Rome: At a solemn gathering organized by the Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, paid tribute to the late Archbishop Noël Treanor, recalling him as a trusted friend, seasoned diplomat, and tireless advocate of Europe’s Christian heritage. The commemorative event, held at the Pontifical Irish College on Monday evening, brought together diplomats, clergy, and members of the Irish community in Rome to honor Treanor’s life and legacy.
Archbishop Treanor, who died suddenly on August 11, 2024, had served as Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union for just over eighteen months. Despite his short tenure in Brussels, he left a notable imprint on the Vatican’s diplomatic mission to Europe. A native of Ireland and Bishop emeritus of Down and Connor, Treanor was widely respected for his leadership as Secretary-General of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), where he worked to articulate the role of faith in shaping Europe’s political and social vision.
Archbishop Gallagher, reflecting on his late colleague’s vocation, emphasized that Treanor accepted the role of Nuncio to the EU out of a profound conviction that the Catholic Church has a distinctive voice to offer in Europe’s ongoing project of integration. “He undertook the role of Nuncio to the EU out of the conviction that the Church has a unique contribution to make to the European Project, a contribution which requires people and pastors of faith to make tireless efforts to preserve the founding insights and principles that brought about so magnificent a vision,” Gallagher said.
While acknowledging the brevity of Treanor’s mission, Gallagher noted that he had entered the role with great enthusiasm, bringing fresh ideas and long-term plans that will now pass on to others. “His memory and example remain, and will be a source of encouragement for us and for all who cherish and share a Europe where the values of the Gospel can regenerate the Institutions from their Judeo-Christian roots upwards,” Gallagher remarked, underscoring Treanor’s belief that Europe’s democratic project is inseparable from its spiritual foundations.
The Archbishop of Liverpool also invoked the words of Pope Francis, who in 2014 addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Quoting the Pope’s appeal for unity, fraternity, and hope, Gallagher highlighted how Treanor embodied those very ideals in his work. “It is a message of hope in the Lord, who turns evil into good and death into life,” Gallagher read, drawing a direct connection between Francis’ vision and Treanor’s mission in Europe. “At the heart of this ambitious political project was confidence in man, not so much as a citizen or an economic agent, but in man, in men and women as persons endowed with transcendent dignity.”
Those who attended the commemoration remembered Treanor as a man of intellect and conviction, but also of kindness and friendship, whose diplomatic skills were always informed by pastoral sensitivity. His sudden passing leaves a gap not only in Vatican diplomacy but also in the broader conversation about Europe’s identity and future direction.
The tribute concluded with prayers for Archbishop Treanor’s eternal rest and thanksgiving for his lifelong dedication to the service of the Church and to the vision of a Europe rooted in peace, justice, and solidarity.