An independent review, led by safeguarding expert Keith Makin, condemned the Church of England for its failure to report the "abhorrent abuse" Smyth inflicted on young boys.

The review noted years of abuse could have been prevented if Welby and others had acted more decisively when allegations first surfaced in 2013.

Welby, who has served as Archbishop since 2013, announced his resignation on Tuesday after admitting he should have taken personal responsibility for the Church's response. He acknowledged he failed to ensure that the abuse allegations were fully investigated by police, even after survivors raised urgent concerns.

"When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow" Archbishop Welby said.

"It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024."

Welby expressed deep regret for the Church's failures, saying "This decision makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change".

Pressure on other Church leaders

Welby's resignation has intensified scrutiny on other senior Church leaders whom survivors accuse of failing to take sufficient action against Smyth.

Smyth, a Christian summer camp leader, used his influence in Church circles for decades to abuse young men. Despite the seriousness of these allegations, the Church's leadership has been criticised for failing to take appropriate steps to bring Smyth to justice.

Key figures facing pressure to resign include Bishop Stephen Conway and Bishop Jo Bailey Wells.

Bishop Conway, who received reports of Smyth's abuse in 2013, has been called upon to step down for his role in the alleged mishandling of the case. The Makin Review found that, while Conway was in a position to refer Smyth's case to police, he failed to follow through, thus missing a crucial opportunity to initiate an investigation.

Bishop Jo Bailey Wells, then Welby's chaplain, is similarly under fire. She deferred a safeguarding referral to local Church authorities, assuming police were handling the matter.

The report highlights that this decision left the allegations in limbo, with no further action taken to protect victims.

Survivors not appeased

Welby's resignation has not appeased survivors or advocates, many of whom argue that additional resignations are essential to restoring trust in the Church's commitment to safeguarding reforms.

Andrew Morse, a victim who Smyth severely beat as a teenager, backed calls for Bishop Conway to resign.

He said "Conway should resign for obstructing the Smyth victims in our long road to justice. I cannot see how someone so closely associated with the problem can be part of any solution".

Conway has apologised, stating "I am sorry that I did not pursue these actions at that time" but survivors insist that such apologies are insufficient without accountability.

Honourable decision

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, supported the resignation of Archbishop Welby, calling it an "honourable decision". Cottrell emphasised that Welby's departure should be a pivotal moment for the Church to commit to meaningful safeguarding reform.

Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley voiced the need for a structural overhaul, stating "This is a very clear indication that we must move towards independence in safeguarding".

A statement issued on behalf of victims by Andrew Graystone, author of Bleeding For Jesus: John Smyth and the cult of the Iwerne Camps, states "John Smyth was indeed the Church of England's very own Jimmy Savile".

Graystone told The Tablet that "The astonishing thing about this report is how many people at the most senior levels of the church knew about John Smyth's appalling abuse, but failed to do anything to stop him. The questions that arise, as ever, is who will take responsibility and what will change. The answers, at least thus far, are ‘no one', and ‘nothing'".

Sources

The Tablet

The Telegraph

CathNews New Zealand

Speaking to French newspaper La Vie, Welby shared that, during a 2023 visit to South Sudan with the pope and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Francis was acknowledged as "first among equals".

"But there was also no doubt that we would work together, not on a hierarchical basis, but collaboratively with him as the first among equals, the eldest among equals" said Welby, who as Archbishop of Canterbury is Primate of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Unity is not unanimity

Welby emphasised that unity among Christians is a fundamental, albeit challenging, goal. He highlighted the importance of preserving relationships across denominations.

"However, unity is not unanimity: the greatest spiritual challenge is to love one another in our diversity. We must not believe that our own witness is the only one that counts and risk breaking with the other" explained the Archbishop.

Pope's role redefined

In recent months, the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity has taken steps to redefine the Pope's role within ecumenism.

