Pope Leo XIV Names Former King’s College Campus Minister to Vatican Position

King’s College President Rev. Thomas P. Looney, C.S.C., Ph.D., today joined other local religious leaders in celebrating Rev. Russ McDougall, C.S.C., the college’s former assistant director of campus ministry who was recently appointed by Pope Leo XIV to serve the Vatican’s ecumenism and interfaith dialogue efforts.

On July 3, 2025, Father McDougall was named a consultor of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, which works to foster an authentic ecumenical spirit throughout the Catholic church and strengthen relationships and collaboration with other churches and ecclesial communities.

“Father Russ’ appointment to the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity is an outstanding accomplishment,” said Father Looney. “When he first came to us at King’s after serving as the rector of Notre Dame’s Ecumenical Institute in Tantur, he was passionate about continuing his work in building bridges across differences. His outstanding work here at King’s and in the Wyoming Valley led to a major position at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., and now in service of the Universal Church.”

“I am thrilled that my brother in the Congregation of Holy Cross and member of the King’s College family has been recognized for his talents and convictions and will serve the cause of dialogue that the world so desperately needs,” he continued. 

During his tenure at King’s College from 2019 through 2023, Father McDougall furthered the institution’s ecumenical and interfaith efforts by building relationships between local congregations and organizations. He served as a member of the Wyoming Valley Interfaith Council, convened ecumenical conversations at the College, promoted events related to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and regularly participated in worship services at local churches and synagogues.

Several of the College’s religious partners also aknowledged Father McDougall’s vatican appointment.

The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of the Diocese of Scranton:

“Shortly after my election to chair the United States Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenism and Interreligious Affairs in 2023, the need to select a new executive director of that secretariat was brought to my attention. From the many names that surfaced for the position, none could match Father Russ McDougall, C.S.C., whom I had gotten to know well during his brief but fruitful tenure at Kings College.

In his own quiet, thoughtful, and prayerful way, Father Russ has demonstrated well his capacity as an informed ecumenist, an experienced leader, and a priest committed to fulfilling Jesus’ prayer that his followers might all be one. He has earned the respect and appreciation not only of his Catholic colleagues but of our ecumenical and interreligious partners, particularly during unsettled and challenging times for many of our brothers and sisters of different faith traditions.

I am so grateful that Father Russ’ contributions to the ecumenical mission of the Catholic Church in the United States have been recognized by the Holy See in his appointment as consultor to the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. He will undoubtedly serve our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and our Church well. Congratulations Father Russ and thank you for your commitment to the work of Christian Unity.”

Rev. Robert M. Zanicky, D.Min., of the First Presbyterian Church in Wilkes-Barre:

“I’m excited to hear of Father Russ McDougall’s appointment to a Dicastery at the Vatican! I am not surprised. I’ve been blessed in knowing, respecting, and loving Father Russ since the time we met several years ago, when he showed up for Sunday morning worship. We quickly became friends, and he wasted no time upon his arrival in Wilkes-Barre in introducing himself into the wider community.

In addition to multiple “lattes” and meetings with rabbis, priests, ministers, imam and laity, he developed friendships and actively participated in interfaith and ecumenical local activities. Father Russ is a leader and doer. I, along with our community’s religious organizations, were happy and proud of his move to Washington. But our joy for him was mixed. We would and do miss him!

Father Russ possesses a myriad of talents that certainly have been actualized through the positions he has already fulfilled, and surely the ones he will occupy. His intellect, knowledge, wisdom, pastoral demeanor, friendliness, and compassion have placed him where he greatly benefits the Gospel of Christ.

I’m already looking forward to hearing about what he is doing when he visits his brothers at Kings College, and his other brothers in Wilkes-Barre. Father Russ is a gracious gift to the Kingdom.”

Rabbi Larry Kaplan, of Temple Israel in Wilkes-Barre: 

“Russ was a calm, bright, and wise emissary of the Catholic world to the Wyoming Valley. He was always engaged in the betterment of our community and was skilled in fostering conversations to bring together disparate religious groups and organizations, even during turbulent times. His calm demeanor relaxed even excited exchanges among colleagues. He was instrumental in framing various letters and pronouncements on behalf of the Interfaith Council.

His years in Jerusalem brought great insight to our discussions. He invited me to join him in Bethlehem (ours, not the one in the Middle East) to hear from Shorashim, a Palestinian/Israeli organization for dialogue and friendship, which affected me greatly. I hope our friendship continues long into the future as we wish him well in all his endeavors.”

Father McDougall most recently served as executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. Previously, he was assistant director of campus ministry, theology faculty member, and superior of the local Holy Cross community at King's College.

In addition to being a former rector of the University of Notre Dame’s Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem, Father McDougall also worked in parochial ministry at Holy Cross Parish in Nairobi, Kenya, and as formation director, academic dean, and lecturer in Old Testament at the Queen of Apostles Philosophy Centre in Jinja, Uganda.

Originally from Northwest Indiana, Father McDougall received his B.A. and M.Div. from the University of Notre Dame and S.S.L. from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He made final vows in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1990 and was ordained a priest in 1991.