NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      KHARTOUM (CWNews.com) - Sudanese Christians gathered in ecumenical prayer service on last week to pray for the release of two Catholic priests arrested by the Islamic government for alleged links to bomb attacks in Khartoum in June.

      Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Adwok of Khartoum celebrated the Mass and told the assembled congregation that Sudanese Christians only have their faith to fight injustice, and said that Christians must never use violence to solve their problems. Father Hilary Boma, chancellor for the archdiocese, was arrested on August 1 and Father Lino Sebit, a parish priest, turned himself in on July 29 after an arrest warrant was issued.

      Bishop Adwok said a purported confession by the priests of involvement in the bomb plots was obtained through torture. He added that the government should either try the priests in an open court or release them. A spokesman of the Episcopal Church of Sudan said that the detention of the priests was a tactic by the government to discredit Christianity. He said the government has always given lip service to religious tolerance while persecuting Christians.