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Holy See diplomacy

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Holy See diplomacy

Tools for thinking about the Vatican’s two latest scandals
- News Analysis
- September 24, 2017
At the moment, the Vatican finds itself facing two less-than-edifying storylines, one involving a priest in the papal embassy in Washington, D.C., suspected of possible violations of child pornography laws, and the other featuring a Vatican trial for financial misappropriation against former officials of a papally-sponsored pediatric hospital. Here are a few resources for thinking intelligently about each.
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Ending human trafficking requires everyone’s efforts, archbishop says
- Catholic News Agency, Global Church, Vatican
- September 22, 2017
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, emphasized the importance of “multi-pronged strategies” to prevent human trafficking and aid the affected victims, and he noted the special role of women and religious personnel in offering an avenue of trust. Speaking at the UN, the archbishop said the Catholic Church is collaborating “with both the public and private sectors, including with government authorities” to help fight the crime.
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Vatican: Jerusalem needs “internationally guaranteed” special status
- Vatican
- July 26, 2017
A Vatican diplomat has told the UN Security Council the historical status quo of the holy sites in the Holy Land is “a matter of profound sensitivities,” and reminded them that Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Israel sparked a crisis by unilaterally installing metal detectors at the Temple Mount, leading to Muslims accusing the Jewish state of trying to expand control at the site under the guise of security.
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Trump is going to Italy in May, so will he meet the pope?
- Vatican
- February 6, 2017
Since U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will visit Italy in May for a G7 summit, many observers believe that trip will bring his first meeting with Pope Francis. Among other things, that may establish a hard deadline for Trump to name his ambassador to the Vatican.
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New embassy a sign of pope’s love for Palestine, President Abbas says
- Catholic News Service, Vatican
- January 15, 2017
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Pope Francis and thanked him for the new Palestinian embassy to the Holy See. After the meeting he was asked his thoughts on the possibility of the U.S. moving its embassy to Israel to Jerusalem. He was hopeful it wouldn’t happen, and hopes instead that the Palestinians’ agreement with the Vatican will allow European countries to follow suit in order to achieve peace.
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Francis offers reassuring hand to a world darkened by war
- Vatican
- January 9, 2017
Pope Francis struck a sombre tone in his annual address to ambassadors, as if detecting in this moment the signs of the coming of war. While putting down red markers over Israel-Palestine and migration, the heart of his message was the need to make peace in a time of turbulence.
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