Thomas Gullickson

Thomas Edward Gullickson (born August 14, 1950) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has served as an Apostolic Nuncio since 2004, most recently to Switzerland and Liechtenstein from 2015 until his retirement at the end of 2020.

The Most Reverend Thomas Gullickson
Titular Archbishop of Polymartium, Apostolic Nuncio
Orders
Ordination	July 27, 1976 by Lambert Anthony Hoch
Consecration	November 11, 2004 by Giovanni Lajolo
Personal details
Birth name	Thomas Edward Gullickson
Born	August 14, 1950 Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Nationality	American
Previous post	Apostolic Nuncio to various Caribbean nations (2001–11) Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine (2011–2015) Apostolic Nuncio to Switzerland and Liechtenstein (2015–2020)
Alma mater	Pontifical Gregorian University
Motto	Properantes adventum diei Dei ("Hastening the coming of the day of God")

Styles of Thomas Gullickson
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Monsignor

Early years

Born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, Thomas Gullickson was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Sioux Falls by Bishop Lambert Hoch on July 27, 1976. He studied canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, writing his doctoral dissertation in 1985 on The Diocesan Bishop: Moderator and Sponsor of the Ministry of the Word. A Comparative Study of Tridentine Legislation and the 1983 Code of Canon Law.[1]

To prepare for a diplomatic career he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1981.[2] He joined the Vatican's diplomatic service on May 1, 1985 and served in diplomatic missions to Rwanda, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Jerusalem, Israel and Germany.[3]

Nuncio

On October 2, 2004, Pope John Paul II appointed him Titular Archbishop of Polymartium and Apostolic Nuncio to Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – all island nations in the Caribbean Sea.[4]

Gullickson received his episcopal consecration on November 11 from Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, with Bishops Robert Carlson and Paul Dudley as co-consecrators.[5]

On December 15, 2004 he was given additional appointments as Apostolic Nuncio to other Caribbean nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname.[6] And on 20 December Apostolic Nuncio to Grenada.[7]

Gullickson was named Nuncio to Ukraine on May 21, 2011.[8][9] While there, Gullickson posted on Twitter and on his blog his criticism of Pope Francis regarding family planning, the Eucharist,[10] the Pope's criticism of the Roman Curia, and the Vatican's relations with Russia.[11][12]

Pope Francis appointed Gullickson Apostolic Nuncio to Switzerland and Liechtenstein on September 5, 2015.[13]

Gullickson announced in October 2020 that he would retire as nuncio at the end of 2020 and live in Sioux Falls.[14] Pope Francis accepted his resignation on December 31, 2020.[15]

Views on liturgy

Gullickson has frequently expressed his preference for the form of the Mass in which the priest faces the altar in the same direction as the congregation, as a step to renew what he sees as a proper sense of reverence for the liturgy.[16][17][18]

See also

• List of Catholic bishops of the United States § American bishops serving outside the United States
• List of diplomatic missions of the Holy See

References

1. Pontifical Gregorian University Library Catalogue (OPAC), retrieved January 12, 2014
2. "Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica, Ex-alunni 1950 – 1999" (in Italian). Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
3. "Archbishop Thomas Gullickson: 'The nuncio should do everything to promote peace in Ukraine.'", Ukrainian Business Online, October 17, 2015, retrieved January 12, 2016
4. "Rinunce e nomine, 02.10.2004" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. October 2, 2004. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
5. "Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
6. "Rinunce e nomine, 15.12.2004" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. December 15, 2004. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
7. "Rinunce e nomine, 29.12.2004" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. December 20, 2004. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
8. "Rinunce e nomine, 22.05.2011" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. May 22, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
9. "Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson Named Nuncio in Ukraine". Religious Information Service of Ukraine. May 23, 2011.
10. Gullickson, Thomas E. (January 24, 2015), "Just an Impression?", Deo Volente Ex Animo (blog), retrieved January 12, 2016
11. Winters, Michael Sean (January 24, 2015), "Nuncio Disses Pope", National Catholic Reporter, retrieved January 12, 2016
12. Lamb, Christopher (January 29, 2015), "Nuncio's tweets accuse Francis of being 'utterly wrong'", The Tablet, retrieved January 12, 2016
13. "Rinunce e nomine, 05.09.2015" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. September 5, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
14. "U.S. archbishop, nuncio to Switzerland, announces retirement". Crux. Catholic News Service. October 20, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
15. "Rinunce e nomine, 31.12.2020" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. December 31, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
16. Gullickson, Thomas E., Island Envoy (blog)
17. Gullickson, Thomas E., Deo Volente Ex Animo (blog)
18. Gullickson, Thomas E., ad montem myrrhae (blog)

External links

Gullickson's blogs

• Island Envoy (2006–2011)
• Deo Volente Ex Animo (2011–2015)
• ad montem myrrhae (2015– )