The new document, The Bishop of Rome, outlines perspectives that promote cooperative efforts across Christian denominations. Ecumenical communities have received it well for its openness to reinterpreting the papal office, formally established as a dogma during the First Vatican Council (1869-1870).

Earlier this year, senior Anglican bishops made their first pilgrimage to Rome. During a meeting with Pope Francis, the group discussed shared missions and differences within the church.

During the meeting, the pope emphasised the significance of mutual understanding and prayer.

"I realise" the Pope said, "that the role of the Bishop of Rome is still a controversial and divisive issue among Christians."

Francis described the Bishop of Rome as the "servant of the servants of God", emphasising the humility required of the Pope's primacy.

Sources

English Katholisch

CathNews New Zealand

Smyth's abuse, described as "brutal and prolific", targeted more than 100 boys and young men at Christian holiday camps in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

An independent review concluded that Smyth's crimes were systematically covered up by church officials, some of whom allowed him to relocate abroad where he continued his abuse.

"From July 2013 the Church of England knew, at the highest level, about the abuse that took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s" the review states.

The review says that over forty years, John Smyth became "arguably the most prolific serial abuser to be associated with the Church of England", operating in three different countries and involving "as many as 130 boys and young men".

The report, led by former social services director Keith Makin, criticised senior church figures, including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, for failing to act on their knowledge of Smyth's conduct.

Although Welby volunteered at the camps where Smyth worked, he consistently denied any knowledge of the abuse until 2013, when a survivor's report made its way to church officials.

However, the review noted that it was "unlikely" that Welby had no knowledge of concerns about Smyth before this date.

Lifelong scars

Smyth's abuse was severe and wide-ranging. He subjected boys to physical beatings, sexual and psychological abuse and spiritual manipulation which, according to Makin, left lifelong scars on victims.

One of his victims was Andrew Watson, now the bishop of Guildford, who said he was subjected to a "violent, excruciating and shocking" beating.

In total, the abuse spanned multiple countries, with at least 30 known victims in the UK and more than 85 in Zimbabwe and South Africa. In Zimbabwe, Smyth was implicated in the death of a 16-year-old boy, Guide Nyachuru, at one of his camps, although charges were dismissed.

Missed opportunity for justice

The review criticised the C of E for its "ineffective" response, noting the active cover-up of Smyth's actions in 1982, when the Iwerne Trust, which sponsored the camps, produced a confidential report on his abuse.

The Trust, along with church officials, kept the findings from authorities, allowing Smyth to continue his abuse with impunity.

When Smyth's actions resurfaced in 2013, church officials including Welby evidently did not report the matter to authorities, a failure the review identified as a missed opportunity for justice.

In a statement, Welby apologised "profoundly" for his failures and those of the Church. "I am sorry for my own omissions and for the broader wickedness, concealment and abuse perpetrated by the church". However Welby has said he will not resign over the matter.

John Smyth died in 2018, aged 77, before he could face trial over the allegations.

Sources

The Guardian

Daily Mail

Channel 4 News

CathNews New Zealand

Dr Randall (pictured), who preached at Trent College in Nottingham, has been barred from preaching for five years. This is despite being cleared of wrongdoing by secular bodies.

Rev. Randall, 52, delivered a sermon in 2019 encouraging students to question the teaching on LGBT relationships. This led to his dismissal from Trent College. Although reinstated, the Bishop of Derby, Right Reverend Libby Lane, barred him from preaching. Lane cited safeguarding concerns in her reasoning.

The Church of England labelled Dr Randall a risk to children despite acknowledging that his sermon did not conflict with Anglican doctrine.

A review of the case by Gregory Jones KC on behalf of the clergy discipline tribunal found that the Church's handling of the matter was "egregious" and that Archbishop Welby's decision to block Dr Randall's misconduct case against Bishop Lane was "plainly wrong".

Jones highlighted that the archbishop failed to provide sufficient evidence for the safeguarding concerns cited for denying Dr Randall's licence to preach.

