Ten steps prayers program launched in Rumbek Catholic Church
By Manyang Mayom
April 30, 2011 (RUMBEK) – The Catholic Diocese of Rumbek is launching, this Sunday, a prayer and instruction program called “Ten Steps to Unity in South Sudan” on 31 April.
Bishop Caesar Mazzolari explained the plans to Good News Radio in an interview on 29 April.
The Bishop compared the program with the 101 day prayer initiative which preceded South Sudan referendum, clarifying that the ten steps represent the ten Sundays, beginning on 1 May, before Independence Day: 9 July.
He said that a spiritual theme has been prepared for each of the ten Sundays, explaining that the initiative aims at preparing the people to take part in building their new nation by becoming more practicing citizens and faithful in the society and in the Church respectively.
Bishop Mazzolari highlighted the two main activities of the program as prayer and instruction in both spiritual and civic duties, adding that part of the instructions will be given by the priests during the Eucharistic celebration on Sunday, based on a specified theme, in the light of the scriptural readings.
He also said that part of instructions will be in form of discussion groups during the week, adding that these discussions will be based on twelve themes taken from the social teachings of the church.
The Bishop cited the example of a program of weekly instructions planned for Holy Family Cathedral parish, Rumbek, explaining that a topic from the social teaching of the church in the booklet of the campaign will be discussed by a specific group of faithful on a specified day.
He emphasiced the recitation of the Holy Rosary during the prayer campaign, and especially during the month of May, describing it as the main prayer to be conducted daily at Holy Family Cathedral from 6.00pm.
The ten themes and their corresponding homilies were prepared by Fr. Bernard Mallia, a Jesuit priest serving at Rumbek Secondary School as Chaplain and Pastor at the Holy Cross Centre at the same school. Beginning this Sunday, May 1st, the ten themes are, forgiveness, Solidarity, Leadership for peace, the common good, healing and reconciliation, rights and responsibilities, you will do greater things than I, subsidiary, the people and respect for authority, and working and building together.
The twelve themes for discussion from the social teaching of the Church, prepared by Gena Sheller during her service at the department of Justice and Peace in 2007 include, human dignity, rights and responsibilities, common good, solidarity, option for the poor, integral development, subsidiarity, participation, justice, peace, reconciliation, and integrity of creation.
(ST)