Tom Tiscornia and friend in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan

Tom Tiscornia and friend in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan

You might be aware that there is a full-blown war going on in the north and western parts of Sudan since mid-April. It is between the government sponsored Army and Rapid Forces, an independent well supplied fundamentalist military. Hard to appreciate or realize who is in the lead. Both sides claim control of parts of Khartoum.

Rapid Forces has grown out of Darfur in the western part of the country. There many of the people have been evacuated and taken refuge in neighboring countries especially Chad and Central African Republic.

As soon as the fighting began most foreign nationals fled the country. Embassies closed and since some have been looted. Schools and hospitals have ceased to function, water and electricity in most areas are no longer available and food is scarce. Banks and industries have ceased to operate.

The Church too has suffered. In Khartoum many or most of the religious have fled. The Christian churches have been looted and occupied by the forces of both sides. The parish in Nyala in western Darfur was looted and its two vehicles taken by Rapid Forces. The priest’s guesthouse in El Obeid was bombed and destroyed and gun shots were fired into the cathedral. Both sides are sincere Islamists, who can tell what the future for the churches will be once it is settled.

Here where I am, the Nuba Mountains, is in the southern part of Sudan. We are a liberated area under the governance and protection off the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army so we are not directly affected by the war only we feel it by the increase of costs for items as fuel which comes from the north – nothing is coming but traders are hoarding what they have.

The tides have changed. In the past we here in the south we’re victims of the north. For over thirty years we experienced suffering and killing, bombing and migration. Not to say we are happy to see that the people in the north are now suffering. They still are our sisters and brothers.
So please keep Sudan and its people in your prayers that sometime in the future we will know the Peace that the Lord offers.

Tom Tiscornia

ABOUT MARYKNOLL

We are a Catholic Society of priests and brothers based in the United States. We are dedicated to missionary work overseas in over 20 countries. Additionally, we animate Catholics in the United States to follow their own baptismal call to share God’s compassion and love with the poor, the sick, and all those in need.

OUR GENERAL COUNCIL

L-R Tom O'Brien, Ray Finch, Joe Everson, Russ Feldmeier

(Fr. Lance P. Nadeau, Fr. James M. Lynch, Fr. Timothy O. Kilkelly, Fr. Juan Montes Zúñiga)

The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers is overseen by our General Council, led by Superior General Rev. Lance P. Nadeau, M.M.

OUR FOUNDERS

L-R Tom O'Brien, Ray Finch, Joe Everson, Russ Feldmeier

(Our Co-Founders Father Price and Father Walsh)

PLACES WE SERVE

EVANGELIZATION, PARISHES, AND PROJECTS

USA

STORIES OF MISSION

(Africa) Education and Formation of African Clergy

The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers Africa Region will provide tuition assistance to African clergy, male and female religious at institutes of higher education or specialized training. Read More

Stories of Our Global Mission

The calling of a lifetime

The life of a Maryknoll missioner is challenging, fulfilling, and deeply rewarding. Follow your baptismal call to mission by sharing God’s compassion with the poor, the sick, and people most in need.

Dear Friend in Mission,

With hearts full of hope, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers joyfully welcomes the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. In this historic moment for the universal Church, we give thanks to God for the gift of a new pope—chosen to succeed Pope Francis and guide us forward in faith, love, and missionary zeal.

Pope Leo XIV brings with him a deep commitment to dialogue, peace, and global solidarity—values that echo the very heart of our missionary vocation. A seasoned pastoral leader and thoughtful theologian, he is known for his compassionate outreach and dedication to the spiritual and social needs of the Church, particularly in regions experiencing hardship and need.

His years of missionary service in Peru, working among underserved communities, reflect a profound dedication to the Church’s mission of presence, accompaniment, and evangelization. His firsthand experience on the peripheries of society has shaped his vision for a Church that listens, serves, and uplifts—all grounded in Christ’s love.

As missionaries, we have been deeply inspired by Pope Francis’s call to go to the peripheries, to serve the poor, and to be instruments of God’s mercy and peace. We now look with prayerful anticipation to Pope Leo XIV, confident that the Holy Spirit will continue to lead the Church through his words and witness.

We invite you to join us in praying for our new pope, asking the Lord to bless him with wisdom, courage, and compassion as he begins his ministry as the Vicar of Christ and visible sign of unity for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

Thank you for walking with us on this missionary journey. Together, in communion with the successor of St. Peter, we remain committed to proclaiming the Gospel and witnessing to Christ’s love around the world.

In gratitude and peace,

Father Lance Nadeau, M.M. signature

Reverend Lance P. Nadeau, M.M.
Superior General

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