Safeguarding "weaponised"

Dr Randall, who previously served as a chaplain at Cambridge University, has voiced his frustration. He suggested that safeguarding had been "weaponised as a political tool against a theological position which is wholly consistent with the Church's doctrine."

Randall remains unable to secure another position due to the continued refusal by Bishop Lane to grant him a licence or permission to officiate, pending a risk assessment.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre which supports Dr Randall, criticised the Diocese of Derby's approach. She asserted that no evidence had been presented to justify the claims that Dr Randall posed a danger to children.

Williams described the situation as a "scandalous blacklisting" for beliefs rooted in biblical teachings.

The Church of England and the Diocese of Derby have declined to comment on the ongoing gender-critical legal case.

Dr Randall is now seeking a judicial review of the case. He argues that the Church's actions represent a broader issue of departing from its teachings.

Sources

MSN

Christian Today

CathNews New Zealand

Speaking at the General Synod in York, Welby explained that his daughter Ellie had dyspraxia; a condition affecting movement and coordination.

Hospital staff suggested abortion if a disability test returned positive results, highlighting the financial burden of raising a disabled child.

Ellie is now 32.

"Before [Ellie] was born, during the pregnancy there was some concern and a test was ordered.

"But it was made very, very clear to my wife that if the test was taken and proved positive, it would be expected that we ask for a termination.

"It was not a neutral process, because they said it's expensive."

He described Ellie as "precious because she's wonderful, she's kind, she is someone who gets cross and gets happy and gets sad. She's not that severely disabled."

Welby has previously stated he does not pray for Ellie in relation to her disability. He regards it as part of who she is.

Support for parents needed

The comments of Welby follow a motion by Ven Pete Spiers, an archdeacon from Liverpool who challenges the notion that raising children with disabilities is a tragedy.

Spiers' motion called for healthcare providers to provide better support for parents of disabled children. He also pressed for unbiased information about conditions diagnosed during pregnancy.

The motion passed unanimously at the Synod, with 312 votes in favour and none against.

The Church of England opposes abortions based on disability and, at a 2013 parliamentary debate, called the law allowing such terminations "discriminatory".

The 1967 Abortion Act permits terminations up to 24 weeks. There are exceptions to the Act for severe disability or risk to the mother's life beyond that period.

The General Synod, established in 1970, is the national assembly of the Church of England. It approves legislation affecting the Church and debates matters of national and international importance.

Sources

Daily Mail

The Times

CathNews New Zealand

The meeting, which marked the Anglican primates' first pilgrimage to Rome, focused on shared missions and discussions on differences within the church.

Pope Francis began his address by thanking Archbishop Justin Welby for his presence, noting that he "began his service as Archbishop of Canterbury around the same time that I began mine as Bishop of Rome".

"Since then" the Pope added, "we have had many occasions to meet, to pray together and to testify to our faith in the Lord. Dear brother Justin, thank you for this fraternal cooperation on behalf of the Gospel!"

Embrace disagreements

During the meeting, the pope emphasised the significance of mutual understanding and prayer. He urged believers to discern whether the Holy Spirit or personal preferences guided them.

"I realise" the Pope said "that the role of the Bishop of Rome is still a controversial and divisive issue among Christians."

Quoting Pope Gregory the Great, he described the Bishop of Rome as the "servant of the servants of God", emphasising the humility required of papal authority.

"For this reason" Francis stressed, "it is necessary to engage in ‘a patient and fraternal dialogue on this subject, a dialogue which, leaving useless controversies behind', strives to understand how the Petrine ministry can develop as a service of love for all."

Linda Nicholls, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, told reporters that the pope set aside time to respond to the primates' questions. These, she said, allowed the pope to talk about "his own passions in ministry, unity in diversity, and harmony. He said in several ways that 'war is always, always, always a defeat'."

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the importance of prayerful discernment for unity and dialogue in fostering greater communion among Christians.

