Alle afleveringen
423 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Why Pope Francis is worried about declining birth rates
25 januari 2024 · 29 min
In this episode, Gerard O’Connell and Colleen Dulle discuss Pope Francis’ recent meeting with journalists, exploring his views on journalism and comparing them to past popes. They also parse the pope’s comments about declining birth rates across much of Europe and address the politicization of the issue and his call for global economic reforms that promote and support the well-being of young families. Lees meer
Find the full episode page and links for further reading here.
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Blessings and backlash: A conversation on ‘Fiducia Supplicans’
18 januari 2024 · 35 min
On Dec. 18, Pope Francis opened the possibility for priests to bless same-sex couples and couples who the church considers to be living in what it calls “irregular” situations.
In this roundtable episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle, Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell, and America national correspondent Michael J. O’Loughlin dive into “Fiducia Supplicans,” the Vatican’s declaration on these blessings, examining its content, the reactions it has prompted among bishops and laypeople, and what it might signify for the future of the church.
Find the full episode page and links for further reading here.
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Pope Francis’ plans for 2024
11 januari 2024 · 28 min
In their first episode of the new year, veteran Vatican reporter Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle dissect Pope Francis’ “State of the World” address and reveal his plans for 2024, including significant international trips, high-level Vatican appointments, and the opening of Jubilee Year 2025.
Find the full episode page and links for further reading here.
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Cardinal Becciu's embezzlement conviction
21 december 2023 · 33 min
A Vatican tribunal has sentenced Cardinal Angelo Becciu to five and a half years in prison, the first such sentence in at least 500 years.
This week on Inside the Vatican, veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle explain the financial scandal that led to the trial, the dramatic revelations that emerged throughout it, and what happens next—both to Cardinal Becciu and with Pope Francis’ financial and judicial reforms.
Read the full show notes and find links for further reading here.
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Father James Martin, S.J. on Vatican approval of blessings for same-sex couples.
19 december 2023 · 17 min
On Monday Dec. 18, the Vatican’s doctrinal office issued a declaration stating that priests can bless same-sex couples as long as the blessing does not resemble a marriage or coincide with a civil union ceremony.
This declaration follows up on a controversial 2021 response from the dicastery that stated same-sex unions could not be blessed in a liturgical context. The new declaration does not overturn the previous teaching against liturgical blessings, but does allow priests to give non-liturgical blessings to couples in irregular situations, such as a same-sex relationship.
James Martin, S.J., editor-at-large at America Magazine, discusses the significance of this development, noting that it is a step forward and offers a deeper theological reflection. Requesting a blessing is “a holy desire for God's help,” says Father Martin. “Rather than saying God doesn't bless sin, it’s saying, God blesses all of us in our desire for God’s presence in our lives.” Father Martin believes that this declaration is an important step towards inclusivity and pastoral care for L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics, their families and friends.
“This is an early Christmas present for the Catholic Church and for so many people who have felt that God really isn’t accompanying them—and that the church, more specifically, is not accompanying them—and now they will feel more accompanied and able to do these things in public.”
Read more
Pope Francis’ same-sex blessings declaration is a major step forward for LGBTQ Catholics
Pope Francis allows blessings of couples in same-sex relationships
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Understanding the pope’s U.S. critics, with Mike Lewis
14 december 2023 · 28 min
In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle is joined by Mike Lewis, the editor in chief of Where Peter Is, a blog site dedicated to countering criticism of Pope Francis from the small but vocal resistance in the U.S. church.
In the wake of Pope Francis’ recent decisions to remove Bishop Joseph Strickland from his diocese in Tyler, Tex. and revoke Cardinal Raymond Burke’s salary and Vatican apartment, Colleen and Mike discuss the long-simmering tensions between Francis and certain voices in the U.S. church, why those tensions are boiling over in this particular moment, and potential opportunities for bridge-building between Pope Francis and his critics.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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Did Pope Francis punish Cardinal Burke?
7 december 2023 · 29 min
Pope Francis canceled his trip to the United Nations’ COP28 climate conference due to his ongoing bout of bronchitis. In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle discuss the Pope's health and his message on climate change.
Colleen and Gerry also cover Pope Francis' decision to cut Cardinal Raymond Burke's salary from the Vatican’s payroll and possibly evict him from his Vatican apartment. They analyze the probable reasons behind this decision and the implications this move might have for the pope's relationship with his critics. Finally, they touch on the escalating conflict in Gaza and the pope's relentless calls for peace.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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Deep Dive: What happened at the synod in Rome?
30 november 2023 · 56 min
The synod delegates have returned home and the round tables have been put away. So now, a month after the first Roman meeting of the Synod on Synodality, many Catholics are left wondering: What just happened?
This deep dive episode of “Inside the Vatican” explains the key events and dynamics of the synod, combining recordings from synod events with a diverse selection of interviews, inviting you to “listen in” on this historic meeting.
Interviews include: Lees meerVimal Tirimanna, C.Ss.R., a synod member and moral theologian from Sri Lanka
Dr. Catherine Clifford, an ecclesiologist and member of the synod
Bishop Bill McGrattan, president of the Canadian bishops’ conference and a synod member
John Thavis, former Rome bureau chief of Catholic News Service
Olivier Poquillon, O.P., a member of the synod’s methodology commission and rector of the École Biblique in Jerusalem
Find the full episode page and links for further reading about the synod here.
