Pope appoints new Holy See Permanent Observer to UN in New York

Archbishop Christophe El-Kassis
Vatican

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis as the Holy See's new Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York, where he will represent the Holy See at the UN headquarters.


Vatican News

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis as the Holy See's new Permanent Observer to the United Nations (UN) in New York.

The appointment was announced on Saturday by the Holy See Press Office.

Lebanese-born Archbishop El-Kassis, Titular Archbishop of Roselle, has until now served as Apostolic Nuncio to the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, as well as Apostolic Delegate to the Arabian Peninsula.

He was ordained in 1994, and he entered the Holy See diplomatic service in 2000, working in Indonesia, Sudan, Turkey, and the Secretariat of State.

The Holy See maintains Permanent Observer status at the United Nations, enabling it to participate in the work of the General Assembly and other UN bodies.

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Mamdani forgot he’s just a mayor. The State Department had to remind him

Story by Anthony Maranise, Washington Examiner

Mamdani forgot he’s just a mayor. The State Department had to remind him

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration recently scheduled a meeting between his commissioner of international affairs and Iran’s U.N. ambassador. The meeting was only stopped after the State Department intervened and ordered it canceled.

Mamdani says he didn’t know about it. That is not a defense. It is an admission that either his office is freelancing foreign policy or he sees nothing wrong with it.

He is a city mayor. Nothing more. The fact that he leads the largest city in the country does not grant him authority to conduct diplomacy with a regime that actively works against U.S. interests. Foreign policy belongs to the federal government. Period.

Local officials exist to handle local problems: crime, transit, housing, and basic services. They do not get to insert themselves into matters of national security and international relations. When a mayor’s team attempts back-channel contact with Iran’s representative at the United Nations, it is not bold leadership. It is arrogant overreach.

This episode fits a pattern. Mamdani ran on a platform that treated the mayoralty as a platform for progressive ideology rather than competent local governance. Now, his administration has demonstrated the same confusion of roles in practice. While City Hall dabbles in foreign affairs that it has no business touching, New Yorkers continue to deal with failing infrastructure, strained public safety resources, and a city government that too often prioritizes symbolism over results.

Fit for a pontiff: How the US Embassy to the Holy See prepared to host Pope Leo for a special July 4 celebration

The evening marked a historic visit to the U.S. ambassador’s residence as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary.

McKenna Snow

July 7, 2026

When Pope Leo XIV accepted an invitation from the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See to celebrate the Fourth of July with a special dinner, a significant amount of effort went into making the occasion impeccable and memorable.

The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See posted a video to social media this week offering a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations that took place ahead of the July 4 occasion, saying dedicated teamwork was required.

“Hosting a July 4th dinner for the Holy Father doesn't happen by accident,” the embassy stated. “Behind every perfectly set table, every carefully prepared dish, and every seamless moment of the evening stood a dedicated team at Villa Richardson who spent weeks planning, preparing, and perfecting every detail. A huge thanks to our wonderful team!”

U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch and his family welcomed Pope Leo the afternoon of July 4 at the ambassador’s residence in Rome, as Zeale News reported that day with exclusive comments from Burch.

>> Exclusive | Pope Leo XIV marks Fourth of July with historic visit to US ambassador’s residence in Rome <<

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The pope urges an end to Iran conflict

01-03-2026 02:50 PM

Ammon News -Pope Leo XIV said Sunday he was “profoundly concerned” about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and urged both sides to “stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss.”

In the first reaction to the attacks, the American pope called for the resumption of diplomacy and a “reasonable, authentic and responsible” dialogue based on justice. Weapons, he said, only sow “destruction, pain and death.”

“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I make a heartfelt appeal to the parties involved to assume their moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” Leo said.

AP

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How Vatican diplomats tried to resolve the Trump-Maduro standoff

by Kevin Clarke

January 16, 2026

Pope Leo XIV greets Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, during a meeting at the Vatican with priests who staff nunciatures and other Vatican diplomatic missions around the world Nov. 17, 2025. Credit: CNS photo/Vatican Media



American Catholics may have been surprised to learn through a report in The Washington Post of the significant involvement of Vatican diplomats in negotiations to resolve the standoff between the Trump administration and the Maduro government in Venezuela.

