As scientific discoveries bring humanity closer than ever to confirming the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life, award-winning filmmaker, musician, and UFOlogist Mark Christopher Lee is making an urgent appeal to the newly elected Pope Leo: prepare the Catholic Church — and its global followers — for first contact. Lee, whose work on the intersection of spirituality, disclosure, and UFO phenomena has earned him a dedicated international following, warns that the world is on the verge of a transformational moment — one that could redefine our understanding of religion, science, and the human story itself.

“With new data emerging from NASA, private space agencies, and whistleblowers in the intelligence community, it is no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ we make contact with intelligent life beyond our planet,” says Lee. “The Vatican must not be silent. It must lead. And that begins with transparency, courage, and preparation.”

Lee is calling on Pope Leo to acknowledge the Church’s historical involvement in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, including the role played by the Vatican Observatory — one of the oldest astronomical research institutions in the world.

Established during the reign of a previous Pope Leo, the Observatory has long been rumored to be part of the Church’s quiet engagement with the possibility of alien life.

“The previous Pope Leo laid the groundwork by opening the Church to the stars — literally — with the founding of the Vatican Observatory,” Lee explains. “Now, this new Pope Leo has a chance to finish what was started — by releasing the truth.”

Lee is also calling for the full declassification and release of any documents related to UFOs, anomalous aerial phenomena, and potential extraterrestrial contact held in the Vatican’s secret archives.