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Update: Pope Francis cancels Dubai trip
29 november 2023 · 3 min
Pope Francis has canceled his scheduled trip to Dubai for the COP28 climate conference on doctor’s orders. In this brief update episode, host Colleen Dulle explains what we know about the pope’s illness so far. Lees meer
Links from the show:
On doctor’s orders, Pope Francis cancels trip to Dubai for climate conference
Pope Francis punishes Cardinal Burke, revokes Vatican apartment and salaryThis #GivingTuesday, please consider making a tax-free donation to America Media at americamagazine.org/donate. Thank you!
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Update: Pope Francis meets with Israeli, Palestinian families
22 november 2023 · 3 min
The “Inside the Vatican” team is hard at work on a deep dive episode unpacking what happened at last month’s Synod on Synodality. So this week, we’re bringing you a brief news update.
On the day this update is released, Nov. 22, Pope Francis is expected to meet with families of Israelis being held hostage by Hamas, and separately with a group of Palestinians who have relatives in Gaza. He’s expected to meet each group for around 30 minutes just before his general audience. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the meetings are “exclusively humanitarian in nature” and are meant to express the pope’s closeness to those suffering.
At the end of next week, the pope will travel to Dubai to address the COP28 climate summit. Gerry will be traveling with him on the visit, and you can follow his reporting at americamagazine.org.
Finally, please consider making a tax-free donation to America Media for #GivingTuesday! Visit americamagazine.org/donate. Thank you!
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Pope Francis removes U.S. critic Bishop Joseph Strickland
16 november 2023 · 26 min
In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell analyze Pope Francis’ headline-making decision to oust Bishop Joseph Strickland as the head of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas.
They also review Gerry’s recent interviews with cardinals and bishops from around the world to learn how these leaders are implementing synodality in their dioceses.
Find the full episode page, show notes and links here.
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What the Vatican is doing on Israel-Palestine
9 november 2023 · 28 min
In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss Pope Francis’ diplomatic approach to the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza.
They also talk about the pope’s historic announcement that he will attend the COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai next month.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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Does the synod threaten bishops’ authority?
2 november 2023 · 30 min
Theologian Catherine Clifford is an expert on ecclesiology and the history of Vatican II, and she was a full voting member of the Synod on Synodality representing North America. She joined host Colleen Dulle in Rome near the end of the synod to explain the major implications the synod has on the Catholic Church’s structures and its hierarchical nature.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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Synod on Synodality Debrief with Father James Martin
30 oktober 2023 · 47 min
On this special crossover episode of Jesuitical and Inside the Vatican, Zac Davis speaks with his colleagues Gerard O’Connell, Sam Sawyer, S.J., and synod member James Martin, S.J., about the concluding document of the recent synod on synodality in Rome. They discuss: Lees meer
The open debate about women’s ordination to the diaconate
Why reference to L.G.B.T. Catholics was not included in the synthesis document
What the synthesis document is and how it can be read and used widely
Was this really a synod of bishops?
Plus, new paths for appointing bishops and performance reviews
Links:
Father James Martin: What happened at the Synod on Synodality
Cardinal Cupich on the synod, women deacons, giving bishops job reviews and why ‘LGBTQ’ was left out of the final doc
Synod publishes final report and votes: Calls for more discussion on synodality, women deacons and more
Full text: Pope Francis’ homily closing the 2023 Synod on Synodality
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Unpacking the synod’s first letter to ‘the people of God’
26 oktober 2023 · 32 min
In this “Inside the Vatican,” episode host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss the final week of the Synod on Synodality and the Letter to the People of God, released Oct. 25 after the approval of synod participants. The letter is the first of two documents expected from the synod before it concludes its business in Rome on Oct. 29.
They also talk about the Vatican’s response to the ongoing crisis in Israel and Gaza, including Pope Francis’ weekend phone call with President Biden. Plus, some late-breaking news on Pope Francis’ speech decrying institutional clericalism.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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What Asia is bringing to the Synod on Synodality
24 oktober 2023 · 28 min
The Rev. Clarence Devadass, a priest of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a synod delegate, and a host of the “Catholics at Home” podcast, joins Colleen Dulle and Gerard O’Connell to talk about his experience of bringing together Asia’s diverse cultures in one continental synod document, and how he hopes he has represented those experiences in the synod hall.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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A synod insider on evangelization and World Mission Sunday
21 oktober 2023 · 29 min
In this bonus “Inside the Vatican” episode, host Colleen Dulle interviews Inés San Martín, former Rome bureau chief of Crux and current vice president of marketing and communications at The Pontifical Mission Societies U.S.A.
Inés speaks with Colleen about World Mission Sunday, happening on Oct. 22, and the changes that The Pontifical Mission Societies U.S.A. have made following a $10.2 million financial scandal. They also discuss synod secrecy guidelines, where Inés provides a unique perspective into Vatican communications for the synod.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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The evolution of synod secrecy at the Vatican
19 oktober 2023 · 35 min
Pope Francis has asked synod participants to “fast from public words”—and they’ve been instructed in the synod’s official rules not to speak about their own or others’ interventions in the synod, even after the meeting ends.
In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle interviews John Thavis, the former Rome Bureau Chief of Catholic News Service and author of “The Vatican Diaries” and “The Vatican Prophecies,” about how synods and their guidelines around secrecy have evolved over time.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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As discussion turns to women deacons, the synod ‘gets interesting’
17 oktober 2023 · 26 min
In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss developments from the second week of the Synod, including the inclusion of L.G.B.T. people, the global migration crisis, the plights of the world’s most impoverished people, and women’s roles—including ordination to the diaconate and positions of influence and authority in the church.