The Anglican primates' visit included pilgrimages to significant sites in Rome including St Peter's Basilica and the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls.

Sources

America Magazine

Vatican News

Katholisch

CathNews New Zealand

Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop Justin Welby and ten other leaders of Orthodox and Protestant denominations are due to attend, along with several of the fraternal delegates to the synod.

Archbishop Welby said that it was "an opportunity for all of us to come together and inspire change".

The service, organised by the ecumenical Taizé community, follows celebrations for the cross-denominational Season of Creation and a series of workshops for young adults designed to promote Christian unity.

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They are calling for a complete overhaul of how the global denomination is led.

The primary cause of the rift among Anglican leaders is their differing opinions on homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

Many conservative Anglicans, mostly from Africa and other parts of the global South, believe that Archbishop Justin Welby (pictured) should relinquish his leadership role.

His 'opponents' are unhappy with his support for the Church of England's decision in February to allow the blessings of same-sex relationships.

"This renders his leadership role in the Anglican Communion entirely indefensible," said the statement by the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon), which met recently in Rwanda.

Gafcon's statement is supported by the leaders of national churches representing most of the world's estimated 100 million Anglicans.

The group is calling for an end to a tradition of more than a century and a half of spiritual leadership by the senior bishop of the Church of England.

Gafcon's statement calls for an urgent reset of the Communion, but offers no specifics about what would replace the current structures or how that would be decided.

Anglican Church de facto split

"They have placed themselves outside the Anglican Communion, which is defined by the place and presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, even though they don't seem to acknowledge that fact.

"It is surely time for the de facto split to be acknowledged by both those who remain in the historic Communion and those who have now founded their own," said the Rev Andrew Foreshew-Cain, a prominent campaigner for LGBT rights in the Church of England.

"I hope that the pressure from Gafcon doesn't lead to the English bishops backsliding" on same-sex blessings, added Mr Foreshew-Cain.

"I am not confident that our bishops have the moral courage not to throw gay people under the Gafcon bus."

The conflict between traditional and liberal Christians regarding homosexuality is not limited to the Anglican Church but is also evident in other Christian denominations.

This issue has been exacerbated by the growing influence of church leaders in the global South, particularly Africa, where Christianity is expanding while declining in the West.

Last year, conservative members of the United Methodist Church split off to form the Global Methodist Church, with traditional positions on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBT clergy.

In contrast, last month, German Catholic bishops voted to approve formal blessings for same-sex couples, defying a prohibition from the Vatican.

Sources

Wall Street Journal

Christianity Today

CathNews New Zealand

Decisions made by the Anglican Communion in England apply only to England.

They don't have an international reach, Justin Welby says.

He reminded people of the autonomy of Anglican Provinces, as rumours circulated that same-sex blessings were to be imposed on other parts of the Communion.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, before the opening of the 18th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), he said:

"No Province can bind another Province, tell it what to do. We are not a post-, a neo-colonial entity in that way."

The Anglican Communion Office (ACO) also firmly denied that the Communion's same-sex blessings decision was binding on the rest of the Communion, saying: "This is categorically not true."

Nor was it "a decision for the entire Communion. It wasn't. It was a decision for England only," the ACO said.

Expanding on his initial statement, Welby said: "One bit of the Church of England passing the resolutions that passed last week does not bind anyone at all, not even the Church of England at the moment."

He also spoke of the Provinces' relationship. "We're interdependent. We belong to each other. We're grown-up children."

The ACC vice-chair added: "What it is that brings us together isn't a set of rules. It isn't for us to be busy looking over our shoulder at what our neighbours' state of play is in terms of their relationship with God. It is our relationship with God."

Anglican Communion secretary-general explained that although the Anglican Communion Office is in London, it isn't actually part of the Church of England.

He also pointed out the Archbishop of Canterbury isn't the chair. That person is Dr Paul Kwong, Archbishop Emeritus of Hong Kong.

