The Spanish Government Recognizes the Educational Work of Fr. Jorge Naranjo

The Ambassador, H.E. Isidro González Afonso, awarded this Comboni Missionary with the Cross for his role in “favouring the relations of friendship and cooperation between Spain and Sudan through his service in the educational field”.

Fr. Jorge quoted two sentences that inspire his way of understanding these relations of cooperation and friendship. According to Antoine de Saint Exupéry, “friendship does not consist of gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction”. On the other hand, for St. Daniel Comboni, “the Catholic looked to Africa not through the miserable prism of human interests, but at the pure ray of his Faith; and there he beheld an infinite myriad of brothers belonging to his own family, having a common Father up in heaven” (W 2742).

Through both expressions God calls us to build a world in which we all enjoy equal rights, duties and dignity and live together as brothers and sisters who search for the common good.

Fr. Jorge Naranjo explained that this is the vision he tries to instil in the students and staff of Comboni College of Science and Technology (CCST), where he works since December 2012. Students who are Darfurian, Nuba, Northerner, Beni Amar, Ethiopian, Nuer, Dinka, Oromo, Tigray students, coming from regions besieged with conflict,  Sudanese IDps and refugees, all these work together at the College where they are invited to feel at home and are equipped to build a society that integrates all.

The event had the presence of the Deputy Head of Mission of the Spanish Embassy, Alfonso Herrero Corral, the Secretary of the Nunciature, Mons. Domenico Vitolo, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Khartoum, Fr. Sami Bakhit, some confreres, Comboni Sisters, CCST staff and members of the Spanish community in Khartoum.