They also discuss the “delicate diplomatic line” that Colleen says the Vatican must tread in relation to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict and Pope Francis’ appeals for peace.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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Meet the lay woman who led the U.S. synod process
12 oktober 2023 · 27 min
In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle interviews Julia McStravog, a senior advisor on the Synod on Synodality at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to get an inside look into how the U.S. church organized itself to carry out the national and continental phases of the synod.
Julia played a pivotal role in guiding the U.S. church throughout the synod process. She is also part of the team that wrote the national and continental synthesis documents. She describes her team’s mission as “sacred work,” stressing the need “to include as many voices as possible within the editing process” to create “documents in dialogue” that resonate with everyone’s experiences.
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Why Pope Francis is insisting on synod secrecy
10 oktober 2023 · 32 min
In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Colleen Dulle and Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss the first week of the Synod on Synodality. They analyze the strong emphasis from Pope Francis and the synod team to maintain discussions between participants confidential, both during and after the synod. They also provide an overview of synod discussions, including topics like the roles of women and young people in the church and the surging global migration crisis.
At the top of the show, Gerry reports on the immediate responses of Pope Francis and other senior church leaders to the escalating violence in Israel and Palestine, which has already ended hundreds of lives and threatened the security of civilians living on and around the Gaza Strip.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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Everything you need to know about the Synod on Synodality | Jesuitical
7 oktober 2023 · 46 min
Today, we're releasing an episode of America Media's "Jesuitical" podcast, hosted by Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis, who are joined by Inside the Vatican's co-host Gerard O’Connell, a journalist who has covered the Vatican since 1985. They bring questions from listeners about the Synod on Synodality, which began this week: How will the discussions inside the synod hall work? How will the synod deal with internal polarization? What will determine the success of this synod? They also discuss: Lees meer
The changes that Pope Francis has brought to the synod, making it more open and inclusive.
How to listen and remain open to the Holy Spirit.
Lay involvement in the synod, especially of women and young people.
Links from the Show
Analysis: The synod is not Vatican III. It’s Pope Francis’ implementation of Vatican II.
America’s synod coverage
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The synod begins—inside and outside the synod hall
5 oktober 2023 · 31 min
In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss the opening of the Synod on Synodality and the list of “dubia” sent to Pope Francis by a group of retired cardinals.
They also talk about the ecumenical prayer vigil hosted by the Taizé community on Sept. 30 and the retreat that the synod participants attended Oct. 1-3. Colleen and Gerry highlight the talks given by Father Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., and the significance of the synod for the broader Christian community.
They also mention the upcoming publication of the document “Laudate Deum” and give updates on the case of Father Marko Rupnik and a proposed Vatican law that would remove abuser priests and any superiors who covered up for them.
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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Three top moments from Pope Francis’ Marseille trip
28 september 2023 · 28 min
This past weekend Pope Francis traveled to Marseille for a meeting of bishops and young people from around the Mediterranean basin, where he delivered a powerful message about integrating migrants into society.
On this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle recap three major moments from the pope’s visit, before giving a preview of three major Vatican events coming up in the next week: The consistory to create new cardinals on Sept. 30, the opening of the Synod on Synodality, and the release of Pope Francis’ follow-up to “Laudato Si’”.
The “Inside the Vatican” and “Jesuitical” podcast teams will be in Rome covering the synod in October! Send your questions about the synod to insidethevatican@americamedia.org and Gerry may answer them on “Jesuitical” next week!
Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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Unearthed letter suggests Pius XII knew about the Holocaust
21 september 2023 · 30 min
This week, a letter found in a previously sealed section of the Vatican's archives reveals Pope Pius XII may have been aware of the Holocaust and the mass deaths of Jewish and Polish people in Nazi concentration camps. Gerard O'Connell and Ricardo da Silva, S.J., give the latest updates on what we know.
Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, announced publicly for the first time that he is prepared to receive Cardinal Zuppi, Pope Francis' special envoy on peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Gerry joins Ricardo for a conversation on the peace mission—and what it was about Cardinal Zuppi’s visit to Beijing that may have influenced the Russians to open their doors to the cardinal.
In the second half of the show, Gerry and Ricardo unpack Gerry’s interview with Boris Gudziak, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States. Lees meerRead the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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The case against voting at the Synod on Synodality
14 september 2023 · 26 min
At the Synod on Synodality’s Roman meetings, lay men and women have both been included for the first time as full, voting members. But, argues the Rev. Louis Cameli, if this synod is not to be a “parliament,” as Pope Francis often warns, perhaps there should be no voting in the synod at all.
Father Cameli, who is Cardinal Blase Cupich’s Delegate for Formation and Mission and a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, joins veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle for a conversation on voting at the synod. Lees meerRead the full show notes and find links to read more here.
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Pope Francis visits Mongolia, speaks on American critics
8 september 2023 · 30 min
Gerry traveled to Mongolia with Pope Francis from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4. On this episode of “Inside the Vatican”—the premiere of season six—Gerry and Colleen analyze the pope’s trip to the world’s most sparsely-populated country and the message he sought to deliver there. Lees meer
Click here to read the full show page with additional stories and links for further reading.
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Deep Dive: Why Pope Francis is going to Mongolia
29 augustus 2023 · 32 min
While much of the world’s attention has focused in recent years on global superpowers Russia and China, the vast and sparsely-populated nation sandwiched between them, Mongolia, has often gone overlooked.
