mroger Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 So, I have spoken to our Vocation Director. He was aware before I entered the Seminary for the Diocese that my haert was set on Darfur and joining a religious order to get there. However, against my desires, it was also apparent that God wanted me here, in this Seminary, perhaps with this group of people even, for His own reasons. That being the case, I spoke to the Vocation Director, and informed him that my feelings have not changed. Each time I hear the slightest utterance of Darfur or Congo too for that matter, my heart goes out to them. I need some help... I am interested to know what kind of presence the Catholic Church has in Sudan, especially where these atrocities are occurring. I have looked and not found since PJPII in the early 90's any significant article covering this war, this attack against the poorest of the poor, a.k.a "God's people". Is there a mission present? If so, how can I find it. I need this for my discernment. Can anyone please help!!! Thank you! Furthermore, I am also seeking to have an interest group of skilled persons who may be able to travel this summer and stay 60 days in Darfur. I feel confident that is one is not physically fit for this task, then their prayers are equally as necessary, probably more necessary, since that would be minus one person. If there is no Catholic group in Darfur or the surrounding region, I know of a Bible group that IS there, whom we can help, under the guidance of Rome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 We had a visiting priest speak at our parish a few years ago, and he told of how priests were often dragged out of their rectories and actually crucified. Have you tried the folks at "savedarfur.com?" Blessings, Gemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrayerSupporter Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 [quote name='geistesswiesenschaften' post='1172904' date='Jan 21 2007, 11:01 PM'] I am interested to know what kind of presence the Catholic Church has in Sudan, especially where these atrocities are occurring. I have looked and not found since PJPII in the early 90's any significant article covering this war, this attack against the poorest of the poor, a.k.a "God's people". Is there a mission present? If so, how can I find it. I need this for my discernment. Can anyone please help!!! [/quote] Hello, Have you checked with Maryknoll? A woman from our parish served in the Sudan for many years through Maryknoll's program. God bless you in your efforts to help! PrayerSupporter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeniteAdoremus Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Depending on my academical progress, I might be going to Sudan to teach physics to university students sometime next year... but we'll steer right clear of Darfur, I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mroger Posted January 22, 2007 Author Share Posted January 22, 2007 I have tried MaryKnoll. I contacted them before entering the seminary and they said that I didn't have enough experience!!! Can you believe that! They said that I would need to do some volunteer work locally before I could apply to them. I kind of thought that was least like what I would expect from a missionary group, however - I understand the investment they make in people who do come to them. But still, that just seems like way too much Management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-I---Love Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 If you seriously want to go there this summer and have ppl and a plan then I would be interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mroger Posted January 23, 2007 Author Share Posted January 23, 2007 i have found two other volunteers, a doctor (and seminarian) and a plumber (who will join us in july). they'll use their trade skills, for me the goal is to participate, and while doing so, observe. my plan is to come back again with an action plan. i'd say this is like a recon mission. and being my first trip, i just want to be where ever they need me most. i'd also say that a huge part of this trip is to send supplies of all kinds and have it arrive just about a week before we get there. with packing lists, we can measure how much loss there is. one thing i will be doing while also there is documenting. my degree is in communications (journalism/advertising). so i plan to put together usable presentations for all kinds of media to spend the next year building an effort and action plan. i haven't heard much of an identifiable Catholic voice on this, so i'll step up then. my experiences are; military - logistics education - advertising/marketing/promotions military - print/broadcast journalism/public affairs working experience - print journalism/multi-media design other experience - food management spiritual - 1 year in seminary personal and real life experiences - I too was an orphan who once came from a pretty bad state of life. not that you need details, just know that what's happening in Darfur hits close to home for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-I---Love Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 I am free from the first day in July through the third week in August. I am looking to write up a unique plan to do some sort of "project" and my college could potentially award me 1 - 2000 USD for such a project -ie, my living, flight expenses, etc. in Darfur - I would have to write about my experience and create a presentation upon returning. I have only done service work in the U.S. and for a wk at an orphanage in Mexico. I don't know much about this type of stuff...Darfur doesn't seem the safest place for us to be... many questions.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeniteAdoremus Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 geistesswiesenschaften, I admire you for your idea, courage, and determination, but what MaryKnoll said is the policy of almost all missionary-like organisations, and there's a lot of wisdom behind it. The situation in Darfur is still dangerous and ALL the people there have had greatly traumatic experiences. If you go there and get overwhelmed by it all, you won't be able to help the people. And if you don't have much experience "in the field", you can't tell in advance how you will react. Every job comes with a formation program, especially very important ones like these. Maybe they can help you prepare yourself until they think you have enough experience? Because the more you have, the better you will be able to help the people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathoholic_anonymous Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 VA has a good point. If you desperately want to go in the summer, be sure to take a course in distress counselling or something similar first. You need to learn coping strategies, for yourself as well as for the people who are suffering. I would like to go, but unfortunately it won't be possible this summer. If you do end up going I would be happy to try and publicise what you're doing in Britain - I occasionally write pieces for the national newspapers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-I---Love Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 ditto w/ VA and Cath Anon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batteddy Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I was on vacation and the church we went to had apparently had a priest from Sudan there speaking the week before. The priest was so touched that he retold the story again the next week. The priest saw his father and a group of parishioners killed in their church, and still decided to become a priest. To go back and forth from Sudan he had to sneak into Uganda and walk a month to get to an airport. It was really inspiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mroger Posted January 26, 2007 Author Share Posted January 26, 2007 [quote name='-I---Love' post='1174163' date='Jan 23 2007, 05:37 PM'] Darfur doesn't seem the safest place for us to be... many questions.... [/quote] precisely. and who is there, tending to God's people. i can't watch. i can't be idle. this summer, you might say is like reconaissance. it is from 1 june through 1 august. so, i-love, that would give you 30 days in country. a lot can be done in 30 days. i spoke with the group that is there now, they're not catholic, they're just good people, ya know. anyway. they need people with medical and construction skill. but would not turn away volunteers... i'll finish this later. gotta run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mroger Posted January 26, 2007 Author Share Posted January 26, 2007 (edited) new information it took a while, but i found the catholic church in sudan. here's a link; [url="http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/sd.html"]http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/sd.html[/url] and another: [url="http://www.eglisesoudan.org/"]http://www.eglisesoudan.org/[/url] and more... [url=http://www.geocities.com/comboniasia/[/url] Edited January 26, 2007 by geistesswiesenschaften Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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