The Vatican Secretariat of State was not consulted during the drafting of the new papal document Laudate Deum, The Pillar reports.
The Secretariat of State is ordinarily involved in drafting important Vatican documents, particularly if—as in this case—the documents touch of international affairs. But officials at the Secretariat of State revealed that their offices were not given an opportunity to review the text of the apostolic exhortation on climate change.
John Kerry, the special US envoy for climate change, had taken an interest in the papal document, and offered suggestions in conversations with Vatican diplomats. But the Secretariat of State did not have a chance to relay those suggestions before the papal document was completed.