Holy See’s diplomacy stands apart from all other states, witness tells Helsinki Commission
Alexander John Paul Lutz testified before the Helsinki Commission that the Holy See's diplomatic approach is unique compared to other world powers. The hearing examined how the Vatican conducts diplomacy in an era of increasing global polarization and conflict. Lutz contrasted the Holy See's vision with the transactional and bellicose nature of modern political actors. The testimony occurred on the same day President Donald Trump publicly criticized Pope Leo XIV's foreign policy.
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The U.S. Helsinki Commission held a hearing on April 13 2026 to examine how the Holy See conducts diplomacy amid rising global tension. Policy fellow Alexander John Paul Lutz testified that the Vatican’s diplomatic approach is unique because it prioritizes human dignity and the sanctity of life over national interests, and it operates independently of political platforms. The testimony was echoed by Vatican and Catholic media representatives, who highlighted the Holy See’s extensive diplomatic network, its four‑dimensional mission, and its reliance on moral and theological principles such as “just war” theory. The hearing occurred on the same day former President Donald Trump publicly denounced Pope Leo XIV, adding a political backdrop to the discussion.
Lutz emphasized that the Vatican’s diplomacy is grounded in “the protection of the principle of the inviolability of human dignity and the sanctity of life” rather than transactional power politics 1 2. He said the Holy See subjects every policy, including those of the United States, to “intellectual and moral rigor” and insists on speaking truth even at the risk of misunderstanding 1 2.
Victor Gaetan noted that the Holy See maintains bilateral relations with 184 nations and runs 124 nunciatures (embassies) worldwide 1 2. The Pope’s right‑hand, the Secretary of State, is typically a priest‑diplomat whose vows of silence shape a pastoral, discreet style of engagement, allowing meetings even with dictators because “no one is beyond salvation” 1 2.
Gaetan outlined the Vatican’s diplomatic mission as comprising representation, mediation, preservation, and evangelization. He identified mediation as the most crucial element, citing several successful conflict‑resolution efforts by the Holy See 1 2.
Leo XIV’s public calls for peace, including his “Enough of war!” vigil, are framed as theological positions rooted in just war theory, originally articulated by St. Augustine and taught in U.S. military academies 1 2. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a war is just only if it meets criteria of grave evil, proportionality, reasonable chance of success, and exhaustion of non‑violent alternatives 1 2.
On the same day as the hearing, former President Donald Trump labeled Pope Leo XIV “terrible for foreign policy” and claimed responsibility for his election to the papacy via a social‑media post 1 2. Lutz contrasted Trump’s “force, bellicosity, transactionalism” with the Pope’s “different vision” that seeks higher moral authority over power 1 2.
Other briefing participants included former U.S. diplomat Peter G. Martin (U.S. Embassy to the Holy See) and Jackie Aldrette, executive director of humanitarian organization AVSI USA, which operates in 41 countries 1 2.
The hearing underscores the Holy See’s claim to a diplomatic model that transcends conventional state interests, positioning moral authority as a guiding principle in international relations. The contrast with contemporary political rhetoric, exemplified by Trump’s remarks, highlights ongoing tensions between faith‑based diplomacy and real‑politik approaches.
How does the Holy See’s diplomatic practice embody Catholic teachings on human dignity?
The Holy See’s diplomatic practice embodies Catholic teaching on human dignity by (1) grounding diplomacy in the intrinsic, inalienable worth of the person (not in power or advantage), (2) using a style of dialogue, listening, and respect for lawful civil authority, and (3) aiming to defend rights, foster peace through justice, and promote a “humanization” of international life, especially for the vulnerable.
A consistent Catholic principle is that human dignity is infinite/inviolable because every person possesses an intrinsic worth “superior to that of material objects and contingent situations,” and thus must be respected in all circumstances. The Church also insists that the dignity of each human person cannot be subordinated to any external goal: the human person “can never be sacrificed to a national or international political interest.”
