Bishop Brendan Leahy appointed to Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue

‘With so many dark clouds in our world today, it is important to recognise that religions are part of the solution.’

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick to the Vatican department for inter-faith relations.

The 47th Bishop of Limerick has held the position for the past 12 years and will continue going forward. Now, at 65, he will work to foster relations between the Catholic Church and other religions around the world.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this appointment from Pope Leo. Peace is something very precious, that we all yearn for and we all hurt and pain when it is absent. It is in the soul of all Christians, and this appointment is, therefore, a responsibility that I take very seriously and am truly privileged to have,” Bishop Leahy said in a statement.

He continued: “With so many dark clouds in our world today, it is important to recognise that religions are part of the solution. So often, religions are blamed for divisions, but the reality is that religions promote values and practices that are positive contributions to community-building and harmony.”

Bishop Leahy currently serves in the Dicastery of Culture and Education, the Dicastery for Clergy and is heavily involved with the Mid-West interfaith network – which is based in his home country of Ireland.

The broadening of the religious landscape in Ireland “has brought greater diversity to our island and has enriched us. We need to open ourselves to become neighbours to one another,” he said.

“I am really looking forward to working closely with the members of the Dicastery in Rome in promoting the Catholic Church’s outreach to members of other faith communities,” Bishop Leahy added.

The Interreligious Dialogue department has been cited as “one of the most strategically important bodies in the Vatican” and the Dicastery’s work has “far-reaching implications for peacebuilding, cultural understanding, and global religious cooperation.”

Bishop Leahy’s appointment by Pope Leo coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Vatican II declaration, Nostra Aetate, meaning “In Our Time”. The foundational text provides dialogue between the Catholic Church and other religions and emphasises the importance of respect for other faiths.

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