Pope Francis requires a year of missionary work for future Vatican diplomatic priests

The pope asked for the change to take effect for the 2020/2021 academic year. He asked for the curriculum to be updated in a letter to the president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Mgr. Joseph Marino.

In order to face “the growing challenges for the Church and for the world, future diplomats of the Holy See must acquire, in addition to the solid priestly and pastoral formation, and the specific one offered by this Academy, also a personal mission experience outside the own Diocese of origin, "wrote Francis.

It is an opportunity for priests to share "with the missionary churches a period of travel together with their community, participating in their daily evangelizing activity," he added.

The pope noted in his letter, signed on February 11, that he had expressed for the first time the desire that the formation of diplomatic priests included a missionary year at the end of the Amazonian synod in 2019.

"I am convinced that this experience will be useful to all young people who prepare or begin priestly service," he said, "but in particular to those who in the future will be called to collaborate with the Pontifical Representatives and, subsequently, may in turn become envoys of the Holy See for particular nations and churches. "

The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy is a training academy for priests from around the world who may be asked to join the diplomatic corps of the Holy See.

In addition to studying theology and canon law at the pontifical universities of Rome, students learn topics and skills relevant for diplomatic work, such as languages, international diplomacy and diplomatic history.

American bishop Joseph Marino has been president since October 2019. Since 1988 he has been in the diplomatic service of the Holy See.

The pope said that the implementation of the missionary year will require cooperation with the Secretariat of State, in particular with the section dedicated to diplomatic staff.

He added that, "having overcome the initial concerns that may arise", it is certain that the experience "will be useful not only to young academics, but also to the individual churches with which they will collaborate".

Francis also said that he hopes that he will inspire other priests to volunteer for a mission period outside his diocese.