Charles John Brown
Charles John Brown KC*HS (born 13 October 1959) is an American prelate of the 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).
For the leader of the Free Church of Scotland, see Charles John Brown (moderator).
Charles John Brown
September 28, 2020
May 13, 1989
by John Oconnor
January 6, 2012
by Pope Benedict XVI
13 October 1959
- Apostolic Nuncio to Albania (2017–2020)
- Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland (2011–2017)
Ex Christi Latere
(From the side of Christ)
Biography[edit]
Early life and education[edit]
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 that 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. [1]
Brown earned a Bachelor of History degree at the University of Notre Dame,[2] 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[edit]
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.[3]
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.[4]
Diplomatic career[edit]
Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland[edit]
Brown was named Titular Archbishop of Aquileia and Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland on November 26, 2011.[5] He was ordained as Archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI on January 6, 2012.[6]
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan said that Brown was "young, vibrant, very theologically savvy but pastorally sensitive".[7]
