In this episode, we get into a topic that most people — including our friends Maggie and Bob — had no idea existed: the Vatican’s actual legal code on narcotics.Yes, there is legislation.Yes, it’s extremely strict.And no, stepping a few meters inside the Vatican walls does not place you in some incense-scented legal vacuum.

We’ll look at how the Holy See frames drug use as both a moral and social wound, why Pope Leo XIV has spoken so forcefully about the opioid crisis in the U.S., and how Vatican law (starting at Article 42) handles cultivation, trafficking, possession, and even abusive medical prescriptions.

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This week on “When Rome Looks West,” Maggie and Bob unpack the surprisingly high-stakes election for the next president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops — a race being watched as closely in St. Peter’s as on Capitol Hill. From the quiet street of Borgo Pio to the echoing halls of Washington’s basilica, they explore why the Vatican cares so much, what’s at stake for Pope Prevost’s pontificate, and how the American Church’s future could ripple across the Catholic world.

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This week, Maggie and Bob are whispering — not because they’ve taken a vow of silence, but because they’re in one of the most remarkable places on Earth: the Vatican Apostolic Library. Between the smell of parchment and the soft echo of marble halls, something unexpected has caused a stir — a simple prayer rug.

Muslim scholars studying ancient Qur’ans asked for a small space to pray, and the Library said yes. What followed was a symphony of headlines, holy confusion, and a debate that reached far beyond the reading desks.

Is it hospitality or heresy? Inclusion or illusion? Maggie and Bob unpack the controversy, the symbolism, and what it means when one of the world’s oldest libraries suddenly finds itself at the crossroads of faith, scholarship, and the geometry of carpets.

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This week, we marvel at the wonders of Rome and the peculiar magic of modern Vatican–Italian relations. How did two powers once locked in bitter conflict become such amiable neighbors? Over espresso (and maybe a little Chianti), Maggie and Bob explore the rituals, friendships, and charming absurdities that make the friendship between popes and presidents one of the most Roman stories of all.

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As the Vatican loosens its financial reins under Pope Leo XIV and $1.75 trillion in Catholic assets look for faith-friendly homes, the world’s smallest state is thinking big about global markets.

This week, Maggie and Bob become full-blown finance sharks — dissecting Mensuram Bonam, offshore investments, and what happens when theology meets the trading floor. Can morality and money really coexist in one divine portfolio? Tune in and find out.

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This week’s Vatican headlines sound more like a Netflix satire than church news: a flood of AI deepfakes showing Pope Leo XIV commenting on everything from politics to the end times. The Holy See is scrambling to set the record straight, but how do you fact-check a Pope who never spoke? In this week’s episode, Maggie and Bob dive into the strange new world of papal impostors, digital illusions, and the Vatican’s fight to protect its voice in an age when anyone can clone it.

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Maggie and Bob are not digital preachers, but this week they talk about the surprising rise of “digital bishoprics.” With YouTube homilies, viral catechism apps, and podcasts shaping the spiritual playlist of millions, many Catholics now listen more to online bishops than to the shepherds of their own dioceses. Is this a golden age of evangelization or a pastoral headache for the Vatican? Grab your coffee — and maybe your phone charger — as Maggie and Bob dive into the blessings, the memes, and the messy questions of faith in the digital era.

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This week, Maggie and Bob dig into the financial side of the Jubilee, revealing how millions of pilgrims, soaring tourism, and Vatican investments are reshaping Rome. They explain where the money comes from, how it’s spent, and why this Holy Year could become the most economically impactful in history. And they discover that Jubilee is (by far) much more than money.

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Maggie and Bob dive into the Vatican’s reactions to AI, uncovering how this rapidly evolving technology is sparking debate, raising ethical questions, and even inspiring new visions for the Church’s role in a digital world. From concerns about AI-generated prayers to Pope Leo XIV’s emerging leadership, they explore the crossroads where faith, technology, and humanity collide.

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This week on the podcast, Maggie and Bob take a closer look at Cardinal Angelo Becciu’s dramatic appeal, his secretive audience with Pope Leo XIV, and the power struggles shaking the Vatican’s judicial system. From the high-stakes trial to the questions surrounding reform, they unpack how this case could redefine what justice means inside the Holy See—and why the world should be paying attention.

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borgopio.substack.com