Inside The Vatican

Latest Episodes:

Understanding the pope’s U.S. critics, with Mike Lewis Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

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? Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

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? Nov 30, 2023

Show notes

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:

Vimal 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 Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

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.

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 salary

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Update: Pope Francis meets with Israeli, Palestinian families Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

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.

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Pope Francis removes U.S. critic Bishop Joseph Strickland Nov 16, 2023

Show notes

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 Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

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? Nov 02, 2023

Show notes

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 Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

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:

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:

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Unpacking the synod’s first letter to ‘the people of God’ Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

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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