Burundi's Irish papal nuncio shot dead

The papal nuncio in Burundi, Monsignor Michael Courtney, from Co Tipperary, has been shot and killed, the Vatican said today.

The Misna missionary news agency said in a statement that Courtney, 58, had died from a major haemorrhage while undergoing surgery at a hospital.

Msgr Courtney was born in Nenagh and briefly studied economics and law at UCD, then moved on to Rome where he prepared for the priesthood and a varied diplomatic career for the Holy See.

The 2000 announcement of Courtney’s appointment as Burundi nuncio described him as “one of the church’s most experienced diplomats,” recounting over 30 years of work in the church.

He was ordained in 1968, and worked as a parish priest around Ireland until 1976.

He then moved back to Rome for postgraduate studies, and entered the Pontifical Diplomatic Academy.

Beginning in 1980, he was a papal representative in South Africa, then in Zimbabwe, Senegal, India, Yugoslavia, Cuba and Egypt, the 2000 announcement said.

Prior to going to Burundi, he worked for five years as special envoy in Strasbourg, France, monitoring the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights.

Burundi, a poor Central African nation, has been gripped by a civil war for more than 10 years.