The Spiritans began operating in South Sudan in 2012. Today they are a group of four confrères: Fr. Boniface Isenge and Fr. Sospeter Kiarie from Kenya, Fr. Nolasco Mushi from Tanzania, and Fr John Skinnader. They all manage projects such as agriculture, education, emergency relief, water or sanitation as well as the pastoral programmes of our Christian communities.

At present, Fr John Skinnader, CSSp, originally from Co. Monaghan, is engaged in a number of empowering and life-giving projects in the Diocese of Rumbek where the group operates. One such project is the creation of a series of gardens in what are very arid and difficult conditions.  Women work at clearing the fields so that they can create vegetable gardens to both feed the community and generate income.  The group has also bult a new primary school in Holy Cross Parish, an isolated-out stations of Rumbek where there was only a “hedge school” until now.  Fr John is also currently involved with a new church project in his community, food distribution to vulnerable people, in addition to adding a maternity ward at the Leprosy Clinic