Once the seat of the mightiest land empire in history, Mongolia has a rich history and strong cultural identity rooted in Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire. The Catholic Church in Mongolia, however, is young: Aside from a few missionary visitors in the Middle Ages, the church has only had a presence in Mongolia for about 30 years.
Pope Francis will visit Mongolia’s 1,400 Catholics from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, speaking to civil and religious leaders, including missionaries and participants at an ecumenical and interreligious gathering, and will dedicate a new House of Mercy, one of the charitable organizations that are often Mongolians’ first encounter with the Catholic Church.
In this deep dive episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle speaks with historian Dr. Timothy May, current missionary Br. Andrew Tran and former missionary Fr. Peter Turrone about the history and current situation of Catholicism in Mongolia, and what Pope Francis hopes to achieve in his visit. Lees meerRead more:
Explainer: Mongolia only has 1,400 Catholics. Pope Francis is going there anyway.Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media.
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World Youth Day recap: A diverse and inclusive event unparalleled on the global stage
10 augustus 2023 · 30 min
World Youth Day wrapped up Sunday, Aug. 6, having gathered 1.5 million young people from around the world. On this special summer episode of “Inside the Vatican,” America editors Ricardo da Silva, S.J. and Gerard O’Connell, who reported on the ground from Lisbon, recap the event with host Colleen Dulle.
Links from the show:
Spanish teen says she regained her sight at World Youth Day Mass
Pope Francis fields questions on abuse, his health on return flight to Rome
Pope Francis at World Youth Day: ‘Live each day with hearts free of fear.’
Behind the scenes of a Way of the Cross like no other at World Youth Day
Podcast: ‘Todos! Todos! Todos!’ A rejuvenated Pope Francis tells young people the church is for everyone
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In Lisbon, a rejuvenated Pope Francis tells youth the church is for everyone
3 augustus 2023 · 19 min
America editor Ricardo da Silva, S.J., and Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell report from Lisbon on the opening of World Youth Day in this special episode of Inside the Vatican.
An energized Pope Francis arrived yesterday, Aug. 2, giving a speech to Portuguese civic leaders in which he urged them to invest in young people and work for peace, especially in Ukraine. He also celebrated vespers and met with a group of survivors of clerical sexual abuse.
The pope is scheduled to participate in several more World Youth Day events and travel to Fatima, where he is again expected to pray for peace in Ukraine.
Links from the show:
Ricardo da Silva, S.J.: How reporting from World Youth Day is reinvigorating my faith
James Martin, S.J.: ‘Does God exist?’ and other FAQs about faith and religion (World Youth Day address)
Ricardo da Silva, S.J.: Ahead of World Youth Day, the head of the Jesuits had a candid Q&A with six young pilgrims
Gerard O’Connell: In Portugal, Pope Francis challenges Europe to invest in young people, not weapons
Catholic News Service: As sex abuse crisis hits Portugal, Pope Francis says listen to the ‘anguished cry of the victims’
Gerard O’Connell: Pope Francis to university students in Portugal: Your degree is a mandate to work for a better society.
Follow Gerry on Twitter: @gerryorome
Follow Ricardo on Twitter: @ricdssj
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Deep Dive: Is World Youth Day worth it?
27 juli 2023 · 50 min
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Vatican investigates U.S. bishop critical of Pope Francis
29 juni 2023 · 31 min
Two U.S. dioceses recently had visits from Vatican investigators, and one led to the resignation of a bishop. This week on “Inside the Vatican,” Colleen and Gerry unpack what these official reviews mean, then look to some of the younger bishops Pope Francis has been appointing to ensure his legacy.
After that, Gerry and Colleen give a preview of what’s happening in the Vatican this summer.
Please fill out our listener survey!
Other links from the show
Exclusive interview with Archbishop Frank Leo, Pope Francis’ ally in Toronto
Pope Francis appoints Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez as the new head of Vatican office for doctrine
Days after Wagner coup attempt, Pope Francis sends cardinal for peace talks
Deep Dive: Inside the top secret process of appointing a Catholic bishop
Two U.S. bishops were recently subject to Vatican visitations. What do these interventions mean?
Pope Francis is appointing more young bishops. Will they secure his legacy?
Ignatian Wisdom Fellowship from Loyola University Chicago
Sacred Heart Major Seminary’s online course "An Introduction to Spirituality”
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Unpacking the synod’s working document
23 juni 2023 · 28 min
Colleen and Gerry unpack the Synod on Synodality's working document and the clues it provides about the synod’s first global meeting in October. They explain the unique approach of “conversation in the Spirit” and explore the document’s key questions on communion, participation, and mission.
Find the full show page and links for further reading here.
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Introducing "Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast"
19 juni 2023 · 31 min
We have an exciting new podcast from America Media to share with you. It’s called “Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast.”
On each episode listeners will first hear an inspiring homily, especially delivered for the podcast, and then take a privileged peek into the heart and mind of the preacher in a conversation with the host, Jesuit priest and America’s associate editor, Ricardo da Silva, S.J.
Whether you’re a preacher looking for inspiration or a Catholic in the pews, who believes like Pope Francis, that Catholic homilies could use some work, I hope you’ll check out the Preach podcast!
To give you a taste of the show, we’re sharing this week’s episode of Preach, featuring America’s editor in chief, Sam Sawyer, S.J.
Listen to more episodes of Preach.
