Juba – Hai Amarat
The Comboni Missionaries opened their first community in Juba over 50 years ago. At that time, the British did not allow any Catholic missions in the West Bank – the area was reserved to the Anglicans – but let the congregation open a Procure where now functions the Archdiocesan Curia and the parish of St. Joseph. The chapel – now parish church – served the community and the Catholic patients at Juba Teaching Hospital.
After the 1964 expulsion, the Combonis returned to Juba at the end of the 1970s. Comboni House was built in 1981 and became the provincial headquarters. In 1993, all expatriate missionaries were taken from Juba to Khartoum for “security reasons.” The Sudanese confreres left the house one year later and the Brothers of St Martin de Porres took care of it.
The Comboni Missionaries were back in Juba in March 2006, fourteen months after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed.
A group of brothers worked for one year in the (re)construction of the buildings.
The provincial headquarters were transferred from Nairobi, Kenya, to Juba in 2008.
Missionary work
“I shall make common cause with the poorest and most abandoned”. – St. Daniel Comboni
Comboni House, which is the Provincial House in South Sudan, is normally a place for administration and procurement. However, the missionaries residing in that building are also at the service of the Archdiocese of Juba and carry out some pastoral activities in the capital of South Sudan.
Besides the administrative works, the Comboni missionaries in Juba are engaged with building and teaching at St. Pauls’ Major Seminary and Juba Catholic University and also for the Religious Superior’s Association of South Sudan (RSASS).
They are also committed to promote Justice, Peace and Reconciliation and do pastoral work among the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Protection of Civilians site (POC) in the capital Juba.
Members of the Community
Fr. Gregor Schmidt, from Germany (provincial)
Fr. P. Boosuuro Maaso-Endogee Pius, from Togo
Fr. Denima Darama, from DRC
Br. Jacek Pomykacz, from Poland
Br. Bozza Claudio, from Italy