New Book: Inside the Simple Life of Italian Catholic Bishop Who Stood with South Sudanese amid War

A new book details the life and service of the late Bishop Caesar Mazzolari, an Italian prelate who led the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek in South Sudan. Titled "Bishop Caesar Mazzolari: A Servant after the Heart of Jesus among South Sudanese," the book is scheduled to launch on Sunday, September 27, alongside the perpetual profession of Fr. Don Bosco Onyalla as a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.

Fr. Don Bosco, the editor-in-chief of ACI Africa, writes that Bishop Mazzolari lived in a modest two-room building with plain walls and a corrugated-metal roof to remain close to missionaries and local communities during the war. The residence lacked a private bathroom, requiring the bishop to use an outdoor bathroom and pit latrine. According to Fr. Don Bosco, these living conditions reflected the bishop's decision to prioritize the needs of the local Church over his own comfort.

The book, published by Paulines Publications Africa, describes how the bishop's simplicity and generosity supported various diocesan initiatives. Before he died during Mass on July 16, 2011, Bishop Mazzolari had been planning to build a cathedral for the diocese.