FROM FAITH TO PEACE: HOW CATHOLIC SISTERS’ CONGREGATIONAL CHARISM SHAPES GRASSROOTS PEACE-BUILDING IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED SOUTH SUDAN
Abstract
Purpose of the study: This article examines the peacebuilding agency of Catholic Sisters in Rumbek North County, Lakes State, South Sudan, with particular attention to the role of congregational charism in shaping peacebuilding outcomes.
Statement of the problem: Peacebuilding scholarship increasingly recognizes the importance of local actors and everyday practices in sustaining peace, yet organizational and moral resources that enable particular actors to sustain grassroots peacebuilding remain insufficiently understood.
Methodology: Drawing on a mixed-methods design, the study combines survey data from 185 Catholic Sisters with 10 key informant interviews and five focus group discussions. Quantitative analysis uses descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple regression, while qualitative evidence is analyzed thematically and integrated through triangulation.
Results of the study: The findings show that Sisters engage in multidimensional peacebuilding through education, healthcare, trauma healing, livelihood support, youth engagement, mediation and social cohesion initiatives despite significant financial, infrastructural and socio-cultural constraints. Most importantly, congregational charism demonstrates the strongest statistically significant association with reported peacebuilding outcomes (β = .535, p < .001), while approaches to addressing challenges also show a significant positive association (β = .274, p < .001). Qualitative findings suggest that charism operates through moral commitment, relational legitimacy, perseverance and adaptive engagement.
Conclusion: The study concludes that Catholic Sisters make a significant and multidimensional contribution to peacebuilding in Rumbek North County through dialogue, youth mentorship, education, healthcare, and dispute resolution, with Congregational charism providing a strong foundation for their effectiveness. It further concludes that financial constraints, mistrust, cultural barriers, weak infrastructure, and limited participation in decision-making constrain their impact, despite the sisters’ adaptive strategies and partnerships.
Recommendations: The study recommends strengthening youth mentorship, civic education, trauma healing, and community dialogue while improving predictable funding through partnerships with government, NGOs, and donors. It further recommends institutionalizing training in mediation and advocacy, integrating charism into peacebuilding programs, and strengthening Sisters’ participation in peace committees and government structures to promote sustainable community cohesion and stability.
Keywords: Congregational charism; Catholic Sisters; grassroots peacebuilding; religious peacebuilding; women peacebuilders; South Sudan.
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