Cesare Mazzolari
Encyclopedia
Cesare Mazzolari was the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rumbek, in the newly-independent Republic of South Sudan
.
Bishop Mazzolari was born Feb. 9, 1937 in Brescia
, Italy
. He joined the Comboni Missionaries
, and on 17 March 1962 was ordained a priest in San Diego, USA. His mission brought him to Cincinnati, in the United States
, where he worked among African American
and Mexican American
miners.
In 1981, in response to the invitation of Bishop Joseph Gasi, he was appointed by his Comboni Congregation to the Diocese of Tombura-Yambio then the south-central Archdiocese of Juba, Southern Sudan. He was then aged 44. In that diocese, he worked in Nzara parish as curate and he was a sought-after Spiritual Director at St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary at Rimenze, Yambio. From there, he went to Juba to serve as Comboni Provincial of Southern Sudan for six years.
In 1990, he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the war-torn Diocese of Rumbek (Southern Sudan). He zealously set to work, re-opening missions and negotiating humanitarian assistance and the freedom of very young slaves. That same year, he helped free 150 child slaves.
He rebuilt the Diocese of Rumbek almost from scrap, as the two Southern Sudanese Secession Wars (1955-1973 and 1083-2005) had devastated the country and the Government of Khartoum had expelled all foreign missionaries from the country in the 1960ies.
In 1991, he reopened the mission of Yirol
, the first of many, some of which subsequently had to be abandoned during the protracted Second Sudanese Civil War
. In 1994 he was captured and held hostage for 24 hours by guerrillas of the SPLA
(Sudan People's Liberation Army), the separatist armed group fighting against the Khartoum
government. On 6 January 1999 he was ordained a bishop
by Pope John Paul II
.
He took to heart the mandate given to him on that day by the Holy Father, John Paul II, namely, to relieve “a people who have suffered too much for too long” from “the anguish of an unjust war” and “to help them to restore the dignity of their human rights.” And indeed, his years as Bishop of Rumbek reflect his faithfulness to this extraordinary and challenging mission.
Bishop Mazzolari promoted formal and informal education through the establishment of learning institutions. He coordinated the provision of health services. He passionately responded to human need at every level. And to answer the educational, health, pastoral and humanitarian needs of the geographically vast diocese, he went beyond the borders of Sudan to seek help from religious congregations worldwide. Today every continent is represented in the Diocesan personnel of Rumbek Diocese. He also worked tirelessly to promote reconciliation among our people, always optimistic and courageous in the face of often apparently insurmountable obstacles.
On Saturday, July 9, 2011, Bishop Mazzolari joyfully witnessed the birth of the Republic of South Sudan when he presided over the official opening prayer during the Independence Day celebration at Freedom Square in Rumbek. This event was also a culmination of his unique pastoral initiative, Ten Steps to Unity in South Sudan.
Bishop Mazzolari died a week after those events on 16 July 2011, at the age of 74, while concelebrating a Mass; he abruptly gasped for air and clutched at his chest and fell back, leading many to believe his death was from cardiopulmonary disease-related causes. He was widely mourned and appreciated for having seen the region and the country through the war, to the cessation of much of the hostilities, and finally to independence.
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
.
Bishop Mazzolari was born Feb. 9, 1937 in Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He joined the Comboni Missionaries
Daniel Comboni
Daniel Comboni was a Roman Catholic missionary and Saint.-Early life:He was born at Limone sul Garda, Brescia, Italy, into a family of cultivators employed by one of the rich local proprietors...
, and on 17 March 1962 was ordained a priest in San Diego, USA. His mission brought him to Cincinnati, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he worked among African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
miners.
In 1981, in response to the invitation of Bishop Joseph Gasi, he was appointed by his Comboni Congregation to the Diocese of Tombura-Yambio then the south-central Archdiocese of Juba, Southern Sudan. He was then aged 44. In that diocese, he worked in Nzara parish as curate and he was a sought-after Spiritual Director at St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary at Rimenze, Yambio. From there, he went to Juba to serve as Comboni Provincial of Southern Sudan for six years.
In 1990, he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the war-torn Diocese of Rumbek (Southern Sudan). He zealously set to work, re-opening missions and negotiating humanitarian assistance and the freedom of very young slaves. That same year, he helped free 150 child slaves.
He rebuilt the Diocese of Rumbek almost from scrap, as the two Southern Sudanese Secession Wars (1955-1973 and 1083-2005) had devastated the country and the Government of Khartoum had expelled all foreign missionaries from the country in the 1960ies.
In 1991, he reopened the mission of Yirol
Yirol
-Location:It is located in Yirol West County, Lakes State, in central South Sudan. Its location lies approximately , by road, northwest of Juba, the largest city in South Sudan and the capital of that country. The coordinates of Yirol are: 6° 33' 36.00"N, 30° 30' 36.00"E .-Overview:Yirol is a small...
, the first of many, some of which subsequently had to be abandoned during the protracted Second Sudanese Civil War
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and Blue Nile by the end of the 1980s....
. In 1994 he was captured and held hostage for 24 hours by guerrillas of the SPLA
SPLA
SPLA may refer to:* Sudan People's Liberation Army** SPLA-Nasir and SPLA-United, a Sudanese breakaway faction formed in 1991* Sahrawi Popular Army of Liberation – see Polisario Front...
(Sudan People's Liberation Army), the separatist armed group fighting against the Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
government. On 6 January 1999 he was ordained a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
He took to heart the mandate given to him on that day by the Holy Father, John Paul II, namely, to relieve “a people who have suffered too much for too long” from “the anguish of an unjust war” and “to help them to restore the dignity of their human rights.” And indeed, his years as Bishop of Rumbek reflect his faithfulness to this extraordinary and challenging mission.
Bishop Mazzolari promoted formal and informal education through the establishment of learning institutions. He coordinated the provision of health services. He passionately responded to human need at every level. And to answer the educational, health, pastoral and humanitarian needs of the geographically vast diocese, he went beyond the borders of Sudan to seek help from religious congregations worldwide. Today every continent is represented in the Diocesan personnel of Rumbek Diocese. He also worked tirelessly to promote reconciliation among our people, always optimistic and courageous in the face of often apparently insurmountable obstacles.
On Saturday, July 9, 2011, Bishop Mazzolari joyfully witnessed the birth of the Republic of South Sudan when he presided over the official opening prayer during the Independence Day celebration at Freedom Square in Rumbek. This event was also a culmination of his unique pastoral initiative, Ten Steps to Unity in South Sudan.
Bishop Mazzolari died a week after those events on 16 July 2011, at the age of 74, while concelebrating a Mass; he abruptly gasped for air and clutched at his chest and fell back, leading many to believe his death was from cardiopulmonary disease-related causes. He was widely mourned and appreciated for having seen the region and the country through the war, to the cessation of much of the hostilities, and finally to independence.