This is why the Holy See frames diplomacy as an encounter where the person is the center of analysis and decision. John Paul II states that diplomatic life is “based on ethical principles which put the human person at the centre of analyses and decisions” and recognize “the dignity of every human being and of every people,” each having “an inalienable right to a decent life.”
In short: Catholic human dignity is not a bargaining chip; it is the moral starting-point.
The Holy See’s practice is marked by a specific diplomatic method that reflects Catholic teaching about dignity and truth: dialogue rather than domination, and cooperation without confusion of roles.
Paul VI describes the “special nature” of the Holy See’s diplomatic presence: it involves “no links of a temporal order,” and “no material obligations or advantages, either economic, commercial, military or the like.” The relationship is a “dialogue” and “permanent meeting,” where the themes concern “the rights of religious liberty… the rights of man… justice, and especially peace.”
John Paul II similarly emphasizes that the Holy See’s contacts are “first of all, times of attentive listening,” followed by a “sincere, disinterested cooperation” on issues affecting humanity—peace, justice, the rights of persons, and the common good. This “disinterested” character matters for dignity: it shows that persons and peoples are not treated as means to political ends.
Moreover, John Paul II highlights that the Holy See’s diplomacy must not be judged by the “yardstick of… mere national interest,” because its interventions “spring from spiritual… motives” and are distinct from purely political activity. In Catholic terms, this protects dignity by refusing to let the person be reduced to a unit of power or utility.
Catholic teaching links human dignity to concrete moral duties in public life—especially human rights, religious freedom, and peace rooted in justice.
John Paul II teaches that the values pursued through Holy See diplomacy “coincide with the demands of the dignity of every human person,” including the rights and liberties that are “the very basis of a healthy society,” and the pursuit of true progress through “tolerance, mutual assistance… and therefore of justice and brotherhood.” He also ties diplomacy to the Church’s mission in Gaudium et spes—showing diplomacy as a “particular modality of the Church’s presence in the world.”
He goes further: “Work for peace” must not remain external; it must “affect people’s hearts and appeal to a new awareness of human dignity.” This connects diplomacy’s purpose to an ethical anthropology: when dignity and inalienable rights are respected, injustice and aggression are recognized as moral disorder that harms persons and eventually destabilizes everyone.
The Holy See also treats humanitarian and legal norms as dignity-protecting commitments. John Paul II states that to guarantee security and stability of individuals and peoples, it must be possible to apply “various aspects of humanitarian law… without distinction — even in the area of security — according to the principle of distributive justice.” Dignity here implies both moral priority and universal application, not selective enforcement.
Finally, the Church warns against a politics without truth: if there is no ultimate truth guiding political activity, ideas and convictions can be “manipulated for reasons of power.” Protecting dignity therefore requires fidelity to moral truth, not merely practical outcomes.
Holy See diplomacy expresses human dignity not only as principle, but as priority for those most at risk.
Pope Leo XIV explicitly connects diplomacy to migrants: “every migrant is a person and, as such, has inalienable rights that must be respected in every situation.” He also warns that actions against criminality and human trafficking must not become a “pretext for undermining the dignity of migrants and refugees.” This shows dignity as a safeguard against treating some people as less than fully human.
John Paul II frames diplomacy as advocacy so that “the voice of the poor is perceived by all as a basic appeal for sharing and solidarity.” He stresses that diplomats should be mindful of peoples oppressed by international systems that overwhelm them, especially where developing countries are harmed. He also calls it “unacceptable” that disparities between continents continue indefinitely for political and economic reasons—another way dignity becomes a moral criterion for international policy.
The Holy See’s diplomacy also relies on the Church’s global communion as an international resource, because the unity between local Churches and the Bishop of Rome is both an ecclesiological principle and a practical “international resource.” In other words, Catholic human dignity is universal, and the Church’s worldwide communion helps the Holy See represent that universality in diplomatic life.
In Catholic terms, the Holy See’s diplomacy embodies human dignity by treating every person as possessing inalienable worth, by practicing dialogue and listening without material bargaining, and by pursuing rights, justice, and peace—especially for migrants, refugees, the poor, and those whose dignity is threatened by political or economic interests.