Meanwhile, in the Sudan

Meel-ehs,

I re-discovered a must read blog. Fr. Herald CFR is on a one-man mission to the Sudan, scoping out the scene, evangelizing, and re-building the war-torn diocese. If you haven't met him, Fr. Herald is one of the most intelligent, articulate, and holy priests I know. And he loves Giussani!

Anyways his blog is full of commentary on what he encounters as he traverses the country, as well as on current events, politics, etc.

Here's a choice quote. On the health/wealth Protestant preachers coming into the region:

Not only is this a betrayal of the message of authentic Christianity, it is an insult to the Sudanese Christians (that’s how Catholics normally refer to themselves here) who are just emerging and recovering from two decades of violence, persecution and destruction. It's the last thing they need, and something utterly unhelpful at this juncture. Now, after the fact, someone shows up with a “miracle machine” that will give you just what you want and will make all your problems go away just by pushing the magic faith button. It is a blatant, mechanistic, mercantile, manipulative reduction of genuine faith and a hijacking of the real hope to be found in Christ (not unlike what took place in the Obama campaign) as Pope Benedict XVI describes it in his encyclical Spe Salvi.

Anyways, I wanted to highlight this post (Advent Message 2008). After 20 years of civil war, (during which two-thirds of the physical structures of the Church in the Diocese of Torit were damaged or destroyed), the Diocese is celebrating its 25 year Jubilee. Fr. Herald is asking for our help in his work there:

Second, I would like to ask for your continued support of my missionary work in Sudan. I know that in the past few months many of you have been hard hit financially by the global credit crisis. For that reason I will be all the more deeply grateful for whatever sacrificial offering you are able to make. Some expenses that are in view for the first half of next year include: the possibility of a heavy duty utility vehicle for transportation on the rough, unpaved roads of the diocese, a series of youth retreats to build up the next generation of adult Catholics, and the prospect of welcoming two potential visiting mission teams – one of CFR friars and another of laity. The ability to fulfill these hopes, of course, depends on the financial resources that God provides through our friends.

He's specifically asking us to spread the word and show the photos he's taken. If you guys happen to come across anyone who would be interested, or have a last minute gift to give, this I know will go into capable and frugal hands.