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Rupnik expelled from Jesuits for “obstinate refusal” to obey
15 juni 2023 · 3 min
The Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) announced today that the well-known religious artist Fr. Marko Rupnik has been dismissed from the Jesuit order after he was credibly accused of sexually, psychologically and spiritually abusing adult women between 1985 and 2018. Lees meer
Read more: Jesuits expel prominent artist Marko Rupnik after allegations of abuse against adult women
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How the Vatican talks about the health of the pope
15 juni 2023 · 23 min
Pope Francis has been in the hospital since Wednesday, June 7, recovering from an operation on an abdominal hernia. In this episode, Colleen and Gerry give an update on the pope’s recovery and analyze how the Vatican has been communicating about the pope’s condition. Lees meer
Find the full show page and links for further reading here.
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Pope Francis hospitalized for surgery
7 juni 2023 · 32 min
Pope Francis is back in the hospital for surgery on a hernia that likely formed on the scar from his 2021 colon operation.
Also in this episode: A nude man protests in St. Peter’s Basilica, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi visits Ukraine to begin Pope Francis’ peace mission, and Benedict XVI’s secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, is given a deadline to move out of the Vatican.
Find the full show page and links for further reading here.
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How should Catholics behave on social media?
2 juni 2023 · 33 min
The Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication issued a new document called “Towards Full Presence: A Pastoral Reflection on Engagement with Social Media.” The document lays out how Catholics should be thinking about their social media engagement—and like the pope’s encyclical Fratelli Tutti, it takes as its model the story of the Good Samaritan, urging people to reach out and listen to those who are different from them, to build community with those people, and to step beyond social media into working creatively for a positive change in the physical world. Lees meer
This week on “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle analyze the document’s strengths and weaknesses.
On the second part of the show, Colleen and Gerry revisit the story of Sister Lucía Caram, the Argentine nun who drove 2,000 miles each way to bring refugees from Ukraine to Spain, where she lives. In the last 14 months, Sister Lucía has visited Ukraine 18 times, delivered 92 ambulances and helped resettle some 4,000 refugees. Gerry caught up with Sister Lucía in Rome last week; he gives an update on what she has done and seen.
Links from the show
Dicastery for Communication issues document about social media behavior
Full Document: A Pastoral Reflection on Engagement with Social Media
Vatican tells the bishops of Catholic Twitter: be reflective, not reactive
When bishops attack: How Pope Francis handles his critics
Pope Francis meets with Argentine nun about field hospitals in Ukraine
What an Argentine nun has seen on the frontlines of Ukraine after 18 trips
Pope Francis is fighting for peace in Ukraine. Here’s how NATO and the US can help his cause.
Pope Francis’ secret Ukraine-Russia peace mission, explained
The Convent de Santa Clara Foundation
Follow Sister Lucía Caram on:
Twitter (@sorluciacaram)
Instagram (@sorluciacaram)
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The secrets of Fátima and Pope Francis’ mission for peace in Ukraine
25 mei 2023 · 27 min
Last Saturday, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the head of the Italian bishops conference and a consummate diplomat to visit Moscow, to lead a mission “to help ease tensions in the conflict in Ukraine.”
This week on “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell explains why Cardinal Zuppi was chosen for this job despite not being a Vatican diplomat.
In the second half of the show, Gerry and host Colleen Dulle discuss the pope’s planned trip to World Youth Day in Lisbon, August 2 through 6. The pope plans to spend almost a full week in the country currently grappling with a devastating clerical sexual abuse scandal.
While in Portugal, Pope Francis also plans to visit Fátima, the site of a recognized Marian apparition. Gerry and Colleen explain how the “secrets of Fátima” revealed there relate to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Lees meerLinks from the show
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi to lead peace missionUpdate: Pope Francis has asked Cardinal Matteo Zuppi to conduct Ukraine peace mission
Pope Francis’ secret Ukraine-Russia peace mission, explained
Pope Francis plans to visit Fatima for World Youth Day
Vatican confirms Pope Francis trip to Lisbon and Fatima for World Youth Day
What does Our Lady of Fátima have to do with Russia and Ukraine?
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President Zelensky meets Pope Francis
18 mei 2023 · 27 min
President Volodymr Zelensky of Ukraine visited the Vatican on Saturday for a private meeting with Pope Francis. The Ukrainian President spent 40 minutes with the pope. Holding his hand to his heart, and speaking in French, Mr. Zelensky told the pope it was a “great honor” to meet him.
The pope has repeatedly expressed his desire to visit the war torn Ukraine but only with the proviso that he can also visit Russia. Dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite the pope’s many attempts, has proved impossible.
On “Inside the Vatican” this week, we decode what this latest meeting between the pope and the Ukrainian president might mean for the Vatican’s mediation efforts to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.
“Francis has made very clear that he's open to conversing with both Zelensky and Putin,” Gerry says. “In fact, Francis didn't have to send anybody to talk with Zelensky because there is a highway of communication all the time going on; whereas on the highway to Moscow, there is very little traffic.” Lees meerLinks from the show
Pope Francis meets with Ukranian president Volodymyr ZelenskyPope Francis meets with President Zelensky in the Vatican for first time since the war in Ukraine began
Reports: Zelensky could visit Pope Francis in first papal meeting since beginning of war
Pope Francis’ secret Ukraine-Russia peace mission, explained
New leadership in Caritas Internationalis
Interview: New Vatican charity leaders look to the future after workplace crisisPlease support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media.
