Congratulations
Pope Leo XIV
At the Holy See Mission, this moment was awaited with grand joy.
At the sight of white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel, Holy See staff and interns hurried to the conference room, gathering in joyful anticipation of the historic words: Habemus Papam!
AUDIENCE TO MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS ACCREDITED TO THE HOLY SEE
On 16 May 2025, only one week after his election, Pope Leo XIV addresses the Diplomatic Corps and encourages the ambassadors to pursue paths of peace with justice, truth and hope.
32nd Annual Path to Peace Foundation Gala Dinner
The 2025 Path to Peace Gala Dinner, held in support of the ongoing work of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations and urgent humanitarian causes, brought together dignitaries, diplomats, and friends of the Holy See for an evening of gratitude and celebration.
On 19th of May, the 2025 Path to Peace Award was presented to His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See. Cardinal Parolin has served the Church with distinction in diplomatic roles around the world and at the heart of the Holy See. His steadfast support of the Mission’s work and his wise leadership throughout Pope Francis’ pontificate have been a source of strength and guidance. The evening offered a moving tribute to his life of service in the pursuit of peace.
His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, made the introductory welcome to over 400 guests to the Gala. Afterwards, His Excellency Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See Mission to the UN and President of the Path to Peace Foundation, introduced the premiere of a video produced by Vatican News, highlighting the Popes at the United Nations, which can be viewed here.
The honoree, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, then gave his remarks. His Excellency Archbishop Timothy Broglio, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Archbishop for Military Services, gave the opening invocations.
After the dinner, Ms. Ciara Hogan drew upon her experience as a negotiator for the Holy See and provided a testimony of her work at the UN. Ms. Melissa Sisniegas, intern at the Holy See Mission, shared her reflections about the work she does in service to the Church. His Eminence Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, gave closing remarks. His Grace Bishop Mansour, Eparch of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, gave the closing Benediction.
A special thanks to Fr. Mark Knestout, Chair of the Gala Committee, and to all the members of the Committee for their tireless dedication and countless hours of behind-the-scenes work in bringing this event to life. Their vision, commitment, and attention to detail made tonight’s celebration truly memorable.
The funds raised through the Path to Peace Gala enable the Path to Peace Foundation to help the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See maintain a dynamic presence at the UN and to bring greater awareness of the teachings of the Holy Father on important international questions. The Foundation also focuses on disseminating information and documentation on statements and initiatives of the Holy Father, the Holy See, and Catholic organizations directed toward building a world of justice, charity, and peace. The Holy See Mission would like to sincerely thank all the guests for the successful Gala dinner!
The guests received a symbolic gift of an olive tree sampling, with a message encouraging them to "Sow Peace and Harvest Joy!"
Read Cardinal Parolin's Acceptance Speech Here
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, visits the United Nations
May 19, 2025
Reception celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV
On the occasion of the election of the new pope, the Holy See Mission to the United Nations hosted a reception for diplomats of the United Nations. Over 130 ambassadors, UN representatives, and friends of the Mission attended the event. Cardinal Parolin highlighted the Holy Father's call for diplomacy of encounter rooted in dialogue, justice, and compassion. He reaffirmed the Holy See's commitment to partnering with the international community in pursuit of peace, human dignity, and the common good.
Cardinal Parolin visits the United Nations Secretary General and the President of the General Assembly
During his visit, the Secretary of State of the Holy See held fruitful meetings with UN Secretary-General António Guterres (pictured above) and General Assembly President Philemon Yang (pictured below), engaging in meaningful dialogue in the context of the new pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.
Holy See Statements
at the United Nations
Archbishop Caccia Delivers Statement at the ECOSOC Special Meeting on Artificial Intelligence
On 6 May 2025, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, delivered a statement at the ECOSOC Special Meeting on Artificial Intelligence.
Sharing thoughts on how to ensure that ethical considerations remain at the core of the development and deployment of AI, Archbishop Caccia noted that the international community has an important responsibility to regulate the use of AI in its many forms. He emphasized the need to ensure that the development and use of AI always remain at the service of men and women, promoting fraternity and preserving critical thinking and the capacity for discernment.
Finally, Archbishop Caccia recalled the Rome Call for Ethics, issued by the Pontifical Academy for Life, an example of efforts to get together to balance AI innovation and regulation.
Archbishop Caccia Delivers Statement at the Multi-stakeholder Forum on STI for Sustainable Development
On 7 May 2025, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, delivered a statement at the multi-stakeholder Forum on STI for sustainable development.
