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Pope Leo XIV Appoints Romanian Diplomat to Council of Europe
Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV has appointed Romanian diplomat Monsignor Paul Butnaru as the Holy See's new permanent observer to the Council of Europe, a move that underscores the Vatican's ongoing commitment to human rights and migrant issues.
The Council of Europe, founded in 1949, is Europe's leading human rights organization, dedicated to upholding democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across the continent.
The appointment follows Pope Francis's 2014 visit to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, where he called for a more humane response to migrants and criticized the Mediterranean's role as a 'vast cemetery' for those attempting to cross.
Pope Leo XIV echoed similar concerns during his visit to Spain in June 2026, emphasizing the need for a 'culture of negotiation' to address social issues and calling for an 'examination of conscience' regarding migrant deaths.
The Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with the Council of Europe, which was established in 1970, despite not being a full member due to its non-state status.
Pope Leo XIV's appointment of Monsignor Butnaru reflects the Vatican's continued engagement with international bodies to promote human rights and address pressing social issues.
Monsignor Butnaru's role as the Holy See's permanent observer will involve advocating for the Vatican's positions on human rights, migration, and other key issues within the Council of Europe.
The Pope's upcoming four-day Apostolic Journey to France, which includes visits to Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes, and Metz, highlights his ongoing efforts to engage with global leaders and address critical social and religious issues.
During his visit to France, Pope Leo XIV will also address representatives of the authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps, as well as meet with survivors of sexual abuse by priests and other Catholic personnel.
The Pope's itinerary includes a visit to the headquarters of UNESCO, where he is expected to address issues including artificial intelligence, further demonstrating the Vatican's broad engagement with global challenges.
What this adds
The Vatican's appointment of Monsignor Butnaru as permanent observer to the Council of Europe is a continuation of the Holy See's diplomatic efforts to address human rights and migration issues.
What's confirmed
- PARIS (AP) — Pope Leo XIV, during his four-day visit to France beginning Friday, will meet privately with seven survivors of sexual abuse by priests and other Catholic personnel.
- Some survivors’ groups have criticized the decision to select individuals rather than representatives of established organizations.
What's still developing
- Pope Francis addresses the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, on Nov. 25, 2014. | Credit: Alan Holdren/CNA “We cannot allow the Mediterranean to become a vast cemetery. The boats landing daily on the shores of Europe are filled with men and women who need acceptance and assistance,” Francis said.
- Criticizing the number of deaths resulting from the mass drownings of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Southern Europe, Francis warned the council in his address not to betray their mission by ignoring the suffering of these migrants.
- In the afternoon, the Pope will celebrate Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, and seminarians at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
- On Saturday morning, Pope Leo will visit the Maison Bakhita Centre for Social Support and Integration before meeting members of the Provincial Synodal Assembly, catechumens and newly baptized Catholics at the Institut Catholique de Paris.
- Later that afternoon, the Pope will fly from Paris to Lourdes, arriving in the evening.
- Pope Leo will spend Sunday at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, one of the world’s most prominent Catholic pilgrimage destinations.
- The Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe rejoiced with the Church as Pope Leo XIV announced the appointment of Br.
- The Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao was founded on March 11, 2008, by Pope Benedict XVI.
- This was the fourth of the synodal style encounters that were inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti,” published in October 2020.
- The encounters were started by the churches of Latin America and the Caribbean in Bogotá, Colombia in 2022, and developed significantly thanks to the coordination of the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for Latin America and its secretary, Emilce Cuda, an Argentine theologian whom Pope Francis appointed to the post in February 2022.
- Asked by America for her take on this encounter, Ms. Shuler said: “To me, it is incredibly impressive to see the power that the church has to convene. I mean, you would normally not have people in a room like we have [at this event] without the personal intervention of leaders in the church saying, ‘We need you here.’” Indeed, the “voiceless people” also had their input at this meeting, as Francis as pope and Cardinal Prevost (now Leo XIV)—who as president of the Pontifical Commission of Latin America gave the green light for this meeting—had wanted.
- At a time of ever-increasing polarization and conflict in the world, Pope Leo XIV called for developing social dialogue through “a healthy ‘culture of negotiation’ which is capable of opening paths where differences seem to close off every possibility of encounter.” He underlined the importance of this “culture of negotiation” in his address in the Vatican’s Consistorial Hall on Sept.