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What we know about Pope Francis’ secret peace mission to stop the war in Ukraine
11 mei 2023 · 27 min
Last week, the Pontifical Council for the Protection of Minors had its first meeting since the shocking resignation of abuse expert Hans Zollner, S.J. His resignation over issues “that need to be urgently addressed” led to a public disagreement between him and the commission’s president, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, O.F.M.
[Listen and subscribe to “Inside the Vatican” on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.]
In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle explain the big questions the abuse commission faces and what is next for this advisory body, following last week’s meeting.
In the second half of the show, Gerry reports on the secret “mission” Pope Francis says he has undertaken to end the war in Ukraine. The pope was sparse on details, but Gerry’s sources have offered him greater insight into the pope’s plan and the people he has engaged to reach Russia and Ukraine. Lees meerLinks from the show
Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors meets without Hans Zollner, S.J.Pope Francis to conflict-ridden sex abuse commission: This is ‘the moment of reparation.’
Pope Francis tells bishops of Latin America, where new sex abuse protections aren’t in place, to make it a priority
Jesuit abuse expert Hans Zollner explains decision to resign from Vatican safeguarding commission
Jesuit sex abuse expert Hans Zollner resigns from papal commission over ‘urgent concerns’
Jesuit sexual abuse expert discusses the Marko Rupnik case, the Society of Jesus and the state of the abuse crisis
Jesuit sex abuse expert appointed to Vatican office for child protection
Pope Francis reveals plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine
Pope Francis’ secret peace mission, explained
Kremlin denies working with Vatican on Ukraine peace talks
Pope Francis: ‘When it’s public I’ll talk about it’—hints at secret talks to end Ukraine-Russia war
In Hungary, Pope Francis meets with Ukrainian refugees and Russian church official
Asked if Putin is…
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Pope Francis hints at secret peace talks between Russia and Ukraine
4 mei 2023 · 26 min
Colleen is back!
This week on Inside the Vatican, hosts Colleen Dulle (with baby William) and Ricardo da Silva join veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell to discuss Pope Francis’ recent visit to Hungary.
The pope used his public messages during the visit to highlight the plight of migrants and refugees, saying “Jesus is an open door.” Pope Francis has been at odds with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over the prime minister’s restrictions on migration. Hungary has made exceptions to welcome Christian refugees in particular; the pope, in his homily at Mass, lamented “"the doors we close toward those who are foreign or unlike us.”
Colleen and Gerry also discuss the pope’s words on Ukraine, which borders Hungary, during the apostolic visit. After Pope Francis hinted at a secret peace “mission” to Russia and Ukraine, both the Kremlin and Ukrainian officials denied knowing anything about such a mission. The Vatican has made headway in its humanitarian efforts during the war, but can it get both parties to the table for peace negotiations? Lees meerLinks from the show
Pope Francis returns from weekend papal visit to HungaryAmid Hungary’s ‘no migrants’ policy, Pope Francis urges open doors and welcome
Pope Francis praises Hungary’s protection of traditional values—and pushes the country to welcome migrants
Pope Francis reflects on his visit to Hungary and building bridges of peace
Pope Francis will travel to Hungary at the end of April
Pope Francis meets Hungary’s Victor Orban—with Ukraine war as the backdrop
Pope Francis in Budapest calls on the Hungarian Catholic Church and its pastors ‘to be builders of bridges and promoters of dialogue’
What to expect from Pope Francis’ trip to Hungary and Slovakia
American conservatives have fallen in love with Hungary. Pope Francis is less impressed.
Lesson from Hungary: Anti-Catholicism is not a good response to anti-L.G.B.T.Q. laws
Pope Francis’ secret peace mission
Pope Francis: ‘When it’s public I’ll talk abou…
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Pope Francis announces women will have vote at upcoming synod
28 april 2023 · 29 min
Pope Francis announced on Monday, April 24, that all the participants at the first assembly of Synod on Synodality will have a vote when they meet at the Vatican this October. This is the first time women will have a vote at such a major church event. Lees meer
“More than 20 percent of the participants will be non-bishops,” says Gerry. “This can be priests, it can be consecrated women and men, it can be lay women and men.”
The announcement of the change to the synod’s voting pattern happened just days before Pope Francis is set to visit Hungary on an official state visit. On arrival, he will honor his diplomatic commitments, meeting with government officials and various dignitaries, among them XX the country’s president. Significantly, he is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán who aside from “being the longest-serving prime minister in Europe,” Gerry says, is also “a close ally of Vladimir Putin in Russia.”
“We are seeing the Pope try every which way to get the message across to Vladimir Putin,” says Ricardo, “about the importance of coming to the table and dialoguing on the issues in the war between Ukraine and Russia.”
While in Hungary the pope will also take the opportunity to exercise his role as pastor to the worldwide Catholic Church. He will meet with young people, refugees and some of the other most impoverished people in the land, but he also plans to meet with the Jesuits who minister in this landlocked central European country.
In the second half of this week’s show, Ricardo and Gerry discuss a new controversy that was sparked after remarks made in a speech by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life led some to suggest that the church has drastically changed its position on euthanasia and medically-assisted suicide.