Expressing concern about exclusive reliance on AI, Archbishop Caccia invited stakeholders to adopt balanced strategies on AI given its potentially negative impact on social relations and the risk to exacerbate inequalities.
Recalling the 'technocratic paradigm', the Archbishop urged for the respect of fundamental ethical principles, citing the principles outlined in the Rome Call for AI Ethics in 2020, include transparency, impartiality, inclusion and accountability.
Finally, Archbishop Caccia emphasized the importance of establishing common ethical guardrails when developing AI governance mechanisms such as the Global Dialogue and the Scientific Panel.
Archbishop Caccia Delivers Statement at the Informal Interactive dialogue on Childhood with Dignity
On 13 May 2025, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, delivered a statement at the Informal interactive dialogue on Childhood with dignity: Eliminating child labour in all its forms, including forced recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.
Citing Pope Leo XIII, Archbishop Caccia stressed the moral and legal obligation to protect children from labour, which harms their physical and intellectual growth.
He voiced deep concern over the continued exploitation of nearly one in ten children globally and the ongoing recruitment of children into armed conflict, calling urgently for their unconditional release.
Archbishop Caccia emphasized the need for international action to provide children with quality education, healthcare, and inclusive protection, ensuring their integral development. Finally, he urged the global community to build a future rooted in justice, solidarity, and peace, where the dignity of every child is fully protected.
Archbishop Caccia Delivers Statement at the Security Council Open Debate on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict
On 23 May 2025, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, issued a statement at the Security Council Open Debate on Protection of civilians in armed conflict.
In his remarks, Archbishop Caccia expressed concern regarding the increasing number and intensity of armed conflicts across the world, noting in particular the suffering inflicted on civilian populations.
Emphasizing the need to focus efforts on protecting the human person, he underscored the imperative to end the use of indiscriminate weapons, landmines, and cluster munitions, and to stop the deployment of explosive weapons in populated areas.
The Archbishop also raised concern over the increased use of new and emerging technologies for military purposes, especially where such use could harm civilians. He noted the Holy See’s support for a legally binding instrument prohibiting lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS).
Delegation Visits to the Mission
Walsh University
On 5 May 2025, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, welcomed students from Walsh University Faculty and Students. Archbishop Caccia spoke about the Holy See's involvement in multilateral dialogue, and our role at the United Nations. Msgr. Robert Murphy, Deputy Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, also joined in interactive conversation. Holy See interns, Melissa Sisniegas, Solene Vielfaure, and Marisol Powell, shared their experiences about working at the Mission.
Life at the Mission
Celebrating Birthdays at the Mission
In the month of May, we celebrated the birthday of Ms. Nadja Wolfe, Mr. Max Yun, and Mr. Thien Duangmala!
Ad multos annos!
Farewell, Spring Interns!
The Spring Intern cohort concludes their work at the mission on May 30. The Holy See Mission would like to thank them for their dedication, teamwork, and excellence throughout these five months. We wish them the best on all their future endeavors.
Holy See Movie Night:
Chiara Lubich - L'amore Vince Tutto
"Love conquers all"
On 7th May 2025, the Holy See Mission office hosted a movie night watching a film about the founder of the Focolare Movement, Chiara Lubich. The movie was followed by a fruitful discussion with members of the Focolare Movement over pizza. Thank you to Maddalena and Sherin for the wonderful evening!
Visit to the Botanical Gardens
On Memorial Day and to celebrate the last weekend of the Spring internship, the Holy See Mission went to visit the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx. It was a beautiful day with great company!
Spring 2026 Internship
Applications are Open
Since 2015, the Holy See Mission has had 220 interns from 40 countries. The internship program provides the opportunity for bright, Catholic, English-speaking college graduates or graduate students to gain experience assisting the Holy See in its multilateral work at the UN, seeking to bring the light of Catholic Social Teaching to the debates of the international community.
Our interns are integral to the work of the Holy See at the United Nations. They attend various UN meetings, conferences, and debates, and then prepare reports that, once reviewed, are sent to the Holy See’s central offices in the Vatican. Our interns also assist with the Mission’s conferences, receptions, and cultural events.
There are three internship cycles each year: Fall, Spring, and Summer, and eight internship positions are available per cycle. The Mission is currently accepting applications for the Spring 2026 session, which will run from January through May 2026.