The Catholic Church in South Sudan on Sunday consecrated Bishop Stephen Nyodho Ador Mojwok as the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Malakal.
The consecration of Bishop Nyodho came after his appointment by Pope Francis in May to succeed the late Malakal Emeritus Bishop, Vincent Mojwok Nyiker.
Bishop Nyodho was installed by the metropolitan archbishop of Juba, Paulino Lukudu Loro, at a colourful ceremony held in Malakal town in Central Upper Nile State.
Hundreds of Catholic faithful including Vice President James Wani Igga, Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako, government officials, priests and the Vatican representative in East Africa witnessed the occasion.
Speaking at the function, Cardinal Wako said finally Malakal Diocese has a new bishop after waiting for 10 years without a bishop due to insecurity in the Upper Nile region, urging Christian leaders and Catholic faithful to cooperate with the new bishop to restore unity and forgiveness in the region.
“It is a good step because Malakal that was vacant for 10 years will now have a new bishop. Christians have a key role to play in Sudan and South Sudan,” he said.
Wako says the destruction of the town of Malakal is sad. Cardinal Wako urged citizens not to rely on political leaders in everything.” You should not wait for politicians because most of them want money and power. Many people have died because of the powerful leaders,” he said.
Cardinal Wako says South Sudanese should forgive and unite for the sake of peace and stability in the country. “Welcome your new bishop and help him in his new assignment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vice President James Wani Igga said South Sudan government will support the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Malakal. “Let’s thank the pope for the trust he has bestowed on Bishop Stephen,” he said.
Wani says the five-year civil war has affected the Catholic Church in Malakal, urging citizens to support church leaders. “Church has been destroyed and Malakal town has been destroyed by the conflict. It will not be easy to rebuild what has been destroyed,” he noted.
Igga called on internally displaced people to leave the UN camp in Malakal to rebuild their lives, as South Sudan government and opposition groups implement the peace agreement.
“Those who are occupying houses of displaced people in Malakal should vacate those places,” he said.
Fr Stephen Nyodho Ador Mojwok was ordained a deacon on November 14, 2004 and a priest on 15 May 2005, by the late Malakal Emeritus Bishop, Vincent Mojwok.
He was appointed assistant parish priest of Christ the King Malakia, on 31 July 2005, acted as parish priest from 2007 to 2009 and became a parish priest on 30 September until 2013.
Fr Nyodho had served as an Acting Director of Pastoral Liturgical Catechetical Center from 2007 to 2009 and Acting Director of St Joseph’s Diocesan Technical workshop the same period.
From 2009 to 2013, Nyodho was a member of the college of consulters and of the Diocesan Pastoral Council and was appointed Vicar General in 2019.
In 2013, Nyodho went to Rome for Master Degree and Doctorate in Moral Theology at the Pontifical Urbaniano University in 2016 and Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in 2018.