To work in the Vatican during one pontificate is a rare privilege for any member of the laity. To work for three different pontificates, including as an official representative of the Holy See (and a female representative, no less) - well, that just puts you in the hall of fame.
Mary Ann Glendon has cultivated a long and distinguished record of service to the Catholic Church: head of the Holy See’s delegation to the World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995; Member and President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences; US Ambassador to the Holy See; and appointee to the independent board which oversees the Vatican Bank.
In this episode, we talk with Mary Ann about the reflections and insights in her hot-off-the-press book, “In the Courts of Three Popes: An American Lawyer and Diplomat in the Last Absolute Monarchy of the West.”
One part memoir, one part commentary on the vital role of the laity in the Church, it’s a fascinating firsthand account of the inner workings of the Vatican under Pope St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.
Resources
Mary Ann Glendon (Harvard Law School biography)
Mary Ann Glendon, In the Courts of Three Popes: An American Lawyer and Diplomat in the Last Absolute Monarchy of the West (2024)
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Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.