![South Sudan’s new Catholic Church Cardinal His Eminence Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla speaks to journalists at Juba International Airport upon his return from Rome, Italy, on October 30, 2023. [Photo by Sudans Post]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_6142.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&quality=89&ssl=1)
Speaking at Juba International Airport upon his return from Rome, Italy, His Eminence Cardinal Ameyu appealed to South Sudanese people to bury hatred that they have for each other and forgive one another and correct the perception that South Sudanese are warmongers.
“Today is a chance that each and every one of us should look at his or her own heart and say my dear brother I have forgiven you from the bottom of my heart. We are a nation that is regarded as warmongers because we have been fighting these 50 years without turning back and saying let us forgive one another,” he said.
“It is only forgiveness that makes us mature, and it is only forgiveness that makes our churches strong. We can’t build unity without love, let us love one another and let us love each one from his own tribe,” Cardinal Ameyu said.
“This chair of cardinal is not only for cardinal Stephen, it is for all of us South Sudanese. It is a sign that our church has matured, it is no longer a young church because we have celebrated 100 years of faith and that faith the Holy Father has seen,” he continued.
He also called on South Sudanese to seek a path of peace.
“God has given us this nation so that we can also be people who have a history, a history that has been spent in bloodshed but now God is opening for us a new page.”
For his part, Dr. James Wani Igga hailed Pope Francis for appointing Stephen Ameyu as first cardinal of South Sudan.
“We South Sudanese walk with heads up for giving us a new cardinal and this is not an easy thing because Cardinal Zubeir Wako is cardinal of Sudan,” said Wani.
Pope Francis installed Archbishop Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla as the first South Sudanese Cardinal of the Catholic Church on September 30, 2023,
Cardinal Ameyu is among 21 new cardinals created in July, who now form a group of 137 cardinals eligible to elect a new Pope.
