From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Holy Father, Pope Francis, has appointed Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, the Titular Archbishop of Lindisfarne, as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria.
He will succeed Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi who has served in Nigeria for several years.
The new Apostolic Nuncio, a native of Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, Ireland, was born on 26 March 1970. On 3 July, 1994 he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cloyne (Ireland). After his priestly ordination he continued 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.
On February 1, 2020, the Pope appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Burkina Faso and raised him to the archiepiscopal dignity granting him the titular see of Lindisfarne. Subsequently, on 25 April 2020, he was also appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Niger.
On August 15, 2020, he was ordained to the episcopate in St. Colman’s Cathedral, Diocese of Cloyne, Ireland. Since September 2020 he has been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Burkina Faso and Niger with residence in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
In May 2023, he was appointed Special Envoy of the Holy See to attend the presidential inauguration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
An Apostolic Nuncio is a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See (the sovereign entity that governs the Catholic Church) to a foreign government or international organization. It’s similar to that of an ambassador, but with a distinct religious and diplomatic dimension.
Apostolic Nuncios play a crucial role in promoting Catholic interests and values; fostering ecumenical and interfaith dialogue; supporting human dignity, justice, and peace; facilitating communication between the Holy See and local churches; providing pastoral care to Catholics in their jurisdiction, among others.
President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, in a statement congratulated the new Apostolic Nuncio and wished him a great time in Nigeria.
He said: “We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.
“His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries, recalling that many Irish missionaries played a significant role in spreading the faith in Nigeria.
“We also celebrate the historic connection between our nations, as Archbishop Crotty becomes our first Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland, just as Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, who served as the first Apostolic Nuncio from Nigeria in Ireland.
“We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria, and assure him of our full support and cooperation. We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, Crotty, in a statement, has said his appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria is a cause of great joy, expressing profound gratitude to Pope Francis for the honour.
“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. 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 with them, there have been countless other missionaries from many other countries.
“My appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria providentially coincides with the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to whose maternal and loving care, I entrust my new mission. I invite all Nigerian Catholics, through the intercession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Patrick, patron of Ireland and Nigeria, to pray for the Holy Father Pope Francis.”