Source

• Church Times

The approval came after bishops rejected calls to allow same-sex marriages in churches at a meeting in January. Instead, they proposed numerous options and suggested offering blessings after a civil partnership or marriage, known as Prayers of Love and Faith.

The Anglican General Synod - the Church's elected governing body - spent five hours discussing and voting on the bishops' new proposals.

The vote was passed in all three Synod houses: the bishops, clergy and laity.

Bishops voted for it by 36 to four, with two abstentions. The clergy voted for it by 111 to 85, with three abstentions. The house of laity approved it 103 to 92, with five abstentions.

While their approval for gay-couple blessings after nearly six years of internal debate has been welcomed by some as progress, others say it doesn't go far enough.

Last week both bishops and clergy made impassioned pleas to back or block the plans and 28 related amendments.

The amendments include no change to rules banning Anglican priests from officiating at weddings of same-sex couples. However, they could offer "God's blessing" for civil marriages or civil partnerships in a church.

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, said in a joint statement: "It has been a long road to get us to this point.

"For the first time, the Church of England will publicly, unreservedly and joyfully welcome same-sex couples in church. The Church continues to have deep differences on these questions which go to the heart of our human identity.

"As archbishops, we are committed to respecting the conscience of those for whom this goes too far and to ensure that they have all the reassurances they need in order to maintain the unity of the Church as this conversation continues.

"We hope that today's thoughtful, prayerful debate marks a new beginning for the Church as we seek a way forward, listening to each other and most of all to God. Above all we continue to pray, as Jesus himself prayed, for the unity of his church and that we would love one another."

The momentous shift in church orthodoxy was welcomed by the Archbishop of York.

He told Synod that same-sex couples "could now come to church and have that relationship acknowledged, celebrated and the couple receive a blessing" in a move that will be optional for priests.

Last month, in an open letter, the Anglican bishops also issued an unprecedented apology directly to LGBTQ people for the sometimes "hostile and homophobic response" they have faced in parishes.

Blessings without marriage

Veteran UK gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell described blessings without a marriage as "an insult".

He said same-sex couples should be able to marry in their own parish church.

"This is a right extended to every heterosexual man and woman in England, regardless of their religion - but not to LGBTs. That's discrimination, and discrimination is not a Christian value."

Source

• Telegraph
• UCA News

Some of the children have diarrhoea from eating them. Half the village is eating their seed stocks too, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NCR) reports.

While NRC is helping around 100,000 South Sudanese, those eating their seed stocks means there will be few seeds to plant next growing season.

Speaking to the Portuguese delegation of international charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Beta Almendra says that "there is a dire lack of international support.

"Some non-governmental organisations are withdrawing from the country," says the 52-year-old Portuguese nun.

She tells ACN that the South Sudan is not stable, and people are not able to walk alone.

The bishop of the diocese of El Obeid, Yunan Tombe Trily, is appealing to Caritas and in particular Caritas in the South Sudan to ask NGOs and UN agencies for humanitarian aid promptly.

After postponing his trip last July, Pope Francis has rescheduled his trip to Congo and his ecumenical trip to South Sudan for 13 January to 5 February, the Vatican announced Wednesday.

With the Pope's mobility still impaired, the new schedule for the trip has been trimmed slightly from what was planned in July.

As planned for years, Francis will travel to South Sudan with Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and with the Rev. Iain Greenshields, moderator of the general assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Church leaders hope their joint visit will encourage warring leaders to live up to the commitments they have made in a series of accords and finally offer their people peace.

Welby and Greenshields both welcomed word that the trip would finally go ahead.

"I am genuinely humbled at the opportunity to support our brothers and sisters in South Sudan in the search for peace, reconciliation and justice," Greenshields said in a statement. He noted the Church of Scotland had been invited to "represent the Presbyterian family due to its strong partnership with the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan".

Welby, for his part, added that all three leaders shared a desire to "stand in solidarity" with the South Sudanese people.

