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 40th Anniversary of US Relations with the Vatican State Date Issued: 09/16/2024 Value: € 2.45 Perforations: 11.5 Scott #: 1866 On September 19, 2024 the Vatican issued a commemorative stamp for the 40 years of accredited Ambassadorial level relationship between the United States and the Vatican State. The stamp shows the seal of both countries encircled by colored ribbons – Red, White and Blue for the US and White and Yellow for the Vatican State. Though formal recognition at the highest level was recognized in 1984, some levels of diplomatic relations have existed since 1797. Though we can speak of lower-level diplomatic relationships, i.e. Minister Resident, Consulate and Envoys, these relationships made a significant impact in world affairs. Because of business commerce between the US and the Papal States, President John Adams, once a strong opponent of any relations with the Papacy, appointed Giovanni Sartori as the first consular representative of the US to the Papal States. His office was in Rome. In 1788 Pope Pius VI requested that Benjamin Franklin ask President George Washington if the Pope could name a bishop in the US. Washington told Franklin that the Pope “can appoint any bishop he wants for the United States, since that was what the revolution in the colonies was all about – freedom, to include religious freedom”. The Pope upon getting the message elevated Jesuit Father John Carroll to become the first American bishop. Baltimore was chosen as the First See as Maryland had the largest Catholic population. The sentiment among many of the US populists was that any relationship with the Papacy was at odds with the concept of the separation of Church and State. To his credit, President George Washington sent a letter to each denomination in the nation telling them that religious freedom and protection will always be a hallmark in America. Since the founding of the US, Catholicism was tolerated, but the idea of giving loyalty to a foreign theocracy was always troubling. The Papacy claimed neutrality during the Civil War, but Pope Pius IX made a blunder by corresponding directly by letter with Jefferson Davis. Also, coincidently, John Surratt (and allegedly his mother Mary Surratt) was a co-conspirator with John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of Lincoln. The Surratt family was Catholic. To complicate the situation John Surratt was later discovered serving in the Vatican’s service of soldiers. With the accumulation of these situations along with other events, in 1867 diplomatic relations at the consular level broke off between the Papacy and the US. Also, the Papacy had its own problems with the fighting over the unification of Italy (Risorgimento). Between 1867 and 1984, by US law there was no official diplomatic relationship between the Holy See and the US. The law basically was done by cutting off all funding for a consular office. However, at the same time many US Presidents appointed personal envoys for formal discussions. Between 1900 and 1915 more than 15 million immigrants came to America. Many identified as Catholic and Jewish. As to be expected, social tensions, stereotyping and violence occurred. An example of the tension was the violence between the Ku Klux Klan and the student body of Notre Dame in 1924. This year was the 100th anniversary of that clash. The law of the land regarding diplomatic relations was not in the cards to be changed for some time. But, with World War II President Roosevelt knew that relations with the Papacy was of importance on many fronts for intelligence gathering. The Papacy had missionaries and diplomats on the ground level in Germany, France, Italy, Russia and other theaters during World War II. President Roosevelt appointed Myron Charles Taylor as an envoy from 1939-1950. Serving under Taylor was Harold H. Tittman, Jr., charge d’affaires. The US declared war with Italy on December 11, 1941. Tittman lived in a Vatican City apartment with his family from 1941-1944. After World War II the next confrontation was the fear of Communism in Europe. The Vatican along with the US become the bulwark against Communism moving forward into Western Europe and other countries. It was in the Cold War that Cardinal Spellman (1889-1967) became a linchpin and adviser to US Presidents. Massimo Franco, in his book “Parallel Empires”, states that “It is hard to determine whether Spellman was the Vatican’s man in Washington, or Washington’s man in the Vatican”. Since Vietnam had a significant Catholic population, Spellman was also influential in US policy regarding Vietnam. He was a dedicated anti-Communist. On January 10, 1984 President Reagan fully recognized the Vatican State and appointed William A. Wilson as ambassador. The Vatican was fully recognized as a nation. Nicholas D. Sawicki and Kenneth Hacket in their article, “Explainer: The (complicated) history of U. S. ambassadors to the Vatican”, give three reasons why it is of importance for the US and the Vatican to have full Diplomatic and Consular Relations: 1) “Though there are no direct military or economic considerations that benefit one side over the other; the major benefit is relational. The Holy See has representatives in nearly every country, including several where the United States does not; and the Vatican maintains an extensive network of on-the-ground information providers. The Holy See’s diplomatic corps is well-trained and well-informed.” Examples of this iinclude the Vatican’s awareness of happenings in the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America, and Oceania. A true worldwide network exists. 2) “There are a number of overlapping policy concerns. Care for our planet, religious freedom and anti-human trafficking efforts are important areas of common ground. That is not to say that there are not areas of significant policy divergence – issues like the death penalty, nuclear proliferation and abortion.” 3) “There is a greater sense of moral authority on the global stage when the US takes actions in concert with the Holy See.” An example of a disharmony of the Vatican with US policy was the Iraqi War. An example of the Vatican’s soft diplomacy was the naming by Pope Francis of Cardinal Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna, as a special envoy in June, 2023. Over the past few years Cardinal Zuppi has visited Moscow twice. One of the visits included a meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Krill along with other high level foreign relation members of the Russian government. He has also met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, President Biden, and had a meeting in Beijing with high level foreign relation members of Chinese’s government. The current Secretary of State for the Vatican is Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The Vatican maintains an observer state status at the United Nations. References: |
