Dual-Degree Student Served Internship as Liaison to Vatican at the UN

Peter’s faith guided him to St. John’s University. Four years later, it led him to the United Nations, where as an intern for the Mission of the Holy See, he helped to bring forward issues of Roman Catholic interest to the world’s largest international body.

Peter Paolo posing with an American flag next to a row of other national flags

“When you go on service plunges and do things that help others, you live out Catholic social teaching in a very active sense,” Peter said. “It was really inspiring to do that in the internship, too.”

Peter Paolo ’23C

BA/MA in Government and Politics
St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Peter, who recently completed his Bachelor of Arts degree as part of a dual-degree program in Government and Politics, spent the summer as an intern with the Catholic Church’s official representative to the UN. As a member of the Holy See’s Human Rights and Development unit, he attended meetings of interest and prepared summaries for review by members of the mission.

Peter was one of six interns, and one of only two Americans, to work at the Holy See Mission in Manhattan, NY, this past summer. Candidates came from around the world, eager to contribute to its efforts to promote peace, justice, and human dignity consistent with Catholic social teaching.

“Our job was to essentially be the eyes and ears of the mission to cover these meetings, get a sense of what was going on, and report back on what we thought was important for our supervisors to know,” Peter, 22, explained.

“When you’re a part of the UN or the Mission of the Holy See, you feel as if you are a part of something much bigger than yourself,” Peter continued. “It was a neat feeling to be a part of that.”

The Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations is the Vatican’s official representative to the UN. Because it has observer, and not member, status, it does not vote on matters that come before member nations. Observer bodies still can participate in debate, however, and it was for such opportunities that Peter and his fellow interns briefed the Holy See staff.

“The mission works to promote the comprehensive, integrated view of the human person,” Peter explained. “We will not all be among the richest people in the world, but a lot of people are living on less than $1.25 a day. Nations can disagree on how to deal with global poverty, the environment, or literacy, but the dignity of the human being is the principle around which Catholic social teaching is based.”

Peter’s days typically began with morning Mass. Two three-hour sessions of meetings at the UN followed. Reports of about 40 pages were common, with the work divided among the interns at the meeting. The three-month internship concluded August 30.

Most meetings involved some issue of interest to Catholic leaders, he said, including care of the poor, protection of women and children, poverty eradication, and access to health care and education services. “We would bring the Catholic lens to these meetings,” Peter explained.

Peter discovered the internship program while researching Vatican-related opportunities online. Several interviews later, with recommendation letters from Jessica L. Harris, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of History, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Rev. John J. Costello, Pastor of St. Luke’s Church in Whitestone, he was at the UN representing the Holy See.

“Peter impressed me with his curiosity, enthusiasm, and deep understanding of the past,” Dr. Harris said. “That was evident in his insightful contributions to class discussions. It was clear he had the skill set to contribute to the Mission of the Holy See.”

Attention to detail was essential to the internship, so Peter was glad he became a skilled note-taker during his classes at St. John’s. “My classes stressed reading and writing, and preparing essays and presentations,” Peter said. “Being able to take in information and summarize it like I did academically was great preparation for what I would do at the mission. It was amazing to see how much ground was covered at the UN.”

Peter’s journey to St. John’s began when, as a student at Archbishop Molloy High School, he attended a college fair and met representatives from the University. Impressed, he immediately applied, later enrolling and joining such organizations as Campus Ministry and participating in service “plunges” in Denver, CO, and Macon, GA. He later led a Rendu Service Experience for first-year students that was life-shaping, he said.

Members of the Campus Ministry community were not surprised Peter secured the internship at the Mission of the Holy See. “Peter is super involved in service and that nurtures his prayer life and animates his faith,” said Victoria O’Keefe ’13CPS, ’15G, ’19G Residence Ministry Director of the Catholic Scholars Program, Social Justice, and Retreats. “He is the highest caliber of student and servant leader that I know and an example for all at St. John’s.”

Peter’s time at the University is likely to end in May when he earns his master’s degree. However, lessons learned at St. John’s and the mission will remain with him, he said. A career in government, perhaps as a legislative aide, could be on the horizon. So, too, could be law school.

“When you go on service plunges and do things that help others, you live out Catholic social teaching in a very active sense,” Peter said. “It was really inspiring to do that in the internship, too.”