Ambassador Joseph Donnelly, a former Democratic legislator who was confirmed by the US Senate in February, presented his diplomatic credentials to Pope Francis on April 11.

Ambassador Donnelly served in the US Senate from 2013 to 2019, and in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2013. He was one of the few Democratic lawmakers who voted against abortion and embryonic stem-cell research—although he supported funding for Planned Parenthood and backed Obamacare.

The new American ambassador said that he “looks forward to strengthening the important and strategic relationship between the Holy See and the United States, especially our shared commitments to defending human rights and religious freedom, combatting human trafficking, caring for the environment, and advancing peace and security around the globe.”