Bishop Carlassare consecrated at den of shooting

The Holy See has finally resolved to consecrate the bishop-elect Christian Carlassare as the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek on March 25, 2022 after a wave of controversies that ended in court.

The statement was announced by Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wau and the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Rumbek His Lordship Matthew Adam Gbitiku yesterday.

“The consecration of Bishop-elect Fr Christian Carlassare will take place on the solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, March 25, 2022, in Rumbek. Let us accompany him with our prayers. I wish you good preparation for the occasion as we enter into this period of Lent,” he said.

Bishop Mathew said the decision came after consultations with the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop Bert van Megen, and the bishop-elect, Christian Carlassare.

“After due consultation with the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, and the bishop-elect, I am happy to announce to you the consecration of Bishop of Rumbek,” he said.

Carlassare was wounded on April 26, 2021, when some armed youth attacked him at his residence in Rumbek Diocese that barred him from being installed on May 23, 2021.

He was appointed as the bishop-elect of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek on March 8, 2021, by Pope Francis to replace the late Bishop of the Diocese of Rumbek Caesar Mazzolari who passed on during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in 2011.

The President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, referred the shooting to as a disgrace and called for a probe on the incident.

“The reprehensible act of violence meted on him is unacceptable, and it must stop. I call upon all South Sudanese to condemn the criminals who carried out this heinous crime in the strongest terms possible,” the president noted.

Shooting planned                                               

Last Tuesday, suspects in the shooting of bishop-elect Carlassare confessed that they plotted the shooting to scare him not to return to Rumbek.

They said the shooting was master-minded by Fr John Mathiang, the former caretaker of Rumbek Diocese who eyed the position.

Suspect number six in the case, Laat Makur Agok, confessed before the High Court Judge, Alexander Sabor Subek that Fr Mathiang instructed him, suspect number two (Samuel Maker), and suspect number five (Morris Sebit), to attack the bishop-elect to leave Rumbek for him (Fr Mathiang) to be the first South Sudanese bishop of Rumbek Diocese.

Laat claimed that Fr Mathiang promised them protection after his intended mission is accomplished because he was known to government officials.

However, Laat said he did not shoot the bishop-elect because he never had a gun on the night of the crime, saying he was the one who carried the bishop-elect to his room after both of his left were shot.

Laat admitted that it was his cell phone that fell in the church compound.

The suspect number five (Morris Sebit), confessed that it was him who shot the bishop-elect but Laat remained outside the gate because he did not have a gun.

He claimed that the motive behind their attack was to rob money.

Mangok Chol who is suspect number 4, said his clothes were taken by Sebit when he was asleep and denied involvement in the attack.

He also claimed that clothes and shoes presented before court belonged to suspect number 5 (Morris Sebit).

However, Fr. John Mathiang who is suspect number one denied masterminding the shooting of Carlassare on racial grounds.

“I am not a party to what has happened,” said Fr John Mathiang.

Suspect number two (Samuel Maker) and suspect number three (Gabriel Deng) also claimed they were not part of the plan and the shooting as well.

Church trusts judiciary                                     

Last month, the Archbishop and the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya and South Sudan, Bert van Megen, described Carlassare as “a man who stands behind the truth and justice.” But stated clearly that his return to Rumbek was yet to be decided by the church.

Bert stated that the Catholic Church trusted the judicial system in South Sudan and would closely monitor the case although the church was all about reconciliation and forgiveness.

“We have full trust in the judicial system of South Sudan, of course, we as a Church, and being a major representative of the Catholic Church, the Catholic Church will follow it closely, however, once again, it is all in the hands of the state of South Sudan,” Bert said.

“We as a church, we go for the way of reconciliation and forgiveness, sure but these are like two different fields on which the game is being played in essence. I do not think it is up to us to comment on the process, this is the responsibility of the state of South Sudan.”