By Jude Atupulazi
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has welcomed the appointment of a new Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty.
This was contained in a statement signed by Most Rev Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri and President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, and released by the Catholic Secretariat, Nigeria, CSN.
‘With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; the clergy; religious; and lay faithful in Nigeria.
‘We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good work of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi,’ Arch Bishop Ugorji said.
He described the appointment as a testament to the strong spiritual bond between the two 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 for Your Excellency,’ the statement read.
COMMUNIQUÉ
Apostolic Nunciature (Embassy of the Holy See) to Nigeria
Today, Tuesday, 16 July 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.
________________
Curriculum Vitae of Archbishop Michael F. Crotty
Archbishop Michael F. Crotty, 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 1 July 2001, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See and was assigned to the Apostolic Nunciature in Kenya, Nairobi. He subsequently served in the Apostolic Nunciature in Canada, Ottawa (2004-2007); the Apostolic Nunciature in Iraq and Jordan, Baghdad and Amman (2007 – 2009); the Secretariat of State at the Vatican – Section for the Holy See’s Relations with States (2009-2017) and in the Apostolic Nunciature in Spain, Madrid (2017-2020).
On 1 February 2020, His Holiness Pope Francis 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 15 August 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 H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Apart from his mother tongue English, he speaks Gaelic, French, Italian, Spanish and German.
STATEMENT
His Excellency the Most Reverend Michael F. Crotty,
Titular Archbishop of Lindisfarne,
Apostolic Nuncio to Burkina Faso and to Niger
“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.
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.
From 2017 to 2022, H.E. Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo was the first Nigerian to serve as Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland and today I have the great joy to be the first Irishman to serve as Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria.
My appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria today 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.
