Admission to the Holy See's Foreign Service & Papal Diplomatic Training
Admission to the Holy See's Foreign Service & Papal Diplomatic Training
What is required for Catholic priests to join the Holy See's Foreign Service?
Roman Catholic priests are selected for training and service in the Holy See's pontifical ecclesiastical foreign service by the Office of the Papal Secretariat of State. Catholic priests receive their professional formation and training as papal diplomatic representatives at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, located in the Piazza Minerva in Rome, Italy.
Please refer to the Vatican's official website on the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy [Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Piazza della Minerva, 74 - 00186 Rome, Italy Tel (+39)06688201; this website may be found at: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdeccles/index.htm]
Also, should you wish further information you may want to acquire a copy of the November 2009 book, Vatican Diplomacy at the United Nations: A History of Global Engagement by Roman Melnyck. Since this book is somewhat expensive and may cost over $100 US Dollars, you may also want to look for used paperpack copies of the 1996 book, Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church by Rev. Thomas Reese, S.J. Both books include a section detailing the training of papal diplomats (you can find used paperback versions of this book for a few dollars on amazon.com and other websites that sell books).
Otherwise you may wish to write the apostolic nuncio in your country for further advice (you will find him listed in the current edition of the Vatican's annual yearbook the Annuario Pontificio, or you may write the Papal Secretariat of State, Archbishop Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and his staff directly by addressing a letter to:
H.E. Archbishop Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
Papal Secretariat of State
Apostolic Palace
State of Vatican City
Rome, Italy 00120
Regarding Professional Vatican/Holy See Diplomatic Training for Catholic Women & Laity
There are currently no official or formal training programs for the training of Catholic women or laymen for service in the professional pontifical ecclesiastical foreign service and diplomatic apostolate of the Universal Church of Rome, but the Institute along with The Vatican Diplomacy Women's Task Force and the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Diplomatic Apostolate of Women & The Laity (both entities founded and under the direction of the undersigned) is trying to establish a Vatican School of Pontifical Ecclesiastical Law & Diplomacy for Catholic Women and Lay men. Please keep our endeavors in your prayers, and thank you for visiting the Vatican Diplomacy website.