In one of his more memorable gestures, Francis invited South Sudan's rival leaders to the Vatican in 2019 for a prayer. During their meeting, he knelt down and kissed their feet while begging them to make peace.

In February 2022, a new inter-ethnic conflict broke out between the Ngok Dinka of Abyei Administrative Area and the Twiic Mayardit Dinka of Warrap State, over a land claim over a stretch of a local market.

According to local sources, Fides reports that violence resumed on October 10, burning houses and looting property, causing the loss of life and the displacement of thousands of people on both sides.

Sources

• Norwegian Refugee Council
• Fides
• Aid to the Church in Need
• Catholic News Service
• All Africa

Pope Francis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, made the joint statement ahead of the Cop26 climate summit.

In their first-ever joint statement, the three clerics urged people to play their part in 'choosing life' for the planet. They called on leaders to make decisions that will allow a transition to 'just and sustainable economies'.

The statement said: 'We call on everyone, whatever their belief or worldview, to endeavour to listen to the cry of the earth and of people who are poor, examining their behaviour and pledging meaningful sacrifices for the sake of the earth which God has given us.

"Today, we are paying the price, tomorrow could be worse. This is a critical moment. Our children's future and the future of our common home depend on it."

'This is the first time that the three of us feel compelled to address together the urgency of environmental sustainability, its impact on persistent poverty, and the importance of global cooperation,' it added.

The three Christian leaders used their platform to speak out against inequality, saying: "We stand before a harsh justice: biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and climate change are the inevitable consequences of our actions, since we have greedily consumed more of the earth's resources than the planet can endure.

"But we also face a profound injustice: the people bearing the most catastrophic consequences of these abuses are the poorest on the planet and have been the least responsible for causing them."

COP26, which the pope hopes to attend, is taking place in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12.

The talks aim to spur more ambitious commitments by countries to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. COP26 also seeks to keep the global average temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius during this century, in line with a 2015 Paris accord.

Sources

Daily Mail

The Telegraph

The painting is a version of Leonardo Da Vinci's "The Last Supper", with Jesus recast as a black prophet.

Called "A Last Supper," the reinterpretation of the original 15th-century artwork was painted by British painter Lorna May Wadsworth.

The artist hired a Jamaican model, Tafari Hinds, to pose as Jesus.

The 2.7-metre print will be installed at the alter of St. Albans Cathedral in Hertfordshire. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby prompted the installation.

The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey John, who is the dean of St. Albans says the church is not in a strong position to preach to others about justice, racial or otherwise.

"But our faith teaches that we are all made equally in the image of God - and that God is a God of justice."

The church decided to transform the altar because "black lives matter," he says.

Welby also recently asked Church of England officials to consider the strong likelihood that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was not white.

Furthermore, he is challenging churchgoers to embrace the many representations of Jesus, regardless of the Messiah's depicted ethnicity.

"Jesus was Middle Eastern, not white. It's important we remember this," Welby tweeted last Saturday.

"But the God we worship in Christ is universal and the hope he offers is good news for us all."

Source

• New York Post
• Image: Politicopathy

Welby made this statement to over 5,000 Christians across various denominations and traditions gathered at a Pentecost event marking the culmination of "Thy Kingdom Come", a 10-day prayer initiative.

"We're all different, we look different, we have different cultures and backgrounds and yet, in Jesus, we're brought to be one," he said.

"What makes it possible for people with such differences to be in one church, to minister to so many different people outside the church, to show them the love of Jesus and to speak of Jesus? The Holy Spirit of God, nothing else.

"We can say what we like but we can't do very much in the human heart, only the Spirit speaks from heart to heart."

He then spoke of the UK's politicians who are "struggling" and "suffering" as they try to find agreement on Brexit.

"We're so contemptuous of them but they are trying to rebuild the broken. Most of them go into politics for good reason ..."

Welby said when he sees the nation's politicians he hears them saying they've never known a time as hard as this in the 35 years they've been in parliament.

