With a trip to South Sudan postponed indefinitely, Pope Francis is sending close to half a million dollars (£400,000) to help two church-run hospitals, a teacher training centre and farming projects for families as a way to show the people there his solidarity and support.
A planned trip with Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury couldn't happen this year as hoped, so Pope Francis "wants to make tangible the presence and closeness of the Church with the suffering people through this initiative 'The Pope for South Sudan,'" Cardinal Peter Turkson told reporters at a Vatican press conference on Wednesday.
