Decisions for the Anglican Church in the Sudans

AFRICA/SUDAN - In October the Sudanese Bishops will decide whether to form two distinct Episcopal Conferences for the North and the South

Khartoum (Fides Service) - The Sudanese Bishops will meet in October in the Diocese of Wau (Southern Sudan) to decide whether to form two distinct Episcopal Conferences, after the separation between north and south Sudan (which officially became an independent state on July 9 ).

This is what is said by a source of the Sudan Catholic Radio News.

Currently there is only one Episcopal Conference with two independent Secretaries in Juba (the capital of southern Sudan) and in Khartoum.

This decision is likely to be affected by how the situation in the Church in northern Sudan will evolve.

• The number of faithful in the north is declining, as reported by John Ashworth, Consultant of the Church in Sudan to CISA Agency in Nairobi, since many Catholics living in the north, but born in the south, have been forced to return to their places of origin after the separation.
• "Others will likely be forced to do so in the coming months because of problems related to the granting of citizenship, as well as for the real possibility that the cultural and religious minorities in the Republic of Sudan (north) are subjected to harassment.
• This is why some churches and Catholic schools have had to close down. If Khartoum grants citizenship rights to the southern Sudanese, then the situation might improve, but it all depends on how the southerners and Christians are treated ", Ashworth said to CISA.

Out of the nine Sudanese dioceses, only two are in the North, Khartoum and El Obeid, the others (Malakal, Juba, Yei, Wau, Rumbek, Tombura-Yambio and Torit) are in the south. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 04/08/2011)

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