César Izquierdo: "Now you must understand well the experience of the exodus: to go out of oneself, to go to the service of mission statement and to bear fruit".

The School of Theology of the University of Navarra celebrated on Saturday, May 29, the end of the graduation ceremony degree program of 72 of its students: 44 are part of the LIII graduating class of licentiate degree in Theology and 28 of the LV graduating class of high school program in Theology.

Professor César Izquierdo, Associate Dean of the School, chaired the graduation ceremony and reminded the students that the last two courses had been marked, in one way or another, by the COVID-19 pandemic. "This status, without a doubt, has brought out the best in us," he said, "but it has also left a somewhat dangerous mark: by not being able to "go out" - from home, from the city, from the province - the tendency we all have towards individualism may have been reinforced.

"Now, instead, you are asked to go out, to return to the places where each one of us has his or her habitat. It is fundamental to understand well this experience of exodus, which we have heard so much on class: the need to go out of oneself, to seek and find the places and the people to whom we are sent to serve them, also with your academic preparation: go, go out and bear fruit, as the Lord says in the Gospel of St. John".

Professor Juan Chapa was the sponsor chosen by the students of both promotions. In his speech he showed his gratitude for the recognition granted and established a parallelism on how to elaborate a farewell speech according to the Greek rhetoric expert of the rhetor Menander and his own speech. In his message, among other things, he explained that the University should not only transmit knowledge, but above all teach and promote knowledge: "You have not only acquired knowledge, but you have also been enriched by so many other activities in which you have participated and by the many people you have dealt with over the years at the University".

Representing the students, Renato Hernández, student of high school program in Theology and delegate of School, thanked the professors, the University, their families and their classmates, "future pastors and guides of the Church", for all that they have learned and experienced during the years of training in Pamplona.