{{Short description|South Sudanese Roman Catholic prelate}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox Christian leader |type = Cardinal |image = Ameyu Martin Mulla (edit).jpg |caption = Ameyu in September 2022 |honorific_prefix = [[His Eminence]] |name = Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla |title = [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Juba|Archbishop of Juba]] |church = [[Catholic Church]] |archdiocese = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Juba|Juba]] |see = Juba |appointed = 12 December 2019 |term_start = 22 March 2020 |predecessor = [[Paulino Lukudu Loro]] |other_post = {{unbulleted list|[[Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference|Vice-President of the Episcopal Conference of Sudan and South Sudan]] (2020-)|[[Santa Gemma Galgani a Monte Sacro|Cardinal-Priest of Santa Gemma Galgani]] (2023–)}} |ordination = 21 April 1991 |consecration = 3 March 2019 |consecrated_by = Paulino Lukudu Loro |cardinal = 30 September 2023 |created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Francis]] |rank = [[Cardinal-Priest]] |birth_name = Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1964|01|10}} |birth_place = Ido, [[Eastern Equatoria]], [[Republic of Sudan (1956–1969)|Sudan]] |alma_mater = [[Pontifical Urban University]] |coat_of_arms = [[File:Coat of arms of Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla.svg|140px]] |previous_post = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Torit|Bishop of Torit]] (2019)<br>Apostolic Administrator of Torit (2020-22)<br>[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Wau|Apostolic Administrator of Wau]] (2020) }} '''Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla''' (born 10 January 1964) is a [[Catholic Church in South Sudan|South Sudanese Catholic]] prelate who has served as [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Juba|Archbishop of Juba]] since 12 December 2019. Immediately prior to that, he served as [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Torit|Bishop of Torit]] from 3 January 2019 until 12 December 2019. He was made a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] on 30 September 2023, by [[Pope Francis]].
==Biography== Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla was born in Ido in the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Torit|Diocese of Torit]] in the [[Equatoria]] region of [[Republic of Sudan (1956–1969)|Sudan]], now in [[South Sudan]], on 10 January 1964. He attended the minor seminary in Torit from 1978 to 1981 and that in Wau from 1981 to 1983. He then studied briefly at the Saint Paul National Major Seminary, followed by philosophy at the seminary of Bussere (Wau) from 1984 to 1987 and theology in Munuki (Juba) from 1988 to 1991. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Torit on 21 April 1991 for the diocese of Torit. He then filled a variety of pastoral assignments for three years.<ref name=vatbio>{{cite press release | access-date = 11 July 2023 | date=3 January 2019 | title = Resignations and Appointments, 03.01.2019 |url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2019/01/03/190103b.html | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref>
From 1993 to 1997 he studied at the [[Pontifical Urban University]], earning a [[doctorate]] in [[dogmatic theology]],<ref name=vatbio/> with a thesis titled "Verso il dialogo religioso e la riconciliazione in Sudan" ("Towards religious dialogue and reconciliation in Sudan")<ref name=announce>{{cite press release | publisher = Holy See Press Office | date = 9 July 2023 | access-date = 11 July 2023 | language = it |url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/07/09/0503/01120.html | title = Annuncio di Concistoro il 30 settembre per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali, 09.07.2023 }}</ref> and from then until 2019 was a lecturer and dean of the Saint Paul National Major Seminary in Juba. He taught evening classes at the Comboni College for Adults and Teachers from 1998 to 2000 and was a lecturer and consultant for the local Sudanese organization for non-violence and democracy (SONAD) from 1999 to 2008. He founded a local humanitarian NGO, the Horiok Community Association and Development (HODA) in 2005 and worked there as a consultant and counsellor for five years. He worked in a similar capacity for women's rights organizations from 2013 to 2016, and then from 2016 to 2019 as assistant vice chancellor for Administration and Finance of the [[Catholic University of South Sudan]] and deputy director of the Institute of Applied Research and Community Outreach there.<ref name=vatbio/>
On 3 January 2019, [[Pope Francis]] appointed him bishop of Torit,<ref name=vatbio/> a see which had been without a bishop for five years.<ref name=announce/> He received his episcopal consecration on 3 March of that year from [[Paulino Lukudu Loro]], Archbishop of Juba.<ref name=announce/>
