Daniele Comboni
Missionari Comboniani
Area istituzionale
Altri link
Newsletter
Celebration of 30 years of Combonian presence in the Nuer Land
Wednesday, 11 March 2026
On the feast of the birth of St. Daniel Comboni, the 15th of March 2026, the Nuer Community in the Displaced Peoples Camps of Juba, will celebrate the official date of the new presence of the Comboni Missionaries in the Nuer Land, starting from Leer, and then extending the presence in the Central-Eastern Nuer – Juaibor, Old Fangak and Ayod. A new presence because the first one was in Yoynyang (Rubkona/Bentiu) in 1925. [In the picture, from left: Father Antonio La Braca and Father Christian Carlassare]
It is a thanksgiving event to God who made it possible through the great desire ad prayers of the Nuer People, catechists, leaders and faithful people at large, together with the Comboni Missionaries of the Delegation of South Sudan and the Comboni Missionary Sisters of the South Sudan Province.
Daniel Kai was the head catechist who welcomed Father La Braca, Bro. Hans,
and Sr. Giovannina Zucca – on the right in the photo – to Leer in 1996.
Those who worked hard to make it possible were Rt. Rev. Paride Taban, bishop of Torit, representing the Rt. Rev. Vincent Mojwok Nyiker, bishop of Malakal, who could not visit the “Liberated Areas” because of war and political reasons. The catechist Joseph Phal Mut (who died before the opening) and the cat. John Kuok Baluang (of Koch) who both flew to Nairobi to ask for missionaries in 1993. Then, Fr. Kizito Sesana mccj and Fr. Paul Donohue mccj, of New People Media Centre of Nairobi, who were sent to Leer to assess the situation with the above catechists, after the 1993 meeting in Nairobi.
At the end of January 1995, Sr. Giovannina Zucca (CMS) and Fr. Francis Chemello mccj visited Leer for assessment, together with bishop Paride going there on pastoral visit to administer Confirmations. Then later, also Bro. Hans Dieter Ritterbacks mccj went.
(Bro. Ritterbecks Hans Dieter in South Sudan)
Fr. Antonio La Braca was the one who officially opened LEER Mission with Bro. Hans and Sr. Giovannina on 12 March 1996. They were welcome by the head catechist Daniel Kai Liah, the catechists, the leaders men and women and the youth.
This event offer us the chance of thanking God for all the blessings bestowed on the Nuer People along these 30 years and pray that the Comboni Missionaries, MCCJ & CMS, may be always accompanying the journey of the Nuer People in this Evangelizing Mission.
Fr. Francis Chemello, mccj