The Catholic Church as a public diplomacy actor: an analysis of the pope’s strategic narrative and international engagement

While religion is often considered a cultural element of soft power, religious institutions are rarely studied as diplomatic actors. The purpose of this study was to better understand the manner in with the Catholic Church attempts to build relationships with foreign audiences, a key function of public diplomacy. Emphasising the role of Pope Francis as an iconic world leader, this study employed a qualitative textual analysis to determine what themes are selected and emphasised in papal speeches in order to construct the strategic narrative of the Catholic Church. Results suggest that Pope Francis’ speeches rely most on narratives of universal identity and values, shared responsibility, and calls to action to present the Catholic Church more favourably in the eyes of both Catholic and non-Catholic audiences around the world. These findings contribute to the study of public diplomacy, the concept of strategic narrative, and the theoretical framework of framing.