Papal Nuncio Bid Farewell: I Am Proud of My Years of Service in Kuwait and the Gulf
I learned that friendship transcends religion, nationality, and culture.
The Pope’s visit to Bahrain embodied dialogue and peaceful coexistence.
Elevating the Church of Our Lady of the Arabs to a “basilica” marked a historic milestone.
Diwaniyas and desert camps forged another face of diplomacy.
From the heat of Kuwait to the chill of Prague, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent, is preparing to begin a new diplomatic mission as the Papal Nuncio to the Czech Republic. Yet, he departs the Gulf laden with memories and friendships that he says will accompany him wherever he goes. Joking with the attendees, Nugent remarked that he might wonder, during the cold winter in Prague, why he had previously complained about the weather’s heat in Kuwait.
Nugent expressed his pride in the years he spent in Kuwait and the Gulf region, emphasizing that the most significant legacy he will carry after the end of his mission is the friendships and human relationships he built, which transcended the boundaries of nationality, religion, language, and culture. He said, “Wherever the road leads me, a part of my heart will remain here.”
This was stated in a speech delivered by Nugent during a farewell reception hosted in his honor by the General Manager of Aman for Exchange Company, attended by the ambassadors of the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Bangladesh Embassy, along with members of the business and civil society communities and friends.
Nugent reviewed the key milestones he experienced during his tenure in the region, noting that he arrived in the Gulf as the world was emerging from the “COVID” pandemic, before a series of international and regional challenges followed, including the war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza, and the escalating military confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran. He said that recent developments brought the reality of war closer to the Gulf region, marked by days of anxiety, airspace closures, flight disruptions, and the loss of jobs for some friends and parishioners.
He added that despite those difficult circumstances, his tenure witnessed many moments of joy and hope, foremost among them the historic visit of Pope Francis to Bahrain in November 2022, describing it as an unforgettable moment for the Catholic community and a strong testament to dialogue, fraternity, and peaceful coexistence.
He pointed to the visit of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, to Kuwait last January, coinciding with the elevation of the Church of Our Lady of the Arabs in Ahmadi to the status of a “minor basilica,” considering the occasion a historic milestone and recognition of the long-standing presence of the Catholic Church in Kuwait.
Nugent clarified that the memories he cherishes most are not limited to major political and diplomatic events, but also encompass the human experiences he lived through, from religious and cultural celebrations and national days to his meetings with Kuwaiti youth and expatriates, and conversations that began officially and evolved over time into personal friendships.
He praised the hospitality he experienced in Kuwait and the region, recalling gatherings around dining tables, desert camps, and visits to chalets and diwaniyas. He said that if diplomacy is about building bridges between peoples, he discovered that “some of the strongest bridges are built across the dinner table.”
He also mentioned his visits to the US and Italian military bases and his participation in Christmas and Easter services, noting that these visits reminded him that behind the military uniforms are men and women far from their homelands, bearing responsibilities and making sacrifices.
The Gulf taught me
Nugent affirmed that people will always remember their experiences in the Gulf above all else, adding, “The Gulf taught me that friendship can transcend the boundaries of nationality, religion, language, and culture.” He noted that he had arrived representing the Holy See, bearing a mission of dialogue and encounter, but was leaving having received from this experience far more than he had expected to give.
He concluded his remarks by thanking his friends and all who had shared with him the years of his work in the region for the friendship, hospitality, and memories they had provided, invoking God’s protection for Kuwait and the Gulf states, and praying for the perpetuation of peace, stability, and prosperity upon them.
