Blaj, Mihăiţă
Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Iași (Romania) on June 29, 2004, he holds a degree in Theology. He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on July 1, 2012, and was first assigned to the Apostolic Nunciature in Ecuador as Attaché. He subsequently served at the Apostolic Nunciatures in Georgia (2015–2019) and Chad (2019–2022), before being transferred to the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State in January 2022.
In addition to Romanian, he speaks Italian, French, English, Spanish, and German. On November 19, 2025, Pope Leo XIV appointed him Undersecretary of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Secretariat of State.
Chabi, Kolawole Osa
An Augustinian friar of the Province of Nigeria, born in Kilibo, Benin, he obtained a Master’s degree in Systemic Functional Linguistics from the University of Abomey-Calavi (Benin) in 2004. After making his religious profession in the Order of Saint Augustine (Jos, Nigeria, 2008), he pursued theological studies at the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome, where he specialized and earned a PhD in Theology and Patristic Sciences in 2017.
He served as Librarian of the Augustinianum from 2016 to 2023, while also holding the position of Assistant Professor. Since 2023, he has been a tenured (stable) Professor, teaching courses dedicated to the thought of Saint Augustine. Since 2024, he has held the office of Academic Quality at the Institute.
He also collaborates as a Visiting Professor with the Accademia Alfonsiana (Rome). He is a member of several scientific committees, including that of the T&T Clark Studies in Historical Theology series (eds. Brian C. Brewer, Joel Elowsky)
Colina, Jesús
Jesús Colina is a Spanish journalist and editor specializing in religious affairs, with decades of experience covering the life of the Church from Rome. Born in Miranda de Ebro in 1969, he has established himself as a leading voice in international Catholic media.
Colina is the founder of the news agency ZENIT and currently serves as president and editorial director of Aleteia, a global online network dedicated to news and evangelization. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to numerous international publications, including Avvenire and the National Catholic Register, and has served as Rome correspondent for Alfa y Omega, the weekly supplement of the Spanish newspaper ABC.
In 2007, he was appointed consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications by Pope Benedict XVI. His work in Catholic journalism has been widely recognized, including the Servitor Pacis Award at the United Nations in New York (2006) and the “Bravo!” Award from the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (2018).
He is the author of 'Pope XIV,' published by OSV, the first book published in English about the new pontiff. Through his work, Colina has consistently contributed to shaping the global conversation on the Church, media, and contemporary society.
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D'Souza, Richard
Rev. Fr. Richard D’Souza SJ, originally hails from Goa, India. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1996, and finished his two years novitiate in Belgaum, India. This was followed by a year of study of Humanities in Pune. In 2002, he completed his graduation in Physics at St. Xaviers’ college in Mumbai and proceeded for his Masters in Physics to the University of Heidelberg, where he worked at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy for his thesis work. He returned to Pune in 2005 to complete a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy. In 2007, he founded and ran the St. Paul’s Community College in Belgaum to help school dropouts find gainful employment. After finishing his Bachelors in Theology in 2011 in Pune, he returned to Goa and ran a popular theology programme for the laity called “Deepen Your Faith”. In 2012, he started his doctoral studies in Astronomy at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, in Garching, Munich, graduating in 2016. In 2016, he joined the staff of the Vatican Observatory. He completed a postdoctoral research program at the University of Michigan from 2016 to 2019. In 2019, he transferred to the headquarters of the Vatican Observatory in Rome. He currently serves as the Director of the Specola Vaticana both at Castel Gandolfo and at Tucson, Arizona.
Estévez de Cominges, Benjamín
Dr. Benjamín Estévez de Cominges was born in Vigo, Spain, on 15 April 1974. He obtained a Master of Science in management from the Sloan School of Management of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States of America, and graduated in higher engineering from the Universidade de Vigo and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, both in Economía and then in Administración y Dirección de Empresas from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Spain. He was director general for economic affairs of the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Spain. Since 17 December 2021 he has served as delegate for the administration of the Dicastery for Evangelization in the Section for first evangelization and the new particular Churches. In February 2024, The Holy Father appointed him Secretary General of the Secretariat for the Economy.
Lev, Elizabeth
Dr Elizabeth Lev holds degrees in art history from the University of Chicago and the University of Bologna and teaches art history at University of Mary’s Rome campus and the Pontifical University of Thomas Aquinas. She is a well-known tour guide and has served as a consultant to the Vatican Museums for their art and faith itineraries, projects with the Vatican Patrons of the Arts, and wrote “Vatican Treasures: The Via Pulchritudinis,” a film presented to Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.
