Pope Francis Appoints Irish Archbishop as New Ambassador to Nigeria

VATICAN CITY — His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, a significant diplomatic role within the Catholic Church.

The announcement was made on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, highlighting the Irish archbishop’s extensive experience in the region.

“Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty has been appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria,” read a statement in Vatican News. “As the former nuncio to the neighbouring countries of Niger and Burkina Faso, the Irish church diplomat has extensive experience in the region.”

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, holds the continent’s second-largest Catholic population, following the Democratic Republic of Congo.

However, the country has seen a rise in violence against Christians, particularly in the northern regions, with priests and religious figures frequently kidnapped and held for ransom.

Reaction from Nigeria

Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri and President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), announced the appointment: “Today, Tuesday, July 16, 2024, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed His Excellency the Most Reverend Michael F. Crotty, Titular Archbishop of Lindisfarne, as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria.”

In response to his appointment, Archbishop Crotty expressed his joy and gratitude: “My appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria is a cause of great joy for me and of profound gratitude to His Holiness Pope Francis for the honour that he has bestowed upon me. I pledge my utmost to serve to the best of my abilities as the Holy Father’s representative to all Nigerians, regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.”

Archbishop Crotty, reflecting on the historical ties between Ireland and Nigeria, added: “As a native of Ireland, I can say that Nigeria is well known to the Irish people, particularly through the bonds of faith and friendship established by many generations of Irish missionaries. I take this opportunity, therefore, to pay tribute to the enduring legacy of Irish missionaries: bishops, priests, religious sisters and lay missionaries. Of course, side-by-side them, there have been countless other missionaries from many other countries.”

A Distinguished Career

Born on March 26, 1970, in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, Ireland, Archbishop Crotty was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cloyne on July 3, 1994.

He continued his postgraduate studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he obtained Licentiates in Ecclesiastical History and Canon Law and a doctorate in Ecclesiastical History.

Archbishop Crotty entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on July 1, 2001, and has since served in various Apostolic Nunciatures around the world, including Kenya, Canada, Iraq, Jordan, and Spain.

In February 2020, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Burkina Faso, later extending his mandate to Niger. He was ordained to the episcopate on August 15, 2020.

In May 2023, Archbishop Crotty was appointed Special Envoy of the Holy See to attend the presidential inauguration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Apart from his native English, Archbishop Crotty is fluent in Gaelic, French, Italian, Spanish, and German.

As he embarks on his new mission, Archbishop Crotty entrusts his work to the maternal care of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, inviting all Nigerian Catholics to pray for him and for Pope Francis through her intercession and that of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of both Ireland and Nigeria.

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