In light of Pope Leo's repeated appeals for peace during his Apostolic Journey, Fr Samir Alrafayne, a Sudanese priest who has been in Angola for 13 years, calls for renewed attention to the critical situation in Sudan, where a violent conflict has raged for years, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions of people.
By Claudia Torres – Luanda, Angola “It is possible to build together a country where old divisions are overcome once and for all, where hatred and violence disappear, and where the scourge of corruption is healed by a new culture of justice and sharing.” Pope Leo XIV’s words during Holy Mass in Kilamba, on 19 April, resonated profoundly with Fr Samir Alrafayne, a Sudanese priest who has been in Angola for 13 years. He was ordained four years ago after receiving priestly formation at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Luanda, a missionary and archdiocesan seminary of the Neocatechumenal Way. Today he is a diocesan priest in the Archdiocese of Luanda. Obstacles to evangelization Speaking with Vatican News on the sidelines of the Holy Father’s meeting with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, and pastoral workers at Our Lady of Fatima parish in Luanda, on 20 April, Fr Samir said the Pope’s visit could help strengthen Angolan society, which he explained struggles with social injustice and poverty. He also cited new sects as particularly concerning for evangelization in the African country, as they create “ruptures in families.” “We need the Holy Father as Peter to confirm us in the faith,” he said, adding that the Pope’s presence “also brings a lot of joy” and “a lot of grace for the people.” Fr Samir then reflected on Pope Leo’s message for peace. “As you know, Angola comes from a history of war,” he said, recalling the Holy Father’s homily in Kilamba. Now Angola is in greater need of a spirit of “brotherhood,” of “Christian spirit,” he stressed. An appeal for peace in Sudan Fr Samir said the Holy Father’s appeals for peace in Angola also extend to other African countries, including his native Sudan, where ongoing conflict has displaced millions of people, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis that remains largely out of the global spotlight. “Few people speak about Sudan,” he said. “We know that in this time there is a lot of tension in the world, a lot of war zones, but in Sudan we need more attention.” He therefore appreciated the Pope’s repeated appeals for peace. “ mentioned this phrase: ‘No war, no more war.’ This is what we need in Sudan,” the priest stressed. “Sudan has suffered with wars a long time,” he said, noting that the past three years of conflict have resulted in “more than 15 million people” becoming refugees. “They are suffering, they are dying,” and others are living in “a very tough situation,” he said. “Sudan really needs your attention, really needs your help, really needs your prayers,” he concluded.