On 12 December 2019, Pope Francis promoted him to archbishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Juba|Juba]]<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 11 July 2023 | date=12 December 2019 | title = Resignations and Appointments, 12.12.2019 |url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2019/12/12/191212e.html | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref> and he was both installed there on 22 March 2020<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 11 July 2023 | url = https://www.eyeradio.org/ameyu-installed-as-the-new-archbishop-of-juba/ | date = 22 March 2020 | title = Ameyu installed as the new Archbishop of Juba | first = Alhadi | last = Awari | publisher = Eye Radio }}</ref> and named apostolic administrator of Torit the same day.<ref name=announce/> His appointment as archbishop met with some opposition, possibly tied to ethnic divisions,<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 11 July 2023 | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/43209/controversy-continues-regarding-south-sudan-archbishop-appointment | publisher = Catholic News Agency | date = 6 January 2020 | title = Controversy continues regarding South Sudan archbishop appointment }}</ref> that included charges of improper influence and unsuitability,<ref name=chimtom>{{cite news | access-date = 11 July 2023 | work = Crux | url =https://cruxnow.com/church-in-africa/2023/07/meet-pope-franciss-new-african-cardinals | title = Meet Pope Francis's new African cardinals | date = 10 July 2023 | first = Ngala Killian | last= Chimtom }}</ref> which Pope Francis reviewed and nevertheless confirmed the appointment on 6 March.<ref name="ACIthree">{{cite news |date=9 July 2023 |title=The Three Newly Named Cardinals from Africa |url=https://www.aciafrica.org/news/8641/the-three-newly-named-cardinals-from-africa |access-date=11 July 2023 |work=ACI Africa}}</ref> Those who opposed Ameyu's appointment said that they had no objection based on tribal affiliation, though they were [[Bari people|Bari]] and Ameyu is [[Otuho people|Otuho]].<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 13 July 2023 | url = https://sudantribune.com/article67243/ | work = Sudan Tribune | title = Salva Kiir's motorcade cut up by Land Cruiser driver in Juba | date = 23 March 2020 }}</ref>
Since January 2020, he has been vice president of the Catholic Conference of Bishops of Sudan and South Sudan. In 2024 he also became president of the Catholic Conference.<ref>{{cite web |title=Metropolitan Archdiocese of Juba |url=https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/juba0?focus=62378&tab=bishops |website=Gcatholic |access-date=18 May 2025}}</ref>
He also served as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Wau from September 2020 to January 2021.<ref name=announce/>
He served as host for Pope Francis' visit to South Sudan in February 2023.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 11 July 2023 | url = https://www.vaticannews.va/en/africa/news/2023-02/archbishop-of-juba-s-heartfelt-message-to-pope-francis-as-he-was.html | date = 8 February 2023 | work = Vatican News | title = Archbishop of Juba's heartfelt message to Pope Francis as he was returning to Rome.}}</ref>
On 9 July 2023, Pope Francis announced he plans to make him a cardinal at a consistory scheduled for 30 September.<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 9 July 2023| publisher = Holy See Press Office | language = it | date= 9 July 2023 | title = Le parole del Papa alla recita dell'Angelus, 09.07.2023 | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/07/09/0502/01116.html }}</ref> At that consistory he was made [[Cardinal-Priest]] of [[Santa Gemma Galgani a Monte Sacro]].<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 1 October 2023 | date = 30 September 2023 | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2023/09/30/230930b.html | title = Assignation of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals, 30.09.2023 | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref> He participated as a [[Cardinal electors in the 2025 papal conclave|cardinal elector]] in the [[2025 papal conclave]] that elected [[Pope Leo XIV]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html| title=Cardinal Electors|date=6 May 2025|publisher=Catholic-Hierarchy.org|language=en|access-date=6 May 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250506193115/https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html|archive-date=6 May 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
==See also== *[[Cardinals created by Francis]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commonscat}}
* [https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_mulla_sam.html Mulla Card. Stephen Ameyu Martin]. [[Holy See Press Office]]. [https://web.archive.org/web/20231002234319/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_mulla_sam.html Archived] from the original on 2 October 2023
{{College of Cardinals}} {{Cardinals created by Francis}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ameyu, Stephen}} [[Category:1964 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Eastern Equatoria]] [[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Francis]] [[Category:Pontifical Urban University alumni]] [[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops]] [[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Sudan]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Francis]] [[Category:21st-century cardinals]] [[Category:South Sudanese cardinals]]