The Vatican has announced the appointment of Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, succeeding Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, who has been reassigned to Poland.
The appointment, effective from July 16, 2024, was confirmed in a press release by Msgr Carlo Donati, Charge d’Affaires to the Nunciature.
Archbishop Crotty, originally from Ireland, brings a wealth of diplomatic and ecclesiastical experience to his new role. Prior to his assignment to Nigeria, he served as the Apostolic Nuncio to Burkina Faso and Niger.
Born in 1970, Archbishop Crotty was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1994 and pursued his studies at the Pontifical Irish College and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he earned licentiate degrees in ecclesiastical history and Canon Law, along with a doctorate in ecclesiastical history. His career path led him to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1997, marking the beginning of a distinguished journey in Vatican diplomacy.
His previous appointments include serving as secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature to Kenya and as deputy head of mission for the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT).
He also held positions in Canada and the Apostolic Nunciatures to Iraq, Jordan, and Spain.
Archbishop Crotty’s elevation to the episcopate occurred on August 15, 2020, upon his appointment as Titular Archbishop of Lindisfarne. His tenure as Apostolic Nuncio extended to Niger in April 2020, reinforcing his role in diplomatic outreach.
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