By Paola Moggi, cms – Sud Sudan
On the first anniversary of the Ecumenical Pilgrimage for Reconciliation and Peace, how are women religious living out their mission?
Sr. Alice Jurugo Drajea, Superior General of the Sacred Heart Sisters (SHS) from January 2018 to January 2024, and Secretary of the Religious Superiors’ Association in South Sudan (RSASS) until September 2023, can speak from a good standpoint.
The Sacred Heart Sisters (SHS) are the first local female congregation in South Sudan and still bear the brunt of having passed through many wars.
Growing in war
Since 1919, the Comboni Missionary Sisters have been for many decades the only female religious congregation in Southern Sudan. Their presence, however, has promoted the birth and growth or local congregations. Among them the “Sudanese Teaching Sisters of the Sacred Heart”, founded in 1954 by the then Comboni Bishop of Juba, Sixtus Mazzoldi.
He entrusted them to Sr. Donatilla Moroni: the congregation was born in Loa, a well established mission in Eastern Equatoria, and just one year later the First Sudan Civil War broke out in the nearby town of Torit.
Despite rampant insecurity, the newly born congregation managed to survive the death of Sr. Moroni in 1960. Another Comboni Sister, Elisabetta Coggi, took over and expanded their presence up to Juba. In 1963, she was expelled with many other foreign missionaries: the young aspirants and postulants initially went home, but then were invited to continue their formation in neighbouring Uganda, namely in the Catholic Mission of Moyo, which they reached on foot.
While building the convent, about 20 Sudanese girls and young sisters lived there with Sr. Coggi like “refugees”. The congregation developed in Moyo until 1972, when the Addis Ababa agreement brought the First Sudan Civil War to an end, while Idi Amin Dada’s brutal regime was taking its heavy toll on Northern Uganda.
The SHS started going back to Loa and other places of Equatoria, but did not abandon what they had started in Northern Uganda, so that vocations could grow there. Sr. Alice is one of them.
Born in Sudan, because of the war the congregation became soon international: at present the sisters are from Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan and even from Kenya.
Up and down, across borders
The Second Sudan Civil War broke out in 1983, when the group of novices had just returned to Loa. Sr. Alice was among those who started their formation there in 1985. Sent for pastoral experience near Juba, she and other novices could not go back to Loa and had to take refuge in Uganda.
The SHS have endured what any violent conflict exact on ordinary people: running for their life across borders, trying to bloom where they can settle, and rebuilding from ruins when peace comes. Continuously uprooted, they managed to endure and thrive across borders.
Living for long in war-torn areas, either in Southern Sudan or in Uganda, they had also to broaden their initial mission: not only teaching, but also nursing and social work, to heal physical and psychological wounds: «To forgive and promote forgiveness takes a lot of faith and… the grace of God!», says Sr. Alice.
Despite war and insecurity, vocations have flourished across borders: at present the SHS are 182 and work in two Provinces: South Sudan and Uganda. New vocations give much hope, with 13 nivices and 15 postulants. To them the Comboni Missionary Sisters have handed over many activities, both in the Sudan and in Northern Uganda.
When the Comboni Sisters were expelled again from Juba in 1992, for more than 10 years the SHS remained the only women religious in the area.
Overcoming a fragile peace
When Equatoria became a battle field, the SHS remained alone with the local priests and the St, Martin the Porres Brothers. Indeed, their presence expressed God’s enduring love for the people.
The Comboni Missionary Sisters could returned to Juba only after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, and on arrival they found the SHS to guard their house.
In the following years, many other religious congregations could settle in the Republic of South Sudan: at present they are around 50, with almost 500 consecrated women and men providing service and support to the local population: schools, clinics and hospitals, assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons.
«For us SHS this is a time to learn from other congregations. When violence burst in December 2013 and again in 2016, we did experience the strength of togetherness and collaboration».
The Catholic Church in many East African Countries does not recognise yet the value of religious sisters and brothers: «We run schools and health centres, and we bring the needs of the families to the priests. Why is it that most bishops do not recognise us yet as pastoral agents? The people call us “Abuna”, i.e. “Priest”, but we are not treated like the local clergy, and what is offered in the parishes is not shared with us».
However, faith does make miracles, and religious women continue to work hard and spread the healing power of Jesus Christ in this bleeding Country.