Papal Nuncio: Shared desire between Kuwait and the Holy See to support peace and religious freedom

Osama Diab: The Papal Nuncio to Kuwait, Eugene Nugent, affirmed that the relations between the Holy See and the State of Kuwait are built on solid foundations of friendship, trust, mutual respect, and continuous communication. He praised the book “History of Relations between the Holy See and the State of Kuwait” by researcher Nasser Mohammed Al-Hajjar, describing it as an important contribution to the efforts of documenting the history and trajectory of these relations.

This came during a speech delivered by Nugent at the Papal Nunciature in Kuwait on the occasion of the book’s launch, attended by several ambassadors, personalities, and guests.

Nugent stated that, to his knowledge, the book represents a “precedent” as it is the first work dedicated entirely to tracing the history of relations between the Holy See and Kuwait. He expressed his congratulations to Al-Hajjar on this important research effort. He added that the book “fills an important gap” by compiling the story of a relationship that has evolved over decades, emphasizing that its essence transcends the framework of official diplomatic relations, resting instead on friendship, trust, mutual respect, and continuous communication.

He pointed out that the Holy See has always attached great importance to its relations with Kuwait, clarifying that these relations have been strengthened over the years through dialogue, personal meetings, cooperation, goodwill, and a shared desire to support peace, human fraternity, religious freedom, and mutual understanding.

Nugent stressed that diplomatic relations “are not built solely on agreements, official memoranda, and meetings,” but are fundamentally based on people, growing through encounters, dialogue, friendship initiatives, and, most importantly, the willingness to listen to and understand the other. He affirmed that the book contributes to preserving the memory of this journey, noting that historical memory “not only tells us where we came from, but can also help us understand the path we should follow in the future.”

He commended the effort Al-Hajjar put into preparing the book, expressing his hope that this work would be the beginning of further studies and research, stating that there is much more to explore and many stories worth recovering and documenting. Nugent described the occasion as particularly significant for him, especially as he prepares to conclude his mission in Kuwait and leave the country. He explained that he is pleased that one of the last events he will host at the Papal Nunciature is dedicated to celebrating the friendship between the Holy See and Kuwait.

He said that the end of a chapter in his personal journey with Kuwait makes it appropriate to launch a book that reminds us that “the larger story continues,” expressing his hope that the book would contribute to deepening knowledge, preserving memories, encouraging further research, and strengthening bonds of friendship and understanding between the two sides.

For his part, the book’s author, Nasser Mohammed Al-Hajjar, affirmed that the work documents a long history of relations between Kuwait and the Holy See. He noted that official relations between the two sides were established in 1968, with Kuwait officially recognizing them in 1969, while the presence of Catholic Christians in the country dates back to a much earlier period.

Al-Hajjar explained that the first documented Catholic Mass in Kuwait took place in 1945, held in a tent in the Al-Maqwa area for employees of the Kuwait Oil Company. He pointed out that the increasing number of Catholic employees later led to the need for a permanent venue for religious worship.

He added that the religious presence moved from the tent to a small building known as “Nissan Hat,” before eventually evolving into the church that stands today. He noted that the site where the Catholic presence first began is the same location where the Holy Family Church currently stands.