catholic Church has a long and rich history in South Sudan, with the first Catholic missionaries arriving in the region in 1842. These missionaries built schools and hospitals, providing education and healthcare to the local communities.
In 1848, a group of missionaries led by Dr. Knoblecher, the third leader of the Vicariate Apostolic Central Africa, reached Khartoum, Sudan. The following year, in 1849, Dr. Knoblecher led an exploratory expedition to southern Sudan, and thus the first Catholic mission in the region was established at Gondokoro in 1852. An additional station was later opened at modern-day Kansia in 1854.
However, the mission faced significant challenges, and by 1858, 22 missionaries had died in Sudan due to sickness and other causes. Father Matthias Kirchner became the leader of the mission and sought help from the Franciscans, who had more resources. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, the losses continued, and Pope Pius IX eventually closed the mission.
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Catholic missionary activity in South Sudan resumed, with the establishment of the Comboni Mission between 1895 and 1910, which played a significant role in spreading Christianity in the region. During this period, the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium government encouraged missionary organizations to establish schools in South Sudan.
In the early 20th century, Catholic missions focused on education and vocational training for both boys and girls in South Sudan. However, there were also some tensions, as some Dinka mission school graduates felt they were treated unequally by the Catholic Church due to their independent-minded culture.
Despite these challenges, the Catholic Church continued to grow and spread in South Sudan, becoming the largest single Christian body in the country by 1995, with 2.7 million Catholics mainly concentrated in South Sudan. Later estimates suggest that the Catholic population continued to grow, with about 6.2 million Catholics out of a total population of 16.7 million in South Sudan.
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The Catholic Church is the largest single Christian body in South Sudan
The Catholic Church in South Sudan is composed of one ecclesiastical province with one archdiocese and six suffragan dioceses. There have been a total of 31 bishops in South Sudan to date. The bishops of South Sudan and Sudan are currently members of a single bishops' conference, designated as the Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference. The current President Salva Kiir Mayardit is Catholic.
Catholic missionaries arrived in Sudan in 1842, building schools and hospitals. In 1849, Dr. Knoblecher, the third leader of the Vicariate Apostolic Central Africa, led an exploratory expedition to southern Sudan and set up the first Catholic mission there at Gondokoro in 1852. An additional station was opened at modern-day Kansia in 1854. By 1858, 22 missionaries had died in Sudan, and Father Matthias Kirchner became the leader of the mission. He gave the mission up to the Franciscans, believing that they had the numbers and resources to survive sickness. However, more deaths led Pope Pius IX to close the mission.
In the early 20th century, the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium government encouraged missionary organizations to start schools in southern Sudan. The Wunlit Peace Agreement of 1998 had the New Sudan Council of Churches, an ecumenical organization, bring chiefs together to talk about peace. In 2000, Bishop Paride Taban established the Kuron Peace Village. Catholic officials were also involved in other attempts for peace during this period. Shortly before the vote for the 2011 independence referendum for South Sudan, Archbishop Paulino Loro pleaded with mass attendees at the Kator Cathedral in Juba to vote for secession.
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South Sudan has one ecclesiastical province with six suffragan dioceses
The Catholic Church in South Sudan is composed of one ecclesiastical province with one archdiocese and six suffragan dioceses. There have been 31 bishops in South Sudan to date, and the bishops of South Sudan and Sudan are currently members of a single bishops' conference, designated as the Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference. It is the largest church in South Sudan.
The Catholic Church has been present in Sudan since 1842, when Catholic missionaries first arrived and began building schools and hospitals. The first Catholic mission in South Sudan was established in Gondokoro in 1852 by Dr. Knoblecher, the third leader of the Vicariate Apostolic Central Africa. In the early 20th century, the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium government encouraged missionary organizations to establish schools in southern Sudan. Monseigner Antonio Riveggio established a mission in Lul in 1900, and three more missions were started in Bahr al-Ghazal in 1904. Wau became the administrative center of the Vicariate Apostolic in 1913 and became a diocese in 1974.
The Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, formerly known as the Episcopal Church of Sudan, is a province of the Anglican Communion located in South Sudan. It consists of eight internal provinces, each led by an archbishop, and 61 dioceses, each headed by a bishop. The current archbishop and primate is Justin Badi Arama, who was elected in 2018.
The Episcopal Church of South Sudan has played a significant role in the country's history, particularly in the peace process during the Second Sudanese Civil War. In 2000, Bishop Paride Taban established the Kuron Peace Village, and Catholic officials were involved in other peace efforts during this period. The Episcopal Church of South Sudan also made history in 2016 when it consecrated Elizabeth Awut Ngor as an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Rumbek, becoming the first GAFCON-aligned province of the Anglican Communion to have consecrated a woman as a bishop.
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The patron saint of South Sudan is Josephine Bakhita
In 1883, Josephine was sold to Callisto Legnani, the Italian Vice Consul in Khartoum, who treated her with kindness. She begged him to take her with him when he returned to Italy, and he agreed. In Italy, she was given to the Michieli family and worked as a nanny for their daughter, Mimmina. Josephine and Mimmina stayed at the Institute of the Catechumens in Venice, run by the Canossian Sisters, while the Michielis were away in Africa. It was during this time that Josephine felt drawn to the Catholic Church and was baptised and confirmed, taking the name Josephine.
When the Michielis returned and wanted to take Josephine and their daughter back to Africa, she refused to go. Instead, she remained with the Canossian Sisters and joined their religious order, taking her final vows in 1896. Josephine was canonized in October 2000 and is recognised as the patron saint of Sudan and victims of human trafficking. Her feast day is celebrated on February 8.
The story of Josephine Bakhita is well-known in South Sudan, and her influence is recognised through a Catholic radio station based in Juba named Radio Bakhita.
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Catholic bishops have criticised the government for failing to implement the 2018 peace agreement
The Catholic Church is the largest single Christian denomination in South Sudan, with 37.2% of the population practising Catholicism. The current president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, is Catholic. The Catholic Church has been present in the region since 1852, when missionaries set up the first Catholic mission in Gondokoro.
In 2019, Catholic bishops in South Sudan warned that a peace agreement between the government and opposition leaders was bound to fail because root problems had not been addressed. In a pastoral letter, the bishops voiced concern that government officials lacked the resolve to observe the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan. They said:
> "We fear that this peace agreement is fatally flawed in itself and cannot bring true peace; we fear also that the current leadership does not have the will to implement peace."
The bishops offered 17 suggestions to improve the situation, including lifting the country's state of emergency to allow for freedom of speech and other rights. They also said that those who violated the agreement should be held accountable and that a system should be developed to avoid future "triggers" of violence.
In 2023, Catholic bishops once again called on the government to fully implement the 2018 peace agreement. In a joint statement, the bishops acknowledged the relative peace but said they were aware of "stagnation" in the implementation of the accord. They urged the government to expedite the peace process, which would enable the country to repatriate displaced persons and hold free and fair elections. Archbishop Stephen Ameyu of Juba said:
> "We appeal to the international community, we appeal to the government of national unity to at least expedite the implementation of the peace... Above all, we need the working out of the new constitution and [to] make [a] population count in order to know how many people are there in South Sudan, so that we can easily have an election in the next year."
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that there are 6.2 million Catholics out of a total population of 16.7 million in South Sudan, meaning that around 37.2% of the population is Catholic.
Yes, the majority of South Sudanese are Christian, with Catholics making up the largest single Christian body. Followers of indigenous religions, Muslims, and other religious groups constitute the remaining population.
Roman Catholic Christian missionaries first arrived in Sudan in 1842 as part of missionary work in East Africa. They built schools and hospitals, and many locals converted to Catholicism, abandoning their traditional religions.
The Catholic Church is actively involved in peace initiatives and social welfare programs in South Sudan. Catholic bishops have criticized the government for its failure to maintain law and order and implement peace agreements. The Church also engages in missionary work, providing education and medical services to communities, especially in war-torn areas.