While the rest of the Catholic world enjoyed its Christmas Eve, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin was meeting with Brian Burch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, discussing a deal that would allow Venezuela’s President Nicholás Maduro to escape to a comfortable exile in Russia before shots might be fired. Vatican officials in the end were unable to persuade Mr. Maduro to accept that option before his defenestration by U.S. Special Forces on Jan. 3.

Veteran Vatican journalist Victor Gaetan was less surprised by The Post’s account of the frenetic last-minute diplomacy aimed at the peaceful removal of Mr. Maduro. Mr. Gaetan is the author of God’s Diplomats: Pope Francis, Vatican Diplomacy and America’s Armageddon.

He saw in it a familiar example of the Vatican’s engaged and patient diplomacy—though this account offered a few surprises. Among those, Mr. Gaetan was impressed by the apparent reach of Vatican officials into Vladimir Putin’s inner circle in Moscow.

The Vatican’s cautious approach to Venezuela, explained

Inés San Martín | Crux Now
Jan 15, 2026

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A man becomes emotional as people in Madrid celebrate Jan. 3 in reaction to the news that the U.S. had captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro. (OSV News/Violeta Santos Moura)


As of Jan. 3, nearly 8 million Venezuelans forced to live outside their country were joined by Nicolás Maduro, the man whose policies and crimes led them to diaspora. The news of his seizure by U.S. military forces and that of his wife, Cilia Flores, to face drug-related charges in New York may be the biggest event in Latin America in decades.

Venezuela has spent the better part of the last decade in an informal state of collapse, with “elections” that settle almost nothing, armed actors and foreign patrons operating in the shadows; and a humanitarian emergency so vast it has reshaped an entire continent.

To some, the cautious response so far from Catholic leadership in Venezuela and Pope Leo XIV may come across as weak. But in reality, it reflects a hard-learned understanding that words are not cost-free in a country where power is enforced not through law, but through fear, surveillance, and unlawful imprisonment.

With that in mind, here are a few thoughts.

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Georgetown University's influence on American geopolitics and diplomacy

Georgetown University, particularly its Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS), holds a significant role in shaping American foreign policy and diplomacy through several avenues:

• Educating Future Leaders: SFS is consistently ranked among the world's best international relations programs. It serves as a training ground for future American diplomats and policymakers, influencing U.S. foreign affairs through the expertise and perspectives of its graduates. The curriculum emphasizes an integrated course of study combining the technical aspects of international affairs with a liberal education and moral values, according to Georgetown University.
• A Network of Influence: Georgetown boasts a deep and influential alumni network in international affairs and public policy, according to the School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University. This network includes high-ranking figures in the U.S. government, such as:

Seven current U.S. Senators.

Seventeen current U.S. House of Representatives members.

Over 75 former U.S. ambassadors.

Two-term U.S. President Bill Clinton.This extensive network facilitates connections and allows for the exchange of ideas and perspectives between the university, its alumni, and policymakers in the U.S. government and foreign service corps.

• Convening Power of Washington, DC: Situated in Washington, D.C., Georgetown benefits from its proximity to the centers of American power. This location enables faculty to engage with both the theoretical and practical aspects of foreign policy, while students gain valuable experience through internships and interactions with leading practitioners.
• Research and Think Tanks: Georgetown's Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) conducts significant research on international affairs, providing analysis that informs policy discussions. Additionally, many think tanks that play a vital role in shaping U.S. foreign policy have strong ties to Georgetown, such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which was originally founded as part of the university. These institutions generate new ideas, assess existing policies, and provide expert analysis to policymakers. 

While Georgetown's influence is evident, it's important to recognize that it does not solely dictate American foreign policy. Numerous factors contribute to the formulation of U.S. foreign policy, including other universities, think tanks, government agencies, and societal pressures. Think tanks, for example, play a vital role in shaping U.S. foreign policy by providing research, analysis, and expert opinion to policymakers, according to Number Analytics. The extent to which these institutions shape official policy is debatable, but their ideas and research often influence government decisions and priorities. 

References:

https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/research/

https://sfs.georgetown.edu/georgetown-ranks-1-in-foreign-policy-2024-rankings/

https://sfs.georgetown.edu/our-people/alumni-network/prominent-alumni/

https://www.numberanalytics.com/blog/think-tanks-shaping-u-s-diplomacy

https://sfs.georgetown.edu/georgetown-ranks-1-in-foreign-policy-2024-rankings/

https://sfs.georgetown.edu/our-people/alumni-network/prominent-alumni/