Pope Francis has reformed the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, strengthening the Vatican’s diplomatic training in a bid to enhance the Church’s global engagement.
The reform elevates the academy to the status of an academic institute ad instar facultatis for the study of diplomatic sciences, expanding its mission and scope in light of the Church's evolving world affairs.
Highlighting the pivotal role of apostolic nuncios and papal representatives in carrying out the Petrine ministry across nations, the pope emphasized the need for a new formation model that integrates pastoral, ecclesial, and diplomatic training.
The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, he said, will not only provide priests with advanced academic degrees in diplomatic sciences but also foster a spirit of attentive listening, discernment, and humility necessary for today’s international mission.
“The Papal Representatives,” Pope Francis wrote, “are custodians of that solicitude that moves from the center to the peripheries,” connecting the needs of local Churches with the heart of the Universal Church.
The renewed Academy, which has served the Holy See for over 300 years, will now confer second and third-cycle degrees (equivalent to licentiate and doctorate) in diplomatic sciences. The curriculum will include courses in law, history, politics, economics, and international languages while maintaining strong ties to ecclesiastical disciplines and the mission of evangelization.
In line with the Apostolic Constitution Veritatis Gaudium, the Academy is granted public juridical personality and will be governed under the norms of canon law and Vatican regulations for higher education institutions. It is now officially attached to the Secretariat of State, where it will operate as an integral academic and formative body.
Pope Francis stressed that future diplomats of the Holy See must be well-prepared for complex global realities, especially in an age marked by “rapid, constant, and far-reaching changes” in science and technology.
The formation, he said, must go beyond academic excellence to shape priests capable of dialogue, mediation, and service to peace and religious freedom.
The Chirograph, signed on March 25, 2025—Solemnity of the Annunciation—takes immediate and permanent effect.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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