Ireland is well renowned across the globe for the impact of Irish missionaries – both religious and lay who dedicated their lives to serve those on the margins.
Mary Robinson refers to our missionary movement as our national heritage. It bore fruit to the overseas aid sector as we now know it and has encouraged our government to continue our commitment to overseas development aid, when other countries are faltering.
The impact of US funding cut over the last year, has had a ripple effect across development globally – with many charities having to cut staff, peel back programmes and entirely close projects in some of the most needy locations in the world.
The role of the missionaries has become more critical than ever – missionaries are respected amongst local communities for staying when funds dry up and for staying when conflict escalates. With the aging profile of Irish missionaries, a new generation of missionaries are taking their place – missionaries born in Africa, Asia and South America being called to mission in locations where people have major challenges in accessing schools, vocational training and basic health services.
In South Sudan, the lowest ranking country in the globe on the UN Human Development Index, cuts in the aid sector are being tragically felt. Yet the appetite amongst Irish missionary congregations to continue support to South Sudan is as strong as ever.
This year, we launched the Forum for Irish Missionaries in South Sudan (FIMSS) at our Jesuit Provincialate Curia in Milltown – a collective of 18 missionary congregations based in Ireland working in 70 projects across South Sudan.
The aim is to collaborate, work together, share resources so that we can continue to work in places where other charities can’t – given the complexity of the community dynamics, or won’t – bound by their tight security protocols.
As we celebrated Irish Jesuit International’s 80th anniversary last year, Michael D Higgins expressed “my heartfelt gratitude to all the members, past and present, of Irish Jesuits who have offered their selfless services over the past 80 years” and wished IJI the “patience, endurance and success with the positive changes that are so necessary for the years to come… with your efforts to create a more equitable, just, and fair future for all.”
We have 8 Kenyan, Tanzanian and Ugandan Jesuits missioned in South Sudan, working alongside local sister congregations and over 100 lay personnel across the 13 projects. They face added challenges to what our Irish missionaries would have faced.
They don’t have direct access to international support, media or donors. They are more likely to be targeted during times of insecurity. Kenyan Jesuit, Fr Victor Luke Odhimabo SJ was killed 8 years ago, when on mission at Mazzolari Teacher Training College in Cueibet, South Sudan.
I remember my own time as a lay missionary over twenty years ago when I was placed with Jesuit Refugee Service in South Sudan. Just my presence as an expatriate, gave extra security to the camp of 33,000 people, much like a ‘human shield’.
That international visibility would be called upon, if the camp was to be attacked by rebels, given the access I had to international media, embassies and international offices. This is a luxury our African missionaries don’t have – that platform to access or call upon European media, to advocate when there are serious violations to human rights.
For this reason, our role in Ireland is even more important. Irish congregations like us are continuing to back our brothers and sisters as they put themselves through considerable personal sacrifice. Our accompaniment of our counterparts is strong, in terms of monitoring, mentoring and support.
Our mission is as strong as ever, crossing cultures, in the spirit of collaboration to serve those furthest behind.
Learn more about our work in South Sudan, by clicking: here
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*(L to R): Fr Eric Simiyu SJ ( Director of MAJIS Rumbek and St Peter Faber Primary School), Fr Lucas Ng’hwagi SJ (Director of St Peter Claver Ecology & Computer Centre), Rev Kizito Kiyimba SJ (Provincial of Jesuit East Africa Province), Fr Francis Wambua SJ (Parish Priest, St Therea’s Parish & Kindergarten), Fr Kizito Busobozi SJ (Director of Victor Luke Odhiambo Memorial Secondary School)”