How the Pope Became a Diplomatic Ninja

Pope Francis and the Vatican played a key role in brokering the historic resumption of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States. This was high diplomacy, Vatican style. Father Thomas Reese of the National Catholic Reporter walks through the play-by-play that lead to the Pope playing a central role in the USA-Cuba deal. He also discusses the Vatican’s robust history of diplomacy and the unique role of the Vatican’s veritable clerical army of skilled diplomats. It’s a fascinating discussion about the Vatican’s specific role in the Cuba-USA detente and the international relations of the Holy See.