Lev’s books include The Tigress of Forlì and How Catholic Art Saved the Faith, and she has written for many news outlets, including The Washington Post and First Things. She worked as a Vatican analyst for MSNBC for three conclaves, and has appeared on the Today Show, Nightline, and 60 Minutes and her TED Talk on the Sistine Chapel has garnered over 1.9 million views. She is the owner and founder of LizLevTours and Masters’ Gallery Rome, and lives in Rome with her husband, Thomas Williams, and their son Joshua and is a certified sommelier.
Mares, Courtney
Courtney Mares is the inaugural Vatican Editor for OSV News, appointed in January 2026 and based in Rome, where she leads expanded coverage of the Vatican and global Catholic affairs. A graduate of Harvard University, she has spent nearly a decade reporting on the Vatican, Pope Francis, and international religious freedom, working from bureaus across three continents.
Mares is the author of Blessed Carlo Acutis: A Saint in Sneakers (Ignatius Press, 2023), a biography examining the life and legacy of the first millennial saint. Her journalism has focused particularly on Vatican diplomacy, global Catholic news, and issues of religious freedom. She is also a recipient of the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees.
McCulloch, Robert
Fr Robert McCulloch, MA History (Washington D.C), PhD Liturgy (Rome), is an Australian priest and a member of the Missionary Society of St Columban. He worked in Pakistan for 34 years, firstly in rural Punjab and with semi-nomadic tribal people in the Thar Desert in interior Sindh, and then in Karachi as academic dean and lecturer at the National Catholic Institute of Theology. Since 2001 he has continued to lead St Elizabeth Hospital Hyderabad Sindh which specializes in Mother and Child care and has pioneered in providing free home-based palliative care for terminally-ill cancer patients, a mobile medical outreach program which gives free healthcare to more than 50,000 critically poor people annually, and in 2026 opened a free palliative care day centre which is the first in Pakistan. In 2007 Fr McCulloch opened two specialized educational centres in Hyderabad which continue to enable Christian boys and young men to overcome the barriers of religious discrimination through high academic achievement. He is board chairman of St Elizabeth College of Nursing which is attached to St Elizabeth Hospital and includes a School of Midwifery, an Institute of Allied Health Sciences, and B.Sc.Nursing. The President of Pakistan awarded Fr McCulloch the Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam for his services to Pakistan in healthcare, education and religious harmony. Fr McCulloch is also chairman of the translation committee of the Pakistan Episcopal Conference for the translation of official texts of the Catholic Church into Urdu whose most recent works include the complete Urdu translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church [2013] and the Roman Missal [2025]. Fr McCulloch now resides in Rome where he is a Consultor to the Dicastery for Divine Worship and has a special commitment to ecumenism. He regularly returns to Pakistan.
Noronha, John and Ashley
John and Ashley Noronha are Catholic educators, speakers, media contributors, and founders of the Truth & Beauty Project, a Rome-based nonprofit dedicated to helping people encounter faith through beauty and lived experience.
For nearly two decades, they have lived and worked in Rome, designing immersive formation experiences that integrate Scripture, theology, philosophy, sacred art, history, and culture in the heart of the Church. Through bespoke TBP Immersions, they serve leaders, executive teams, professional groups, and young adults from around the world.
John teaches theology, sacred art and architecture, and technology at pontifical universities, while Ashley teaches communications and leadership and is the Rome Correspondent for Relevant Radio and the host of the video series, The Vatican Today. Together, they are passionate about helping people develop a solid Christian worldview and become intentional disciples whose faith shapes every aspect of life.
Nwachukwu, Fortunatus
Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu was born in 1960 in Nigeria. in 1984 he obtained the Baccalaureate in Theology summa cum laude and received priestly ordination in 1984 by the imposition of the hands of Anthony Gogo Nwedo, Bishop of Umuahia. In 1990 he gained a licentiate degree and completed the defense for his doctorate in sacred scriptures at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. Between 1991 and 1992 he did specialisation studies in textual criticism of the Old Testament at the Jesuit Faculty, Sankt Georgen, Frankfurt, Germany. He was a student of the Pontifical Diplomatic Academy in 1992-1994. In 1994 he gained a doctorate in Theology and entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See. Two years later, he gained a doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical University of San Tommaso d'Aquino Angelicum. After working in Rome in the second section of the Secretariat of State, and serving for five years as the Head of Protocols, he was consecrated Bishop in 2013 by Pope Benedict XVI. After serving as apostolic nuncio in Nicaragua, Trinidad and Tobago and the Antilles (2012-2021), in 2021 Pope Francis appointed him Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva and to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Representative of the Holy See to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). In 2023 Pope Francis appointed him Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches. He speaks several languages including English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, modern Hebrew, as well as Arabic.
