More than a profession, a mission: the art of caring with compassion

We are delighted to share the hopeful words from the homily given by Executive Director of Solidarity, Fr. Loua SJ, for the missioning of new nursing and midwifery students at the Catholic Health Training Institute in Wau, celebrated on 21 January 2026. In a country facing great challenges, Fr. Loua reminds us that healthcare work is not just a set of clinical protocols, but a true “Gospel of Life” lived out in the field. Our students, called to be “ambassadors of hope” and “Good Samaritans” of our day, are asked to combine medical science with the art of compassionate care. We invite you to read this profound reflection on the vocation of those who choose to put their hands and hearts at the service of the most vulnerable in South Sudan.

Homily of Fr. LOUA, SJ

“Dear Staff members

Dear students,

Dear first year students Nurses and midwives

Brothers and Sisters

Dear friends, and especially you, our students being missioned today,

We gather to honor a calling that is both a scientific, discipline training and a sacred ministry. In the “rush of clinical protocols, the pressure of staffing shortages, and the weight of human suffering, it is easy to view nursing merely as a job”. Let me tell you today, your work is a “precious, indispensable, and specialized service” to life itself. You are not just professionals; you are Good Samaritans who have chosen to stop, in order to care, and to heal.

Courage, fearless, compassion, kindness and trust in God are the key words of today’s Gospel.

The first reading focuses on God’s choice of the weak to shame the strong and the priority of human need over strict legalism. The story of David’s demonstrates that “true strength comes from trusting in the Lord rather than physical might or the use of weapons. David’s confidence was rooted in his past experiences of God’s protection. You will be involved in many challenges, conflicts, but, remember that, through your training, caring and healing experiences, God is by your side, the battle is for God not yours. Do not be afraid! Be merciful! And Go forth!

Today’s Gospel is inviting us to be courageous and fearless in the face of opposition and conflicts, misunderstanding. In the synagogue, the Pharisees were watching Jesus, waiting for him to break the law by healing on the Sabbath. Jesus asked them this question: “Is it permitted on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?”. The answer is clear for the Pharisees because they value the law, the rule more than the person, human being.

We can see that the merciful as well as the fearless act of Jesus brings Him into fresh conflict with the Jewish religious establishment, who accused him of disregarding the sacred law. However, and it is clear that Jesus does not wait for another day or a better occasion to do good but he is ready to help, to support and to respond immediately to people’s needs. So let us recognize that the liberating activity of Jesus becomes an inspiration for us not to deny life to those in need.

Please, Dear Students, take seriously your training because it concerns life. Nursing is a lived “Gospel of Life”. You are the ambassadors of hope. “When you bring your professional skills—the science of medicine—and combine them with the “art of compassionate care,” you are acting as Christ’s own hands and feet.”

A “Yes” to healthcare Service is a “Yes” to a vocation that often requires you to lay down your own comfort for the sake of others. We must also recognize that this calling is heavy. You will experience compassion fatigue and suffering. God will never forget you, just trust him.

Conclusion:

Dear Students, “Mission is a gift, a privilege, it is a witness. Rely on the Holy Spirit as your teacher and partner. You aren’t qualified; God qualifies you. Be a sign of hope in your home, work, and community, applying love and service to the poor and needy”, according to Spirit of Solidarity with South Sudan. On this day that the Lord has given us, I urge you to move forward with courage, peace, and faithfulness. I urge you to carry the light over darkness, to be the Face of Christ everywhere you will go. Stand firm in prayer, abide in the truth, and make every action a living testimony of Christ’s love.

Dear Lord, we ask that you bless our first students Nurses and midwives. Grant them the strength, wisdom, and grace to face the challenges of each day. May they always remember that their trainings and their works are not in vain, but is a living sacrifice of love. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Divine healer. Amen“