(ANS – Wau) – Since 21 January the casket of Don Bosco has been on pilgrimage in the new state of Southern Sudan, bringing a moment of real joy to the local people sorely tried by poverty and threatened by conflicts between the militias of  north and south Sudan.

Don Bosco’s relic arrived  at the Wau airport in the afternoon of Saturday 21 January. It was welcomed by a crowd of people from the  various parishes in the city, including many Salesians, diocesan priests and religious from other Congregations. Present to receive it were Bishop Rudolf Deng Majak of Wau, the Hon. Rizig Hassan, Governor of the State of West Bahr El Gazal, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Education, the  Minister of Communications and other government authorities.

From the airport the casket, escorted by the Police Band and that of the Salesian Institute of Tonj. was taken in procession  to the Salesian Vocational Training Centre.   There was a great celebration and many young people who already been waiting for hours, then waited patiently to pray in front of the casket and ask for the intercession of the saint.

After staying in Wau until Monday 23 January, the casket was in Tonj (24-25 January), Maridi and Yambio, (26-27). By Sunday 28 the casket was at Juba, on the northern frontier of Southern Sudan, where it went to the houses of the Salesians, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians  and the first mission of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus in Africa.

“Wherever Don Bosco went, there were so many expressions of appreciation and thanks for the Salesians.” – Fr Ferrington Poobalarayen, Provincial Delegate for Sudan said – “I want to be able to pass on all these expressions of thanks from Government Leaders, from Bishops, from priests, from religious and from the poor people. It was an unforgettable experience!”

The progress of the casket was a National event: the news was passed by word of mouth, but it was also on all the radio and tv programmes. Fr Poobalarayen continues: “For me it was great miracle to see the welcome given to the casket in Wau, Tonj and Maridi. Crowds you could never imagine turned out! What was missing in the north Don Bosco received twice over in the south.”

The casket was also taken to some diocesan parishes, including one near a camp where there are Congolese refugees from near the frontier between the two countries The Provincial Delegate comments: “There was great emotion. The parish priest told me ‘Father, these people live in a refugee camp and have not enough to eat; however Don Bosco has filled their day with joy and brought a spark of hope.’ Now, “Fr Poobalarayen concludes, “the next challenge for us is to change the joy at the visit into a greater fidelity.”

Published 01/02/2012