Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali of Sudan’s Catholic Diocese of El-Obeid delivered a Christmas message focusing on God's fidelity amidst national suffering. The Bishop connected the image of the baby Jesus in the manger to the plight of displaced and shelterless people in Sudan. The Kordofan region, where the diocese is located, has become a battleground, leading to deserted parishes and a lack of priests to administer sacraments. Sudan's civil war, ongoing since April 2023 between the RSF and SAF, has caused an estimated 150,000 deaths and displaced over 14 million people.
2 months ago
Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali of Sudan's Catholic Diocese of El-Obeid delivered a 2025 Christmas message amid ongoing violence.1 2
He emphasized Christ's birth as a manifestation of God's glory, promising salvation, peace, and reconciliation with the Creator.1 2
The bishop likened the baby Jesus in the manger to the shelterless and fearful people of Sudan.1 2
Kordofan, his diocese, has become a battleground after Darfur, with parishes deserted, desecrated, and lacking priests for sacraments.1 2
Sudan's war erupted on April 15, 2023, pitting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo against Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) loyal to Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.1 2
It began in Khartoum and spread nationwide, reportedly killing up to 150,000 people.1 2
Over 14 million have been displaced, including to Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, overwhelming refugee camps.1 2
Some 30.4 million—more than half the population—need aid; Sudan has the world's highest internally displaced (over 12 million) and acute hunger cases, with 600,000 in famine and 8 million at risk.1 2
Ahead of Sudan's 70th independence anniversary in 2026, the bishop urged solidarity, weeping with the bereaved, and aiding the needy as per Jesus' words.1 2
He called for making hearts "the manger where the baby Jesus can live" to renew lives and foster peace.1 2
How does Catholic pastoral care adapt to war‑affected communities?
Catholic pastoral care adapts to war-affected communities by emphasizing a comprehensive, gospel-based approach that integrates spiritual, material, psychological, and moral support, tailored to the unique vulnerabilities of refugees, displaced persons, soldiers, and other victims of conflict. This involves incisive presence beyond mere aid, ensuring access to sacraments, promoting human dignity, and advocating for justice, while fostering integration, healing spiritual wounds, and countering dehumanizing forces. Drawing from papal teachings and Church documents, this care manifests through structured pastoral initiatives, charitable crusades, and vigilant ethical guidance amid crises.
In situations of forced displacement due to war, the Church prioritizes an "incisive pastoral presence" that goes beyond material aid to address spiritual and moral needs. Pastors are called to distribute resources like field manuals thoughtfully, organizing access to the Word of God, sacramental forgiveness, the Eucharist, and other sacraments as a direct response to Christ's commandment to love one's brethren. Refugees, often stripped of everything, require "greater love, care, concern, and active solidarity" from Christians living alongside them, with Catholic agencies under bishops' conferences providing material, psychological, and medical help while respecting refugees' dignity and rights regardless of religion.
This care extends to moral vigilance, as seen in efforts to counteract immoral practices promoted in refugee health initiatives, such as contraception or sterilization. Pastors must educate on the Gospel's vision of life, sexuality, and holiness, building trust with refugees and health workers, and prioritizing formation for youth in preparation for love and marriage. Pope John Paul II reinforced this by urging continued services of welcome for immigrants and refugees, promoting their integration—especially Catholic migrants—through contacts between origin and host Churches, and advocating for refugee status, safe return, and defense of fundamental rights before political authorities. The Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People ensures "effective and special spiritual care" for refugees via suitable structures, fostering fraternal awareness among Christians, particularly on World Migration Day.
The Church perceives these phenomena with "increasing awareness," cooperating to improve life conditions and protect health, addressing the "spiritual and moral trauma" that disrupts faith, family, and ethics, as highlighted by Pope Paul VI. Renewal starts "afresh from Christ," with pastoral programs centered on the Eucharist and Gospel values to transform societies respecting migrant dignity, urging adherence to international protections.
War-affected communities include soldiers, for whom the Church provides dedicated pastoral care through military chaplains. These chaplains act as "pastors of souls" in war and peace, staying close to personnel, supporting them with prayer, and exhorting generous service for security and peace, even at the cost of life. Historical concordats, like that of 1933 with Germany, vest spiritual guidance for Catholic army members and families in an army bishop, with chaplains enjoying parish priest rights.
Pope Francis emphasized treating soldiers' "spiritual wounds" from witnessing atrocities, offering them and their families the Church's "motherly closeness" via the Word of God, Eucharist, and Reconciliation to alleviate suffering and instill hope. Chaplains foster spiritual and ethical dimensions amid a "piecemeal third world war," promoting humanitarian law to protect civilians, wounded, prisoners, and environments, while committing to war's abolition through bridges of reconciliation and recognition of every person's "intrinsic dignity" as God's image. The Second Vatican Council's Gaudium et Spes underscores that armed forces members, serving rightly, contribute to peace.
Papal encyclicals frame war as an "Hour of Darkness" bringing "death and desolation," with special sympathy for nations like Poland suffering for fidelity to the Church. Popes exhort a "Crusade of charity and succor" to care for bodies and souls, quenching hate with love to foster prosperity and confidence. Post-war, bishops urge priests to promote neighborly love—even for enemies—as "ministers of peace," aiding the needy and afflicted while writers abstain from bitterness. Efforts to avert conflict reflect apostolic duty and Christian charity, lamenting ignored paths to peace.
Contemporary calls, like Pope Leo XIV's for the 2026 World Day of Peace, demand "attentive and life-giving pastoral creativity" to defuse hostility through dialogue, justice, and forgiveness in a "house of peace." Care for the sick in prosperous yet body-idolizing societies prioritizes hospital chaplains, volunteers, and support for health personnel offering spiritual warmth.
Adaptations address instability, secularism, and suffering, encouraging enthusiasm like the first Christians amid tribulation, trusting Christ's victory. While focused on war, parallels exist in responding to abuses causing pain, committing to transparency and solidarity. Sources consistently prioritize dignity, sacraments, and Gospel ethics, with recent teachings like Pope Francis's emphasizing prayer for chaplains. No divergences appear; older documents align with modern emphases on integration and humanitarian law.
In summary, Catholic pastoral care in war-affected communities adapts through holistic, Christ-centered ministry: sacramental access and solidarity for refugees, chaplaincy healing for soldiers, charitable advocacy against dehumanization, and creative peace-building. This fidelity to tradition ensures hope transforms history, inviting all to active charity.