Iran War

[Sheilbh]

I believe this applies, no?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_infallibility

https://www.catholic.com/qa/are-canonizations-infallible

Pope John Paul II canonized the Opus Dei founder, to undo this would mean that a previous pope failed in his divine duty, was misinformed or otherwise misled, something that can not happen when you represent God on Earth.

It's akin to admitting the divine Augustus made a mistake in not writing a proper constitution with codified rules of succession for his empire.  (because, well, I had to think of Rome, you know...)

Not really anything to do with papal infallibility - canonisation is a decision of the church/magisterium (with a lot of process), not a personal decision of a Pope. I don't think there's anyway to formally revoke canonisation.

I would add of course the wider issue with a critical perspective of JPII is that he is now Saint John Paul II the Great.

[The Minsky Moment]

Yeah.  Else why would the Pentagon summon a Vatican diplomat for a meeting? Foreign policy is conducted by the State department, not DoD.

Normatively yes, but in the Trump admin, anything goes.  No one is really conducting anything, and to the extent something resembling policy exists, it can be driven by anyone that has Trump's ear and attention in the moment, or at least his acquiescence.  Thus, such things like an "advisor" with no official position of any kind acting like a super Prime Minister and destroying entire departments and agencies; the vast expansion of ICE over areas far outside its authority, competence, or jurisdiction; the combination of graft and pseudo-diplomacy carried out by the unaccredited negotiation team of Kushner+Witkoff; the takeover of the US justice system by Trump's criminal defense lawyer; many other examples.  In that context, a takeover of Vatican diplomacy by DoD is no great innovation.

[Norgy]

During the first Trump presidency, there were reports of the US state department being very understaffed. I suppose this trend has continued?

[frunk]

During the first Trump presidency, there were reports of the US state department being very understaffed. I suppose this trend has continued?

This time around everything is understaffed or unstaffed, except ICE which is staffed in the worst way.

[HisMajestyBOB]

During the first Trump presidency, there were reports of the US state department being very understaffed. I suppose this trend has continued?

The State Department is too woke.

[grumbler]

Yeah.  Else why would the Pentagon summon a Vatican diplomat for a meeting? Foreign policy is conducted by the State department, not DoD.

Normatively yes, but in the Trump admin, anything goes.  No one is really conducting anything, and to the extent something resembling policy exists, it can be driven by anyone that has Trump's ear and attention in the moment, or at least his acquiescence.  Thus, such things like an "advisor" with no official position of any kind acting like a super Prime Minister and destroying entire departments and agencies; the vast expansion of ICE over areas far outside its authority, competence, or jurisdiction; the combination of graft and pseudo-diplomacy carried out by the unaccredited negotiation team of Kushner+Witkoff; the takeover of the US justice system by Trump's criminal defense lawyer; many other examples.  In that context, a takeover of Vatican diplomacy by DoD is no great innovation.

My point was that the fact that the envoy was summoned to the Pentagon is evidence that the story of him being hectored and threatened is true. There would be no obvious other purpose to summon him to the Pentagon except to do exactly that.

[Syt]

During the first Trump presidency, there were reports of the US state department being very understaffed. I suppose this trend has continued?

There were several articles on the topic when Iran started, like this one:

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2026-03-19/state-department-cut-jobs-with-deep-expertise-in-middle-east-as-iran-crisis-escalates

[...]

• State Department has cut more than 80 staffers in Near Eastern Affairs and eliminated a dedicated Iran office as the region faces escalating conflict with Tehran.
• Over 3,800 department employees departed since President Trump took office, including veteran diplomats and speakers of critical languages like Arabic and Farsi.
• Evacuation messaging to Americans in the region came late and initially confused, with some embassies unprepared for the crisis.

[...]