"What can change it? It's the Spirit of God and God is calling the church to be confident about bringing the healing and hope in Jesus to this country," he said.

"We have a moment of opportunity in saying yes, we're different, and Jesus does not say to you all be the same, he says I made you different and you will be drawn in your difference with love for one another through the cross and resurrection, through Ascension and Pentecost, through the coming of the Spirit, and we will see our society transformed."

Other church leaders attending the event included the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, Archbishop Angaelos, and the chair of the Redeemed Christian Church of God UK, Pastor Agu Irukwu.

The Anglican Bishop of London, the Rt Rev. Sarah Mullally, led the square in praying for Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick and other representatives of the London emergency services.

Christian singer Matt Redman, the Kingdom Choir (who performed at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex last year), worship artist Lou Fellingham and Sounds of New Wine Gospel Choir (which recently picked up the Premier Gospel Best Newcomer Award) led the music at the gathering.

Source

• Christian Today
• The Tablet
• Image: Christian Today

"I am asking you as a brother to stay in peace. I am asking you with my heart, let us go forward. There will be many problems but they will not overcome us. Resolve your problems," Francis said.

A video released by the Vatican shows an aide helping Francis, who is 82, to kneel so he could kiss the feet of President Salva Kiir Mayardit. He then moved on to Vice Presidents-designate Riek Machar and Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior.

Kiir and Machar were once rivals, with Kiir accusing Machar - his former deputy - of staging a 2013 coup.

Several years of civil war followed. However, last year they signed a peace agreement and they are now trying to form a stable government together.

The South Sudanese politicians were staying at the Pope's Vatican residence for a two-day spiritual retreat, co-hosted by Francis and the head of the Anglican Church, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. The retreat was Welby's idea.

The aim was to bring the South Sudanese leaders together for 24 hours of prayer and preaching in an attempt to heal bitter divisions before the country is due to set up a unity government.

"There will be struggles, disagreements among you but keep them within you, inside the office, so to speak," Francis said in Italian as an aide translated into English. "But in front of the people, hold hands united. So, as simple citizens, you will become fathers of the nation."

Sudan, which is predominantly Muslim, and the mainly Christian south fought for decades before South Sudan became independent in 2011.

Civil war broke out in South Sudan two years later after Mr Kiir, a Dinka, fired Mr Machar, from the Nuer ethnic group, from the vice presidency.

About 400,000 people died and more than a third of the country's 12 million people were uprooted, sparking Africa's worst refugee crisis since the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

The two sides signed a power-sharing deal in September calling on the main rival factions to assemble, screen and train their respective forces to create a national army before the formation of a unity government next month.

Source

• CNN
• Irish Times
• Image: KUTV

United Nations (UN) officials have expressed concern about the fate of the South Sudanese people.

The mandate for the UN peacekeeping mission in the country is set to expire.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix told the UN Security Council the South Sudanese people "have simply suffered far too much for far too long and we must not take their resilience against incredible odds for granted".

Lacroix is the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.

South Sudan became an independent nation in 2011.

The mainly Christian and Animist population had been involved in a civil war with Muslim citizens - now mostly located in Sudan - for decades.

The civil war sprang up again in 2013, between the majority Dinka and Nuer tribes.

The net result is famine, the possibility of genocide and over three million displaced people.

While political and economic instability continue, "humanitarian needs will remain dire," Mark Lowcock says.

Lowcock is the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

He estimates about half South Sudan's 12.23 million population will be relying on emergency food aid by early 2018.

Although both Pope Francis and the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby had planned to visit South Sudan in October, the visit was cancelled for the meanwhile.

The deteriorating security situation was the reason their visit was cancelled.

Francis has since held a prayer service for South Sudan and Congo, which is also suffering from the effects of war.

In his homily during the prayer service, Francis said "...Prayer works by the power of God, for whom nothing is impossible".

Source

• Crux
• Upper Nile Times