How not ready most people are to deal with a truly higher intelligence.

And why is this being made news again? There was a similar news item
on the Vatican and ETI a matter of months ago.

I have sincere trouble seeing the current Pope as embracing such ideas. His focus is on circling the wagons and keeping out anyone
who doesn't stay in step with current Catholic policy.

And as for other religions, Buddhism is probably the only one that will
accept an alien species on their own terms. Everyone else will either
try to convert them, kill them, or pretend they don't exist or don't matter.

And this is yet again why they won't come anywhere near Earth until we either grow up or go away.