Father Dr. Monge, born in Saluzzo, Italy, is superior of Istanbul’s Black Friars since 2007. He is also president of the Union of Religious in Turkey, the founder and animator of an Ecumenical Prayer in Istanbul. He received his Ph.D. in specialized comparative theology and sociology of religions at Strasbourg University in France.
He is a member of the Ecumenical Committee of Consilium Conferentiarum Episcoporum Europae (Council of European Bishops’ Conference). He also served on the Conference of European Churches for Islam in Europe, which ended its operation earlier this year. He also is a member of the Dominican General Secretary for Interfaith Dialogue, and professor of Theology of Religious in Fribourg University (Switzerland).
Father Monge has lived in Istanbul seven years where he completed a master class in Turkish and Ottoman Language and Civilization. He is director of the Dominican Study Institute of Istanbul for Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue.
He published a large survey on hospitality in 2008, has directed other publications, and has written many articles for specialized journals in France, Italy, Germany, and Ireland.