Archbishop Eugene M. Nugent appointed Apostolic Nuncio in the Czech Republic
Kuwait, 25 May 2026
Today, the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV appointed Archbishop Eugene M. Nugent Apostolic Nuncio to the Czech Republic. Until now, Archbishop Nugent has served as Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.
Archbishop Nugent, aged 67 and originally from Scariff, County Clare, in the Diocese of Killaloe, Ireland, has spent the past five years serving in the Gulf region and will shortly take up his new assignment in Prague. A graduate in Celtic Studies from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, he subsequently pursued studies in theology and canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He also undertook studies in diplomacy and international relations at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. Archbishop Nugent was ordained
to the priesthood for the Diocese of Killaloe in Scariff, Ireland, on 9 July 1983.
Having entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 1992 at the age of 33, he served in the Apostolic Nunciatures in Türkiye, Israel and the Apostolic Delegation in Jerusalem, before later serving at the Holy See Study Mission in Hong Kong from 2000 until 2010.
On 13 February 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio and Titular Archbishop of Domnach Sechnaill (Dunshaughlin). From 2010 until 2015, he served as Apostolic Nuncio to Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles, while also serving as Apostolic Delegate to the Comoros Islands and the French overseas territory of La
Réunion in the Indian Ocean. On 10 January 2015, Archbishop Nugent was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, where he worked extensively on the reconstruction of churches following the devastating earthquake of 2010. During 2019 and 2020, the Apostolic Nunciature in
Port-au-Prince hosted a series of meetings under the auspices of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the Organization of American States (OAS), aimed at facilitating political dialogue and helping to address the prolonged political crisis in the Caribbean nation.
Archbishop Nugent arrived in Kuwait in February 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and worked to strengthen relations with the three Gulf countries entrusted to his care, while also promoting ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. Much of his pastoral outreach during those difficult years focused on supporting the Catholic communities of Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, composed predominantly of migrant
workers from South-East Asia and the Middle East, many of whom were deeply affected by the social and economic consequences of the pandemic. Following the death of the late Bishop Camillo Ballin, when the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia remained without a bishop for a period, Archbishop Nugent worked closely with Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Administrator based in the United Arab Emirates, together with the local clergy and religious, to ensure continuity in pastoral
care and ecclesial life throughout the Vicariate. He also fostered regular cooperation with the Heads of the Christian Churches in the
region and strengthened relations with institutions dedicated to dialogue and peaceful coexistence, including the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue in Qatar and the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence in Bahrain.
Archbishop Nugent coordinated the historic Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to the Kingdom of Bahrain in November 2022, as well as the visit of Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Kuwait in January 2026 on the occasion of the elevation of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi to the dignity of a Minor Basilica. During the present conflict in the Middle East, Archbishop Nugent has worked closely with Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, together with
members of the Diplomatic Corps and State authorities, in offering pastoral support and assistance to Catholic communities and families experiencing hardship and distress.