The Galileo Foundation seeks to strengthen the mission and the capacity of the Catholic Church, to support initiatives of the Holy See and the apostolic mission of His Holiness Pope Francis.
The Galileo Foundation is extremely proud of our partnership with the network of religious sisters who comprise ‘Talitha Kum’. They are over 2000 in over 70 countries throughout the world of many different congregations and denominations who are dedicated to working with victims and survivors of trafficking.
The Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences are two independent bodies within the Holy See which exist to further the pursuit of knowledge in a number of scientific areas through the expertise and engagement of its members, some of the world’s most respected academics who advise the Pope on matters of science and social science.
The foundation had its proud origins in its support for the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences, a collaboration which is still strong today. Their Chancellor, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, was tasked by the Holy Father with spearheading the Pope’s initiatives to find the ‘moral crime’ that is human trafficking. However, the Holy Father also asked the Pontifical Academy to examine the equally distressing practice of organ trafficking around the world.
A request to the foundation from the Vatican Museums to help restore the oldest telescope at the Papal Observatory resulted in a grant being given in February 2018 by the Galileo Foundation.
One the foundation’s first initiatives in 2017 was the sponsorship of an exhibition ‘The Swiss Guards – A Private View’ about the noble history of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. Founded in 1506 the corps is one of the oldest and smallest armies in the world.
His Holiness Pope Francis presenting the gift of a crozier, commissioned by the Galileo Foundation, to His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury
The Vatican Museums are one of the greatest repositories of art and culture in the entire world. With its origins firmly rooted in papal patronage, founded by Pope Julius II in 1506, it not only displays many of the greatest masterpieces of art but its rooms were the working studios of some of the world’s greatest artists, Michelangelo and Raphael to name but two.
The Bambino Gesu is the largest sub-speciality children’s hospital in Europe as well as a world-renowned research centre. It endeavours to support the reception of children in extreme medical need and their families regardless of cost from areas of war-torn conflict around the world. In 2019 the hospital received such 39 humanitarian cases: children suffering from serious illnesses, such as tumors, rare and ultra-rare diseases or wounded by weapons of war.
“I would like principally to emphasize your contribution to raising awareness of the plight of those who suffer from poverty and exploitation, especially those entrapped by the deadly crime of human trafficking.”
On October 14th and 15th, the inaugural Faith and Philanthropy Summit will take place at the Casina Pio IV in the Vatican,. Organized jointly by the Galileo Foundation and the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Summit will convene the world’s leading philanthropists from all faiths to discuss how ‘giving back’ can and is changing our world.
The Galileo Foundation is a community of faith-based donors and benefactors who believe in the mission of Pope Francis and the Catholic Church to tackle inequality, rescue and rehabilitate victims and survivors, protect our planet and offer a voice to the voiceless and those who are marginalized in our society.