But, it appears that Archbishop Paglia’s “comments were misconstrued,” Ricardo says. “He is clearly feeding into this highly charged debate in Italian parliament... He is worried that any implic…
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Pope Francis defends John Paul II against ‘offensive accusations’
20 april 2023 · 26 min
Pope Francis publicly denounced allegations made against Pope John Paul II on Italian television last week by Pietro Orlandi, the brother of Emanuela Orlandi. Last year, Ms. Orlandi’s mysterious disappearance from the Vatican almost 40 years ago, when she was just 15-years-old, inspired “Vatican Girl,” a documentary series on Netflix.
Mr. Orlandi, speaking on an Italian TV program, said that he had learned from a source that “John Paul II sometimes went out at night with two Polish monsignors, and he clearly did not go out to bless houses.” His comments have been understood to imply that the late pope was out sexually grooming young women at night. They were all the more surprising because they were made immediately after a lengthy meeting earlier that day between Mr. Orlandi, his lawyer and Alessandro Diddi—the Vatican’s chief prosecutor—to discuss the case.
When pressed after his interview to share the details of the comments implicating the saint-pope, Mr. Orlandi and his lawyer invoked their legal privilege no to disclose their source. Mr. Orlandi, through his lawyer, said that his comments “never accused John Paul II of these attempts at going out after girls,” Gerry reports. “This frustrated the prosecutor,” Gerry says, and “the prosecutor says, this is a break in the investigation, stopping the investigation,” and jeopardizes the ongoing process.
In the second half of the show, Gerry and Ricardo share what happened at a press conference in Rome on Monday, April 17, where Hans Zollner, S.J., explained in greater detail why he resigned suddenly last month from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Father Zollner is a German, Jesuit priest and the most recognizable authority on dealing with the scourge of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
Father Zollner has said his resignation was necessary because of shortcomings on “responsibility, compliance, accountability and transparency,” within the commission. Lees meerPlease support this podcast by becomi…
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China breaches its agreement with the Vatican on appointment of bishops
13 april 2023 · 33 min
China has breached its long-fought-for agreement with the Vatican on the appointment of bishops. On April 4, Bishop Shen Bin was transferred from the Diocese of Haimen, where he had been an auxiliary bishop, and installed as the bishop of Shanghai, the largest Roman Catholic diocese in mainland China.
Matteo Bruni, the director of the Vatican Press Office, confirmed the installation in a statement on April 6. The Holy See had been informed of the appointment only “a few days prior,” Mr. Bruni said, and was only alerted to the bishop’s installation through reporting in the mainstream media. It appears the appointment is in direct violation of the highly controversial bilateral agreement that the Vatican reached with China in 2018, and renewed last October. “It's the pope's prerogative to nominate the bishop to a diocese,” says Gerry. “Many people are now—even those who are quite in support of the agreement—are raising questions.”
In the second half of the show, Gerry and Ricardo review “The Pope: Answers,” a new documentary film on Hulu. In the documentary, Pope Francis has a conversation with 10 young people from Spain, Senegal, Argentina, Peru, Colombia and the United States, aged between 20 and 25 years old.
Among them are an atheist; a porn content creator; a nonbinary person; a survivor of sexual abuse; and a former nun from Peru, who is lesbian. They talk candidly about sexual abuse, the pope’s salary, loss of faith and dating apps like Tinder. “It’s such an intimate and personal film,” says Ricardo. “It really was a good example of what it is to live out synodality, which is what Pope Francis is calling us to do, really listen to each other.” Lees meerPlease support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media.
Links from the show
New bishop installed in Shanghai
China installs new bishop in Shanghai, in apparent violation of Vatican-China dealHoly Week
Pope Francis’ Easter Message: The international community must strive to end the war in Ukrain…
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Pope Francis’ bounce back to ministry for Holy Week
6 april 2023 · 36 min
When most people are admitted to the hospital, they stay in bed and recover. Unless, you are Pope Francis! Not even two days after he started treatment for a respiratory infection, the pope took to visiting the sick at Gemelli General Hospital in Rome, last Friday. In the pediatric oncology wards, he played and prayed with sick children. He had a pizza party with his medical team and the hospital’s care staff, and baptized a baby. And even on his way home, he stopped to console grieving parents whose child had died the night before.
“Inside the Vatican” hosts, Ricardo da Silva, S.J. and Gerard O’Connell discuss how the pope bounced back from bronchitis, silencing the ever-growing stirrings of his resignation in time to preside at the Mass that ushers in the holiest week of the Christian calendar.
In the second half of the show, Gerry and Ricardo reflect on the pope’s homily for Palm Sunday and preview the Vatican’s plans for the Easter Triduum.
Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media.
Links from the show
Pope Francis in hospital Lees meerAfter hospital pizza party and baptizing a baby, Pope Francis expected to return to Vatican Saturday
Pope Francis’ hospitalization actually gave me hope for the Catholic Church
Holy Week at the Vatican
Pope Francis, out of hospital, presides at Palm Sunday celebration
Read: Pope Francis’ homily for Palm Sunday 2023. ‘The abandoned’ are the ‘Christs of our day.’
Cardinal Farrell: Pope Francis’ critics are wrong. He’s no autocrat.
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Update: The Vatican repudiates the 15th century 'Doctrine of Discovery'
30 maart 2023 · 6 min
The Vatican has rejected the six-centuries-old “Doctrine of Discovery” that helped justify the occupation and takeover of Indigenous Peoples’ lands throughout colonial times, and still today forms the basis of property law in many parts of the world. In the U.S. and Canada, the doctrine has also been used to defend the unjust acquisition of land in legal disputes in their Supreme Courts. The decision by the Vatican comes after Pope Francis made a historic long-awaited and promised apology for the Catholic Church’s involvement in the operation of residential schools and the abuses perpetrated in this system of education for more than a century by clergy and consecrated religious men and women.