O'Callaghan, Paul
Fr. Paul O’Callaghan studied electronic engineering at University College, Dublin (1977-79) and was ordained a priest in 1982. He is currently Professor of Theological Anthropology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, where he was also Academic Vice-Rector (1998-2000), Dean of Theology (2000-2008) and Director of the Centre for Priestly Formation (2017-2020). He is also a member of the Governing Board of the Pontifical Academy of Theology. At present he is Procurator of the Prelature of Opus Dei. Among recent publications: Faith Challenges Culture. A Reflection on the Dynamics of Modernity, Rowman & Littlefield 2021 and God’s Gift of the Universe. An Introduction to Creation Theology, Catholic University of America Press 2022.
Petrosillo, Marta
Marta Petrosillo is an Italian professional journalist and expert on freedom of religion or belief. She began her journalistic career in 2002, covering the Holy See, international cooperation, migration and humanitarian affairs.
From 2011 to 2020, she served as spokesperson and Head of Communications for Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Italy, working closely with Church leaders and local communities across many of the 150 countries where ACN operates. During this period, she developed particular expertise on religious freedom and the situation of Christians and other religious minorities, becoming a regular speaker at conferences and media programmes on these issues. Between 2015 and 2020, she was a member of the International Editorial Committee of ACN’s Religious Freedom in the World Report. From 2014 to 2020, she also served as Vatican correspondent for the Dutch Catholic weekly Katholiek Nieuwsblad.
From 2020 to 2024, Petrosillo was Director of Communications, Public Relations and Fundraising at Caritas Internationalis, the confederation of 162 national Caritas organisations, where she led global communication strategies and coordinated communications during major international crises.
Since April 2024, she has been Director of the Centre for Studies on Religious Freedom at ACN International and Editor-in-Chief of the Religious Freedom in the World Report, a global study covering 196 countries. Her work focuses on research and international awareness-raising on freedom of religion or belief worldwide.
Pitt, Keith
His Excellency, The Hon Keith Pitt is an Australian diplomat and former politician. He was designated Australian Ambassador to the Holy See in February 2025 and presented credentials to Pope Leo XIV in June 2025.
Ambassador Pitt began his career as an electrician before becoming an electrical engineer, a farmer, a business owner and a consultant. He graduated in Electrical Engineering from the Queensland University of Technology, becoming a Registered Professional Engineer in the Australian State of Queensland. He maintains links to sugar cane farming in Bundaberg, his hometown.
Ambassador Pitt served as a Federal Member of Parliament (MP) for the electoral division of Hinkler, from 2013 to 2025. He also held several positions in Government, including Assistant Minister for Trade Tourism and Investment, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister (Agriculture and Infrastructure) and was a member of the Cabinet as Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia.
As a Catholic, Keith values family and community. He is married and has three children. He brings his extensive experience in engineering, agriculture, politics and business to advancing Australia’s interest as Ambassador to the Holy See.
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Puig, Fernando
Rev. Prof. Fernando Puig (b. 1968, Terrassa, Spain) is Rector of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, a position he assumed on 1 October 2024..
He is Full Professor of Church Organization and Government Law at the University’s School of Canon Law. Rev. Prof. Puig holds a PhD in Private Law from the Universities of Barcelona and Girona, as well as doctorates in Canon Law and Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.
His academic research focuses on canon law and the governance of ecclesiastical institutions, including the Roman Curia, synodality, episcopal ministry, and consecrated life. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles and contributions in specialized academic journals on the organization and governance of ecclesial realities and structures.
Sánchez Galera, María Dolores
Born in Spain she gained a Bachelor of Laws (honours) in Public Comparative Law by Glasgow university. PhD cum laude in Environmental Law and Fundamental Rights (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, 2006); LLM (2002). She serves as Senior Research Advisor to the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development at the Holy See. Member of the Council of the Pontifical Academy of Social Science (PASS). She is an associated fellow member of the “Pascual Madoz” Land, Urbanism and Environment Institute at the University Carlos III (Madrid) where she was a visiting professor, and a Marie Curie experienced professor in socio-economic rights and economic regulation (Sustainability, Social Justice, Energy Transition, and Regulatory Issues of Artificial Intelligence) and she has published extensively on these topics. Co-Chair of CES Environmental Research Network. Serving as an IDLO legal officer she oversaw training programs in access to justice in post-conflict areas in anglophone Africa and helped building a Rule of Law Network with the Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law. She has been teaching at the Pontificia Facoltà Teologica “San Bonaventura” Seraphicum. She has collaborated as a freelancer and pro-bono consultant for different Catholic institutions, charity foundations and organizations in educational, social, and environmental justice matters for over two decades. She has at heart the common good, public policies, integral ecology, education issues, integral human development and every interrelated social justice matter. She is a Member of the Scientific Board of the Economy of Francesco.
