If you had ever asked me what role papal diplomacy plays in international politics, I would have said, "none." I never gave it a thought. However, thinking about it, I would still respond with "none." Why would a political entity pay attention to a religious entity?
Out of respect, a political entity might listen, or pretend to listen, but what affect would religion have on a political situation? Both Pope Francis, and now, Leo XIV, have urged peace in the war-torn countries of Ukraine and Gaza. Their pleas are ignored. So what use is papal diplomacy?
After reading The Cross and the Flag by Father John Tanyi Nouah Lebui, I am reconsidering my opinion. Father John Tanyi is my parish priest. He wrote The Cross and the Flag. He has taught in universities and is a scholar of international relations and diplomacy.
The first reason to reconsider is that the Catholic religion is the world's largest religion. Many if not most countries have Catholics in them. They pay attention to their pope. Church teachings affect their followers, and their followers vote and act in other ways that affect their actions.
Think of the example of Poland in 1970's food riots, the overthrowing of their government, and the Solidarity movement. Think of the anti-abortion movement in the USA.
But not all countries have a majority of Catholics. Still. The papacy is an important moral voice. The pope has spoken to the UN. Encyclicals are read and studied. Even if a political entity doesn't follow papal teachings, it would hear and feel international criticism. In today's globalized and internet news alerted world, opinions matter. What sets what the pope says apart, is the fact, that it has no agenda, outside of what's best for humanity. The pope is a moral voice--a conscience.
Now if you asked me what role papal diplomacy plays in international politics, I'd say that it plays a necessary and important part. In fact, if you want to know what was going on in any country, anywhere, forget asking that countries' politicians. Ask the parish priests. The priests know their people. Their bishops know their priests. And their pope knows both. A shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep know their shepherd.
