Archbishop Noël Treanor, Apostolic Nuncio to the EU, dies aged 73

By Vatican News

Archbishop Noël Treanor, who was serving as Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union, has died in Brussels at age 73. The bishop emeritus of Down and Connor, Ireland, passed away on the morning of Sunday, 11 August, due to a heart attack.

"It is with a profound sense of shock and sadness that I learned yesterday of the death of Archbishop Noël Treanor", said Bishop Alan McGuckian, Archbishop Treanor's successor in Down and Connor.

"As a priest of the Diocese of Clogher, as Bishop of the Diocese of Down and Connor and in later years as Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union, Archbishop Treanor continuously dedicated and devoted his life to the proclamation of the Gospel, to the pastoral care of the vulnerable and to the social mission of the Church", Bishop McGuckian said in a statement. 

Speaking on behalf of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, Eamon Martin, the Archbishop of Armargh and Primate of All Ireland, said he was "saddened" and "greatly shocked by the suddenness of Archbishop Noël's sudden passing". 

Archbishop Martin said the Apostolic Nuncio "followed closely in the footsteps and spirit of the founding fathers of closer European unity", and recalled Archbishop Treanor's service of forging "positive relations with partner countries of the European Union" and dedication to helping "nourish the heart and soul of Europe".

Joining his prayers to all those who pray for the happy repose of the Nuncio's soul, Archbishop Martin said, "May the light of Heaven shine upon Archbishop Noël; may God in His loving mercy look kindly upon him, comfort his relatives, friends, colleagues and former parishioners, and may he receive the welcome of the good and faithful servant".

Biography of Archbishop Noël Treanor

Noël Treanor was born in Silverstream, County Monaghan, Ireland, on Christmas Day 1950. After attending St Patrick’s College in Maynooth, he was ordained a priest for his home diocese of Clogher on 13 June 1976.

Following his ordination, Treanor was sent to the Pontifical Irish College in Rome, where he completed a Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1977.

In 1989, he began working with the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE); and in 1993, was named Secretary General of the organization.

Pope Benedict XVI named Treanor as the Bishop of Down and Connor, Ireland on the feast of the Chair of St Peter, 22 February 2008. He was consecrated to the episcopate by Cardinal Seán Brady on the feast of Sts Peter and Paul, 22 June, of the same year.

After serving as Bishop of Down and Connor for 14 years, on 26 November 2022, Treanor was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union and granted the personal title of Archbishop. He took up his new role in January 2023.

The late Archbishop Noël Treanor is survived by his brother John and his sister Mary.