Sanders, Matthew
Matthew is the Founder and CEO of Longbeard, a technology company focused on building artificial-intelligence tools and digital infrastructure in service of Catholic institutions worldwide. Founded in 2015, Longbeard has worked with organizations including the Holy See and academic institutions to develop digital platforms, websites, and AI systems that expand access to Church teaching and archival resources.
A former infantry officer in the Canadian Forces and later a seminarian, Sanders has specialized in projects at the intersection of faith and emerging technologies, leading the development of initiatives such as Magisterium AI and Vulgate, platforms designed to digitize and make accessible theological and historical materials.
As CEO, he oversees Longbeard’s global collaborations in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and knowledge-management projects aimed at supporting the Church’s educational, pastoral, and research missions, while frequently speaking internationally on the ethical and cultural implications of AI.
Vitillo, Robert J.
Monsignor Robert J. Vitillo is the Secretary General of the International Catholic Migration Commission since June 2016. A national of the United States of America, Msgr. Vitillo is a
trained social worker with a broad expertise in migration and refugee services, child protection, social services, human rights, HIV/AIDS and global health. From 2005 to 2016, he served as Head of Delegation of Caritas Internationalis in Geneva and as Special Advisor on HIV and AIDS.
From 1997 to 2005, Msgr. Vitillo held the position of Executive Director for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. During the 1980’s, as Director of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, he coordinated the resettlement of Southeast Asian, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Haitian and Cuban refugees to the United States and assisted ICMC in the design of cultural
orientation programs for refugees in Bataan, Philippines.
Msgr. Vitillo pursued graduate studies in theology and psychology; he completed a Master of Social Work degree with concentrations in clinical social work and management.
He is a Catholic priest and served in Catholic Church-related charitable agencies at local, national, and global levels.
Vlasic, Mark
Prof. Cav. Mark V. Vlasic is a Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University and a Senior Fellow at Massey College at the University of Toronto. His work focuses on international law, private diplomacy, human rights, cultural heritage, and hostage negotiations. He has advised UNESCO and served at the World Bank Group, where he was the first head of operations of a joint United Nations–World Bank initiative to help recover stolen assets.
He previously served as a White House Fellow and advisor at the U.S. Department of Defense, receiving the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. Earlier in his career, he worked on war crimes prosecutions in The Hague, including cases related to Slobodan Milošević.
He is also an Executive Producer with CBS Studios, and his work inspired the series Blood & Treasure. He has taught judges in Iraq, advised the Clooney Foundation for Justice, and contributed to major media outlets.
He studied at Georgetown University and received his law degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center.
Wang, Stephen
Mgr Stephen Wang is a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Westminster. He is currently Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome – one of the five seminaries serving the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Since his priestly ordination in 1998 he has worked in pastoral ministry in various London parishes, schools, hospitals and prisons. He has been Dean of Theology at Allen Hall Seminary, Visiting Lecturer in Philosophy at St Mary's University and Visiting Lecturer in Theology at Heythrop College. Most recently he worked as Senior University Chaplain at Newman House Student Centre and as Catholic Chaplain at the London School of Economics. He is the author of Aquinas and Sartre, A Way of Life for Young Catholics , How to Discover Your Vocation, The New Evangelisation, and The Christian Faith. His most recent book is Sycamore: The Catholic Faith Explained. He is involved in various evangelisation projects including the Sycamore programme and the Pause for Faith YouTube channel.
Wauck, John
Organizing Committee President, Rev. Prof. John Wauck (USA), a Chicago native, studied history and literature at Harvard University and holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. Prior to ordination, he wrote speeches for the attorney general of the United States and the governor of Pennsylvania. He has written for many publications, including American Scholar, Christian Science Monitor, The New Criterion, Beliefnet, and the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Quarterly. He has also commented on Church affairs for CNN, BBC, ABC, CBS, Associated Press TV, Reuters, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Time magazine, and U.S. News and World Report. Currently he teaches Literature and Communication of the Faith at Santa Croce.