For more background, analysis, and developments on the doctrine of discovery and its impact over the centuries, please visit americamagazine.org. We also have an Inside the Vatican Deep Dive on the Pope’s visit to Indigenous Peoples in Canada last year and a video explainer on our Youtube channel.
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The Pope’s puffer jacket and how the Vatican is responding to A.I.
30 maart 2023 · 37 min
“Balenciaga Pope!” That is what the internet is calling it.
Photos of Pope Francis wearing a luxury oversized, white puffer jacket, that sells for anywhere up to $6,000, went viral this weekend.
A single tweet of the pope’s updated winter wardrobe invited 25,000 retweets, and Google Trends reported a dramatic increase in pope-related searches.
But, however realistic and convincing the photo might have appeared, it was a total fake, generated using an artificial intelligence platform.
On “Inside the Vatican,” this week co-hosts Ricardo da Silva, S.J. and Gerard O’Connell, look at why some tech bosses are turning to the Vatican for moral guidance as new and evermore sophisticated waves of artificial intelligence take hold.
“What is the moral position on A.I.?”, Ricardo asks. “Has the Vatican said anything about the rapidly growing sophistication of algorithms and artificial intelligence, and the frightening capacity they have to deceive us?”
Later in the show, we parse the revised “Vos Estis Lux Mundi,” Pope Francis’ landmark instruction on the Vatican's procedural norms for dealing with the scourge of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church which goes into effect next month.
Until now, the instruction had been issued on an experimental three-year basis. On April 30, it will be promulgated definitively into official church law.
Most of the document has remained the same but there are a few important changes, among them the fact that leaders of international lay movements can now be disciplined under church law for abuses committed against those in their care, and those to whom they minister
“This is a work in progress,” Gerry says. “Nobody says the law as issued now is the final word. We may find that in another two years, Francis may well make another amendment to this law.”
Links from the show:
The Vatican is worried about artificial intelligence
Should we be worried about A.I.? Theologians, philosophers and Catholic thinkers weigh in
Pope Francis confirms ‘vulnerable … Lees meer -
Pope Francis admitted to hospital for several days treatment
29 maart 2023 · 3 min
Pope Francis has been admitted to hospital where he is undergoing treatment for a respiratory infection.
The pope was taken to hospital by ambulance today, Wednesday, Mar 29, after he complained that he was experiencing chest pains following the celebration of the Angelus at midday in St. Peter’s Square.
According to sources at the Vatican, Massimiliano Strappetti, the pope’s personal health care assistant decided to call the ambulance, which took him to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome where he was taken immediately to the cardiac unit for examination.
But, following further examination and tests, including a test that ruled out a Covid-19 infection, Matteo Bruni, the director of the Vatican press office, issued a statement confirming that Pope Francis was experiencing a respiratory infection and would undergo some days of treatment in hospital.
Hans Zollner, S.J, who has speerheaded the Vatican’s response to the sexual abuse crisis within its own ranks has resigned from his position on the Pontifical Council for the Protection of Minors.
Father Zollner, a psychologist and leading expert in the protection of minors and vulnerable adults, said that his resignation has arisen because, quote, “I have noticed issues that need to be urgently addressed and which have made it impossible for me to continue further.”
He went on to cite specific concern for how the commission had gone about achieving its goals, “over some years now” he said, with respect to quote “responsibility, compliance, accountability and transparency.” And he questioned the selection process of the commission’s members, financial accountability and transparency in its decision-making.
Read more:
Pope Francis will remain in hospital for several days with respiratory infection
Jesuit sex abuse expert Hans Zollner resigns from papal commission over ‘urgent concerns’
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The Vatican’s mega-trial of the century
23 maart 2023 · 30 min
On July 27, 2021, a trial began inside the Vatican Museums before a bench of three judges of the Vatican City State’s court. Now, more than 600 days since arguments began in the specially remodeled Vatican rooms, the trial continues.
At the center of the trial is Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the substitute for General Affairs at the Vatican’s Secretariat of State from 2011-18, the equivalent of the Vatican’s chief of staff. He is being tried for embezzlement and abuse of his office. The cardinal is also the highest-ever prelate to be tried by the tribunal since Pope Francis changed the Vatican’s rules in April 2021 to allow bishops and cardinals to stand trial in civil and criminal matters.
Cardinal Becciu was effectively responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Holy See for 7 years, before he was appointed prefect of the then-Congregation for the Causes of Saints, before he suddenly resigned from that role and relinquished his privileges as cardinal, which include the right to vote in any future conclave.
The trial principally investigates the controversial $225 million purchase of an investment property in Chelsea, London, which is one of the wealthiest districts in the world. It is alleged the property was paid for, in part, using funds collected from Peter’s Pence, a Vatican fund intended to help the church in its various needs across the world, especially in its outreach and relief to the most materially impoverished people and places.
This week on “Inside the Vatican,” co-hosts Ricardo da Silva, S.J., and Gerard O’Connell discuss the most recent happenings at the Vatican’s mega-trial of the century and what has surfaced from the testimony of key witnesses. In the second half of the show, the hosts look at allegations arising from a new documentary on Polish television which alleges that when Pope John Paul II was archbishop of Krakow he knew of and covered up allegations of the sexual abuse of minors by three priests under his care.
Related links:
Top Vati… Lees meer