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Pope Appoints Spanish-Born Cleric as Nuncio in Sudan and Eritrea

Msgr. Luis Miguel Munoz Cardaba, New Apostolic Nuncio to Sudan and Eritrea.

Pope Francis on Tuesday, March 31 appointed Msgr. Luis Miguel Munoz Cardaba, a native of Spain who has been serving at the Apostolic Nunciature in Turkey, as his representative in Sudan and Eritrea.

The Khartoum-based Apostolic Nunciature has been vacant since February 2019 when the Holy Father transferred Archbishop Hubertus van Megen to Kenya.

Msgr. Luis Miguel’s appointment as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Sudan and Eritrea was announced Tuesday, March 31 and published by the Holy See Press Office.

Following news of the appointment of a nuncio to Sudan and Eritrea, Catholic Bishops of Sudan and South Sudan have congratulated and welcomed Monsignor Luis Miguel Munoz Cardaba as the new Apostolic Nuncio to both nations in a statement seen by ACI Africa Thursday, April 2.

“The Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Ordinaries congratulate and welcome the Archbishop-elect, Mgrs. Luis Miguel Munoz Cardaba, new Apostolic Nuncio to Sudan and Eritrea,” reads in part a statement from  the President of Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Tombe Trille Kuku of El Obeid Diocese of Sudan.

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The Church Leaders in Sudan and South Sudan also expressed gratitude to the Holy Father for this appointment saying, "The Catholic Bishops in Sudan, the Ordinaries members of Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference are grateful with deepest reverend to the successor of Saint Peter, Pope Francis for prayers and gracing Sudan and her neighbor Eritrea with his representative Apostolic Nuncio."

Archbishop-elect Cardaba was born in Toledo, Spain, in 1965 and ordained to the priesthood in 1992.

He graduated in theology, canon law and jurisprudence.

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on April 1, 2001 and subsequently worked in the pontifical representations in Greece, Mexico, Belgium, Italy, Australia, France, and Turkey.

He is fluent in Spanish, Italian, French and English.

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Following the appointment, the Archbishop of Toledo, Francisco Cerro, thanked the Pope “for having chosen a member of our presbytery for this important exxlesial service, that of being his representative  before the particular Churches of Sudan and Eritrea and before the authorities of those states,” the media reported.

According to the media, Archbishop Cerro indicated that the appointment is historic as it is the first time a Priest from the Archdiocese will be carrying out such an important ecclesial task.

Therefore, the Local Ordinary of Tolerado urged the Church under his jurisdiction to “live it as another sign of the historical and profound communion that has always existed between this Primate See of Spain and the Successor of Saint Peter.”

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.