Pope Francis was presented with Joseph Donnelly’s credential letters at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace earlier this week. Donnelly is the new US Ambassador to the Holy See.
Donnelly was nominated to serve as the 12th US Ambassador to the Holy See in October and he was confirmed by the US Senate in January of this year.
According to Vatican News, Donnelly’s priority will be to liaise diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the United States government. The two have shared diplomatic ties since 1984 when President Ronald Reagan was in office and Pope John Paul II led the Roman Catholic Church.
Through a statement released by the US embassy in Rome, Donnelly said, “My family and I are proud to be members of the Catholic faith, and through my years of public service, the Church has been a core part of my life and my values.”
“As US Ambassador to the Holy See, I will do all I can to ensure that the United States and the Vatican work together to advance human rights and dignity,” the ambassador continued.
Donnelly has previously served as a member of the US House of Representatives from 2007 to 2013. He represented the 2nd Congressional District of Indiana. The Ambassador also served as the United States Senator from Indiana from 2013 to 2019.