SCARIFF native, Archbishop Eugene Nugent has been appointed as the Papal Nuncio to the Czech Republic.
Pope Leo XIV announced the appointment of the East Clare man on Monday. He is currently the Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait and Qatar and has held this post since January 2021, a month later he was also given the role of Apostolic Nuncio to Bahrain. He is the titular archbishop of Dunshaughlin.
Born on 21st October 1958, Eugene attended Clonusker National School, Scariff Community College and studied for the priesthood in St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth.
A graduate in Celtic Studies form the National University of Ireland (Maynooth) and subsequently in theology and canon law at the Gregorian University in Rome, Archbishop Nugent also studied diplomacy and international relations at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome.
At the age of 24, he was ordained a priest. He spent three years as a curate in Ennis from 1984 to 1987. From 1988 to 1991, Nugent worked in Rome in the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. To prepare for a career in the diplomatic service, he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1991.
He earned his doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1992.He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 1992. His first assignments were in Turkey, Jerusalem, and the Philippines.
From 2001 to 2010, Nugent headed the Holy See Study Mission in Hong Kong, during this time he had responsibility for communications between the Chinese dioceses and the Vatican.
In February of 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Madagascar, Apostolic Delegate to the Comoros, and Titular Archbishop of Dunshaughlin. A month later, he was named Apostolic Delegate to Mauritius and Seychelles.
Before moving to the Middle East five years ago, he had been Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti since February 2015 where he had been working in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake of 2010. He championed many causes during his mission, including the reconstruction of churches following the 2010 earthquake to facilitating political dialogue in order to end the political crisis in the country.
Eugene was consecrated a bishop in Rome on 18 March 2010 by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. As his episcopal motto he chose “Quodcumque dixerit facite” (Do whatever he says), taken from the Gospel of St John.
Bishop of Killaloe, Bishop Fintan Monahan congratulated Archbishop Nugent on his appointment as he begins his new mission in Prague. “I pray that God blesses him with continued grace, wisdom, and strength. I extend every good wish and blessing and I assure him of the prayers and support of the faithful of the Diocese of Killaloe. At present, three Irish-born Apostolic Nuncios are serving the Universal Church in active diplomatic roles, and we in Killaloe take particular pride in the fact that two of them come from our own diocese. Ad Multos Annos”.
