Ecclesial endorsement
A journey the Church accompanies
From its first weeks, CROSS Olympiad has walked under the pastoral care of the Church. These are the formal gestures that uphold its mission.
Cardenal José Tolentino de Mendonça
Prefecto del Dicasterio para la Cultura y la Educación
Dicastery for Culture and Education
Institutional patronage of the Dicastery for Culture and Education
The Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See, presided over by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, formally endorsed CROSS Olympiad with institutional patronage (Prot. N. 04026/2026, June 1, 2026), recognizing the initiative as aligned with its evangelizing mission in the field of education and technology.
Canonical precision: we use «institutional patronage of the Dicastery» — not «papal approval» nor «Vatican endorsement» directly.
Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, S.D.B.
Confirmed his participation in the Magnifica Humanitas Forum
Cardinal Maradiaga, archbishop emeritus of Tegucigalpa and member of the C9 during Pope Francis' pontificate, confirmed his participation in the International Magnifica Humanitas Forum (Panama City, July 22–24, 2026) and requested a presentation note about CROSS for the Holy Father Leo XIV.
Archdiocese of Panama
Pastoral care since June 2025
Most Rev. José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, O.S.A., metropolitan archbishop of Panama, embraced the CROSS vision on June 25, 2025 and signed a formal letter of endorsement on April 16, 2026. Since then, the Archdiocese has pastorally accompanied the olympiad.
History
Milestones of the ecclesial journey
May 2025
Lucas Castillo poses the question that gives rise to CROSS. Christian Linares (Aprender Haciendo Costa Rica) embraces the idea.
June 25, 2025
Valerio Abrego organizes the meeting. Marvin Castillo, Christian Linares, and Alejandra Sánchez present the proposal to Most Rev. Ulloa, who embraces the vision.
July 23, 2025
Forum «Challenges of AI and Robotics for Teaching the Christian Faith», Panama City. Inspires similar meetings in Mexico and Peru.
January 15, 2026
CIEC XXIX Congress, Lima. Alberto Pinto and Eugenio Zucal present CROSS to 500+ directors. CIEC issues two official bulletins.
April 16, 2026
Formal letter of endorsement from the Archdiocese of Panama signed by Most Rev. Ulloa.
May 15, 2026
Pope Leo XIV promulgates the Magnifica Humanitas encyclical. The five chapters resonate with the five CROSS Pillars.
May 25, 2026
Official publication of Magnifica Humanitas.
June 1, 2026
The Dicastery for Culture and Education issues the institutional patronage letter (Prot. N. 04026/2026). Card. Maradiaga confirms participation in the Forum.
July 22–24, 2026
International Magnifica Humanitas Forum, Panama City. Co-organized with the Archdiocese of Panama.
