Visitation of Our Vice General Superior, Father Xavier, to Bidibidi Settlement and Lodonga Community
After completing his visitation in South Sudan, our Vice General Superior, Father Xavier, continued his journey to Bidibidi Settlement in Uganda. We first welcomed him to our community house in Lodonga. Day by day, he visited all five zones of the settlement.
When he arrived at some of the chapels, he greeted all the Christians warmly and celebrated Holy Mass. In each Mass, he shared about the mission of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and encouraged all single young people to respond zealously to the call of Jesus to become SVD missionaries.
On the fifth day, Father Xavier visited our new parish, Saint Arnold Janssen, in Ariwa. After Mass, the choir sang welcoming songs for him. He also visited the new community house near the parish and took memorable photos with us and the parishioners. After completing the visitation of all zones, we enjoyed a warm lunch together with him and the local Christians.
On the final day, we brought him to Kampala, the capital of Uganda, where we introduced him to the Martyrs’ Shrine in Namugongo and other interesting places. On the night of 9th August, he flew to Zambia for his next visitation.
Through Father Xavier’s visit, all Christians in the SVD South Sudan–Uganda Mission gained a clearer understanding of the mission of the SVD and the importance of missionary work in the whole Catholic Church. Their faith was strengthened, and they grew in trust in the love and mercy of God. They also shared with him about their life as refugees and asked for his prayers for them and for peace in South Sudan.
For us, it was a joyful and grace-filled time to welcome our Vice General Superior to our mission communities. We shared with him both the challenges and the blessings of our mission, as well as some of our plans to improve community life and serve the local Christians and refugees more effectively in the future.
We thank God and we thank Father Xavier for his visitation, for listening to the voices of our Christians and confreres, and especially for celebrating Mass and blessing our candidates who aspire to become SVD missionaries.
We continue to pray for Father Xavier and for the success of his visitation in Zambia and in the other provinces he will visit.
