Eugene Nugent

Eugene Martin Nugent (born 21 October 1958) is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as Apostolic Nuncio to Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar since January 2021. On 25 May 2026 he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Czechia.

Early life and education

Nugent was born in Gurtaderra, Scariff, County Clare on 21 October 1958.

He attended primary school at Clonusker National School and secondary school at Scariff Community College. Nugent studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Celtic studies from the National University of Ireland, and the Pontifical Irish College, Rome, where he was awarded a baccalaureate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Nugent was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Killaloe on 9 July 1983.

Nugent returned to Rome in 1988, where he worked in the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, before entering the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1991, in preparation for a diplomatic career for the Holy See. He was awarded a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1992. He was subsequently appointed to the Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines in 2000, but while he was officially assigned to the apostolic nunciature in Manila, he resided in Hong Kong, from where he led the Holy See Study Mission. During his mission, Nugent handled relations between Catholic communities in China and the Holy See, however his effectiveness in doing so was compromised by the refusal of the Beijing government to allow him to travel regularly to mainland China, resulting in relations often being maintained in secret. (His decade in Hong Kong was not mentioned in the biography published by the Holy See Press Office when it announced his appointment as archbishop and nuncio in 2010.) He was also appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Mauritius and Seychelles on 13 March.

Nugent was consecrated by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, on 18 March in St Peter's Basilica, Rome. 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.

Apostolic Nuncio to Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar Nugent was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait and Qatar by Pope Francis on 7 January 2021. He was also appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Bahrain on 11 February 2021.

Apostolic Nuncio to the Czech Republic On 25 May 2026 he was appointed by Pope Leo XIV Apostolic Nuncio to the Czech Republic.