New Book on Italian Catholic Bishop Who Shaped Vocations in South Sudan Lauded as “remembrance of ancestors”

Fr. Don Bosco Onyalla launched a new book documenting the life and missionary work of Bishop Caesar Mazzolari, an Italian bishop who helped grow vocations in South Sudan. The book, titled "Bishop Caesar Mazzolari: A Servant after the Heart of Jesus among South Sudanese," was presented on Sunday, September 27, at St. Austin’s Msongari Parish in the Archdiocese of Nairobi.

John Ashworth, who edited the book, said the work serves as a way to remember ancestors in the Church and preserves the memory of missionaries who shaped the Catholic Church in South Sudan. Ashworth noted that while oral traditions are important in rural Africa, written records are becoming more necessary for preserving history as lifestyles change in urban areas.

The launch coincided with Fr. Don Bosco making his perpetual profession as a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. Bishop Mazzolari died during Mass on July 16, 2011.