Pope Leo XIV says "Our diplomacy, in fact, is born from the Gospel: it is not tactics, but thoughtful charity; it seeks neither winners nor losers..." FULL TEXT Letter to Pontifical Academy

Pope Leo XIV sent a letter for the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy as it celebrates its 325th anniversary.  In 1701, Pope Clement XI created the institution that today bears the name “Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.” The Academy trains priests to serve in the Holy See’s diplomatic corps and the Secretariat of State, and its alumni include Popes Clement XIII, Leo XII, Leo XIII, Benedict XV, and Paul VI. As the Pontficial Ecclesiastical Academy celebrates its 325th anniversary, Pope Leo XIV sent a letter to the institution’s community, thanking God for its long and fruitful history in service of the Pope.

FULL TEXT LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER POPE LEO XIV

TO THE COMMUNITY OF THE
PONTIFICAL ECCLESIASTICAL ACADEMY
On the occasion of the 325th anniversary of its foundation, together with you, I give thanks to the Lord for the long and fruitful history of this praiseworthy Institution placed at the service of the Successor of Peter.

In 1701, by the will of Pope Clement XI , a very meritorious mission began, the spirit of which was preserved and its growth guided by many of my predecessors, accompanying its developments in light of the needs that the Church and diplomacy have manifested over the centuries. In more recent years, Pope Francis , with the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium, confirmed the Academy's placement within the structure of the Secretariat of State , placing it in connection with the Section for Diplomatic Personnel of the Holy See; then, with the Chirograph The Petrine Ministry , of 25 March 2025, he qualified it as an advanced centre for higher academic training and research in Diplomatic Sciences , as a direct instrument of the diplomatic action of the Holy See.

These latest reforms demonstrate the goal of offering a curriculum that, with a solid scientific foundation, integrates legal, historical, political, economic, and linguistic skills and combines them with the human and priestly qualities of young priests. I thank the Superiors and Students of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy for the journey of communion and renewal undertaken in a spirit of faith and openness, embracing change without forgetting our roots.

I hope this auspicious anniversary inspires in our students a renewed commitment to persevere in their educational journey, remembering that diplomatic service is not a profession, but a pastoral vocation: it is the evangelical art of encounter, seeking paths of reconciliation where people raise walls and mistrust. Our diplomacy, in fact, is born from the Gospel: it is not tactics, but thoughtful charity; it seeks neither winners nor losers, it does not build barriers, but rebuilds authentic bonds.

To build this communion, every word spoken must be preceded by listening: listening to God and listening to the little ones, to those whose voices often go unheard. The Pope's diplomats are called to be bridges: invisible bridges of support, solid bridges when events seem unstoppable, and bridges of hope when goodness falters.

Imitating Saint Anthony Abbot, your patron, who transformed the silence of the desert into fruitful dialogue with God, be priests of profound spirituality, drawing from prayer the strength to encounter others. And as your gaze opens to the mission that awaits you, I entrust each of you to Mary, Mother of the Church, that she may watch over you and make you docile to God's will in service to the See of Peter.

With these wishes, I heartily impart my Apostolic Blessing to you and to all who take part in this significant anniversary.

From the Vatican, November 21, 2025

LEO PP. XIV