Inside The Vatican
Each week, Colleen Dulle goes behind the headlines of the biggest Vatican news stories with America’s Rome correspondent Gerard O’Connell. They'll break down complicated news stories that have a whole lot of history behind them in an understandable, engaging way. Colleen and Gerard will give you the inside scoop on what people inside the Vatican are thinking, saying—and planning.
226
Why won’t the pope wear a mask?
Vatican City saw seven new cases of the coronavirus this week, marking a sudden second wave of infections in the world’s smallest nation. were Swiss Guards; the other three were Vatican residents. As Vatican employees attempt to trace and test...
20 min
227
Gerry and Colleen unpack ‘Fratelli Tutti’
This week on the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and producer Colleen Dulle unpack their takeaways from Pope Francis’ new encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti.” The hosts discuss the pope’s unique...
24 min
228
Fratelli Tutti in 5 minutes
Pope Francis’ new encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, was released today. The encyclical, which is the highest classification of papal document, is Francis’ diagnosis of the social problems plaguing our world—and his proposed cures. In this brief Inside...
5 min
229
Mike Pompeo to visit the Vatican
Cardinal Angelo Becciu from his position as head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints on Thursday night, Sept. 24. In a one-sentence press release, the Vatican announced that the cardinal also gave up the “rights connected to...
17 min
230
Pope Francis: ‘God loves your LGBT children as ...
On September 17, two Vatican stories broke that illustrate the difference in style between Pope Francis and the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Pope Francis , telling them “God loves your children as they are” and “the...
22 min
231
From Belarus to Black Lives Matter, Pope Franci...
This weekend, Pope Francis and those with “public responsibilities” to meet the just demands of protestors. With protests rising around the world, which demonstrators was Francis referring to? Veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell...
19 min
232
Pope Francis’ Covid Catechesis
The Vatican announced this weekend that Pope Francis will sign his new encyclical in Assisi on Oct. 3, just in time for the feast day on the following day of St. Francis, after whom the Pope took his name. The new document is called “Fratelli...
10 min
233
The Secret Archives of Pope Pius XII
Just before Covid-19 paused public life in Italy, the entire “secret archives” of Pope Pius XII (1939-58) opened to researchers for the first time. The opening, which had long been asked for by historians and was announced under Pope Benedict XVI,...
23 min
234
Update: Vatican releases handbook on sex abuse
Today the Vatican released its long-awaited handbook, or “vademecum,” on how bishops and superiors of religious orders should handle allegations of sexual abuse against minors by clergy. This is the first time that all of the Vatican’s...
5 min
235
Is the church getting closer to ordaining women...
In April of this year, the Vatican announced the creation of a to study the female diaconate, following up on Pope Francis’ promise to reopen the question at the behest of the Amazonian bishops. Pope Francis had set up a previous commission to...
21 min
236
Benedict XVI makes surprise trip to Germany
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI left Italy for the first time in seven years last week, to visit his ill brother, Georg. This week on “Inside the Vatican,” Gerry explains the challenges travel poses for the emeritus pope and why Benedict returned to...
19 min
237
Why is the Vatican silent on Archbishop Viganò?
Last week, Archbishop was back in the spotlight after President Donald Trump tweeted promoting an open letter that Viganò had written to him. The letter praised Mr. Trump for “defending the right to life” and expressed Archbishop Viganò’s...
22 min
238
How Laudato Si’ changed American Catholics’ min...
It’s been five years since the release of “Laudato Si’,” and Pope Francis has called for a year of prayer and study on the encyclical’s themes of integral human ecology—that is, the importance of protecting the environment and the poor,...
16 min
239
Pope Francis: You can’t be racist and call your...
Pope Francis spoke out on the police killing of George Floyd last week as protests against racism spread across the globe. This week on Inside the Vatican, veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell describes the protests in Europe and the...
22 min
240
Pope Francis takes major step against Vatican c...
Pope Francis took a major step in his ongoing reform of Vatican finance on June 1 by putting in place a centralized system to approve who gets contracts to work with the Vatican. The change amounts to what Crux editor John L. Allen, Jr. a “direct...
23 min
241
Why the Vatican opposes Israel’s annexation plan
This week on the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, America’s Rome correspondent, Gerard O’Connell, gives an exclusive look inside the Vatican museums, which will reopen with new social distancing measures in place on Monday, June 1. Then, Gerry...
21 min
242
What a Mass in reopened St. Peter’s Basilica lo...
As Italy gradually reopens and public Masses resume there, the Vatican is facing the challenge of a decreased income while working to lead the world’s humanitarian and diplomatic response to the coronavirus pandemic. This week on the “Inside the...
22 min
243
Royal Commission issues findings on Cardinal Pell
On this week’s episode of the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, producer Colleen Dulle and Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss the Australian Royal Commission’s that Cardinal George Pell knew about priests abusing children in the...
22 min
244
The Vatican’s $200m London real estate scandal
Last week, an Italian newspaper reported that Pope Francis had fired five employees who were under investigation for their involvement in the $200 million purchase of minority stake in a luxury apartment development in London’s upscale Chelsea...
14 min
245
World Day of Prayer for end to Covid-19
In this episode, Vatican correspondent Gerard O'Connell gives an on-the-ground update from “phase two” of Italy’s coronavirus lockdown. Gerry and producer Colleen Dulle also discuss the between Muslims and Christians for an end to coronavirus,...
24 min
246
Christopher Lamb on ‘guerilla attacks’ on Pope ...
It’s no secret that Pope Francis has faced opposition during his pontificate: some of it, the healthy disagreement he’s called for, some more serious—what The Tablet Vatican reporter calls well-financed, well-publicized “guerilla attacks”...
20 min
247
Pope Francis speaks on clash between Italian bi...
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has announced that Italy will transition into “phase 2” of its coronavirus lockdown, re-opening the manufacturing and construction industries on May 4, followed by libraries, museums, and some stores May 18....
21 min
248
Vatican's Archbishop Paglia on coronavirus bioe...
In recent weeks, the Vatican has made it clear that it sees the pandemic as a pressing call for the transformation of society. This past week, Pope Francis put together a with specific mandates for coordinating humanitarian aid, international...
12 min
249
Pope Francis assembles COVID-19 task force
Pope Francis has focused his messages to the world this week on the importance of international cooperation and the in order to overcome the coronavirus pandemic and build a more equitable society. On this episode of “Inside the Vatican,”...
28 min
250
How data mapping can help the Vatican fight COV...
Molly Burhans, the founder and executive director of , has created what may be the world’s largest set of Catholic geographic information. Her nonprofit organization has mapped church-owned properties around the world with a view towards using the...
20 min