Historic Appointment: Pope Francis Names Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan as First Resident Nuncio to South Sudan
Historic Appointment: Pope Francis Names Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan as First Resident Nuncio to South Sudan
By Sr. Henriette Anne, FSSA
Pope Francis has appointed Mons. Séamus Patrick Horgan as the new Apostolic Nuncio for South Sudan, and elevated him to the dignity of Archbishop, giving him the Titular See of Árd Sratha in Ireland. The appointment was made public on Tuesday, May 14 by Holy See Press Office.
The newly appointed Nuncio is set to be the first-ever resident Apostolic Nuncio in South Sudan. He was born in the Catholic Diocese of Killaloe in August 1969.
He was ordained a priest in June 1994 after completing his Priestly studies and formation.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in July 2011. The East-Central African nation has been served by the Kenya-based Apostolic Nuncio in collaboration with a Charge d’Affaire based at the country’s Apostolic Nunciature in Juba.
The Archbishop-elect has served in various Apostolic Nunciatures, including Uganda, Switzerland, and the Philippines, and at the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Secretariat of State.
He has been serving as a Counselor at the Apostolic Nunciature in the U.S.
