“Until We Meet Again”: Goan Community in Kuwait Bids Emotional Farewell to Archbishop Nugent

17/08/2026

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 17: The Goan Cultural Centre and members of the Goan community in Kuwait gathered recently to bid farewell to His Excellency Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent, Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, as he prepares to take up his new assignment as Apostolic Nuncio to the Czech Republic.

The evening, hosted by Gasper Crasto, opened with a short prayer led by Rev. Fr. Nelson Lobo. Community leaders including Floyd Paise, Lana DeMelo, Rabin Gonsalves, Dr. Jaganath Chowdankar and Revon D’Souza paid tribute to the Archbishop for his pastoral care and active engagement with the Christian community during his tenure from January 2021 to August 2026. Attendees praised his warmth, accessibility and the strong personal bonds he forged across the community and wider Kuwaiti society.

Carmo Santos, President of the Goan Cultural Centre and a prominent entrepreneur and philanthropist, organized the event and presented the Archbishop with a memento and offered a warm address. Santos thanked His Excellency for his service, friendship and kindness, noting that while the Archbishop carried important diplomatic responsibilities representing the Holy See, it was his personal qualities — encouragement, dialogue and friendship — that the community will most fondly remember. Santos also highlighted the role of faith and community in Goan heritage and commended the evening’s cultural programme, which included performances by children, as a celebration of that shared identity.

Archbishop Nugent responded with brief, heartfelt remarks, expressing his gratitude for the community’s support. “You warmed your support to me during my years here in Kuwait. The memories I will cherish as I leave this beautiful country are of meeting you, celebrating with you and praying with you on so many occasions,” he said. He thanked Carmo Santos and members of the Goan Cultural Association for the “beautiful gift” presented to him. He lightened the mood with a seminary quip about the three rules of public speaking: “stand up, speak up, and then shut up.”

The Archbishop also expressed regret at not yet having visited Goa during his posting and conveyed hope of making that visit in the near future. Carmo Santos offered prayers for his new mission, invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Our Lady of Arabia, and wishing him continued opportunities to build bridges and strengthen relationships.

The farewell concluded with a short thanksgiving prayer, a song by Loraine and Carrie Santos, and a communal dinner. Community members said they will not say goodbye but “until we meet again,” reaffirming that Kuwait will always hold friends ready to welcome His Excellency back.