Charles John Brown

Charles John Brown (born 13 October 1959) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as an apostolic nuncio since 2012. He is currently the apostolic nuncio to the Philippines. Before entering the diplomatic service of the Holy See, Brown worked at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).
Biography
Early life and education
Brown was born on October 13, 1959, in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, when it was a mostly Jewish neighborhood. He later said his family "were pretty much the only gentile family in the apartment block" as he grew up as the oldest of six children. When he was five, the family moved to Rye, New York and in 1971 to Windham, New York.
Brown earned a Bachelor of History degree at the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Theology degree at University of Oxford, and a Master of Medieval Studies degree at the University of Toronto. He then entered the seminary and earned a Master of Divinity degree at Saint Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York.
Priesthood
Brown was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New York by Cardinal John O'Connor on May 13, 1989 in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan.
From 1989 to 1991, he served as assistant priest at St. Brendan's Parish in The Bronx, New York City.
In 1991, Cardinal O'Connor sent Brown to study in Rome. He earned a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree at the Pontifical University St. Anselmo.
In 1994, Brown stayed in Rome to join the CDF staff, where he worked closely with then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (who would later become Pope Benedict XVI) for 17 years.
He served as Chaplain of Pope John Paul II from 2000 to 2011.
He was named as Adjunct Secretary of the International Theological Commission in September 2009.
Brown is also reported to be a member of the Vatican's official athletic team, Vatican Athletics.
Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland
Brown was named Titular Archbishop of Aquileia and Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland on November 26, 2011. He was ordained as Archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI on January 6, 2012.
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan said that Brown was "young, vibrant, very theologically savvy but pastorally sensitive".
New Generation of Catholics
As Apostolic to Nuncio to Ireland, Brown said, "You see a renewed enthusiasm among young Catholics in Ireland now" and that young Catholics represent what is best in the tradition of the Second Vatican Council: "the idea of communicating the ancient unchanging faith in a new, vibrant and attractive way". He emphasized that the new generation of Catholics, some of whom are studying for the priesthood at Saint Patrick's College, the national seminary in Maynooth, or the Pontifical Irish College in Rome, will "lead the Church forward into the next decade," he said. .
In the Catholic News Agency, Brown said the 'hundreds of young people' in Eucharistic adoration, praying the Rosary, confessing their sins and 'rejoicing in the liberating love of God' is the future of the Church in Ireland.
In January 2014, Brown praised the decision of the Government of Ireland to re-open the Irish Embassy to the Holy See.
Croagh Patrick
In 2012, Brown climbed the Croagh Patrick or the Holy Mountain of St. Patrick, an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Ireland, and celebrated mass atop the mountain with 12,000 pilgrims. In 2013, he launched a Prayer Card for the Annual Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage called Reek Sunday. In 2016, he climbed the mountain again to celebrate mass for Reek Sunday, this time with 20,000 pilgrims.
Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines
On March 9, 2017, Pope Francis appointed Brown as Apostolic Nuncio to Albania.
On September 28, 2020, Pope Francis appointed him as Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.
On April 14, 2021, to begin the yearlong celebrations for the anniversary of 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines, Brown officiated mass with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and administered baptism to several children in commemoration of the first baptism that took place in the island of Zubu (Cebu) on April 14, 1521. He also led the closing ceremonies for 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines, officiating the mass on March 31, 2022 on Limasawa Island, where the first documented mass in the archipelago was held on March 31, 1521. He also led the mass to culminate the Year of Missio Ad Gentes held in Cebu on April 14, 2022.
On June 24, 2021, Brown installed Cardinal Jose Advincula as the 33rd Archbishop of Manila.
Brown also installed Bishop Pablito Tagura, SVD, as the third bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on February 25, 2023; Most. Rev. Victor Bendico as the 4th Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Capiz on May 3, 2023; Bishop Ruperto C. Santos as the bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo on July 22, 2023; and Bishop Moises Cuevas to the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan on September 6, 2023.
In the aftermath of Super Typhoon Rai (Typhoon Odette), which hit the Philippines on December 16, 2021, Brown spent Christmas Day 2021 with the typhoon victims in Siargao Island, celebrating mass at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral and visiting several parishes throughout the day to be one with the victims of the typhoon.
On September 26, 2022, Brown led the Sunday mass for the Filipino community in New York for the 35th canonization anniversary of the first Filipino saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz, at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
See also
List of heads of the diplomatic missions of the Holy See
American Catholic bishops serving outside the United States
References
External links
Apostolic Nuncios to Ireland
Apostolic Nuncios to Albania
Apostolic Nuncios to the Philippines
Officials of the Roman Curia
Catholic Church sexual abuse scandals in Ireland
21st-century American Roman Catholic titular archbishops
People of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
University of Notre Dame alumni
University of Toronto alumni
Alumni of the University of Oxford
Pontifical Atheneum of St. Anselm alumni
1959 births
Living people
Religious leaders from New York (state)
Diplomats of the Holy See