The new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Joe Donnelly, officially began his duties April 11, presenting his letters of credential to Pope Francis.

The new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Joe Donnelly, officially began his duties April 11, presenting his letters of credential to Pope Francis.
Under the gaze of a painting of “Mary, Untier of Knots” and with dozens of diplomats from around the world, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, celebrated a Mass for peace in Ukraine.
According to the Vatican’s top diplomat, Russia has “taken note” of the Holy See’s willingness to mediate between the Kremlin and Ukraine to put an end to the war, but has made no sign of wanting to take up the offer.
Vice President Kamala Harris Feb. 24 held a ceremonial swearing-in of Catholic lawyer Joe Donnelly of Indiana as the new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.
After months of anticipation, the White House announced Friday afternoon that President Joe Biden will nominate former U.S. Senator Joseph Donnelly as the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin took a June 18-21 trip to Mexico to celebrate the episcopal ordination of the new papal representative to Papua New Guinea. He also met with the local leadership of the Catholic Church ahead of a Monday meeting with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Vatican foreign secretary Archbishop Paul Gallagher hailed the relationship between the United States and the Holy See as “strong and solid” on July 17 during a visit to the nation’s capital.
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Callista Gingrich announced on July 17 that the United States and the Vatican will co-host a summit on religious freedom in October of 2019.
The Vatican has told bishops and priests in China that they must follow their own consciences in deciding whether to register with the government, and it urged Catholics in the country not to judge them for the choices they make.