Cardinal Parolin highlights the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy’s role in forming diplomats to address global crises and promote peace.
Newsroom (28/04/2026 Gaudium Press) Cardinal Pietro Parolin has underscored the urgent role of Vatican diplomacy in addressing today’s global instability, as the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy marks its 325th anniversary and prepares to welcome Pope Leo XIV for his first visit since his election.
In an interview with Vatican Media, the Cardinal Secretary of State described the historic institution as uniquely positioned to help chart “concrete paths of peace, made up of principles, rules, and structures that guarantee order among nations,” particularly amid what he called a crisis in the international order.
A mission rooted in history and renewal
Located in Piazza della Minerva, the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy serves as the training ground for future papal diplomats. Parolin emphasized its dual identity as both a historic institution and one undergoing continual renewal.
While it forms part of the Secretariat of State, the Academy is specifically tasked with preparing representatives of the Successor of Peter to serve across the globe. These diplomats, Parolin said, must combine analytical clarity with a deep capacity for dialogue and discernment.
“They need that missionary zeal which makes them authentic and well-prepared witnesses to the Pope’s solicitude for the local Churches and the People of God,” he said.
Beyond traditional diplomacy
Parolin stressed that the Academy’s mission extends well beyond conventional diplomatic practice. Its formation is “essentially ecclesial,” reflecting the broader spiritual and pastoral dimensions of the Holy See’s international engagement.
Students are trained to interpret global developments through the lens of the Church’s social doctrine, while also engaging international institutions with informed judgment. Their education integrates academic rigor with priestly virtues, including listening, humility, and closeness to others.
Reform and academic expansion
The Cardinal also pointed to reforms introduced by Pope Francis through the chirograph Il Ministero Petrino, which reshaped the Academy’s structure and mission. Under these changes, the institution now operates as an Institute of Higher Formation in Diplomatic Sciences, granting Licentiate and Doctoral degrees.
Recalling Pope Francis’ description of Vatican diplomats as “priests with suitcases in hand,” Parolin highlighted the pastoral and evangelizing nature of their work.
Responding to a global diplomatic crisis
Addressing the limitations of contemporary diplomacy in preventing and resolving conflicts, Parolin acknowledged widespread concern over its effectiveness. In response, the Academy has strengthened its curriculum in legal, historical, political, and economic studies, while maintaining a strong grounding in ecclesiastical disciplines.
Yet, he cautioned that technical expertise alone is not enough.
“A diplomat is called first to bear witness and only then to negotiate,” he said.
As global tensions rise and respect for international law appears to erode, Parolin concluded that the Academy’s mission remains vital. Its task, he said, is to help rebuild a framework for peace through principled and structured engagement.
“That is the task entrusted today to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, 325 years after its foundation.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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