Inside The Vatican

On this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Colleen Dulle and Ricardo da Silva, S.J., interview Dr. Catherine Clifford, a professor of systematic and historical theology at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa, Canada, who served as an elected member of the 2024 Synod on Synodality’s drafting commission for the final document

They discuss the meetings on the discernment of women deacons that happened during the synod, as well as the document-drafting process and Dr. Clifford’s reactions to the final decisions the synod took.

More from this episode:

- Pope Francis says he will not write his own exhortation on synod, publishes members’ final document

- To teach faith and morals in a diverse church, we must recognize the doctrinal authority of bishops’ conferences

- Vatican releases audio of meeting on women deacons between Cardinal Fernández and synod members

- Pope Francis calls for a ‘church that gets its hands dirty’ at synod’s closing Mass

- Synodality—and ‘controversial’ issues—are here to stay: Takeaways from the Synod’s final document

- Synod Diary: The synod’s final document didn’t solve everything—and I’m grateful for that.

- Jesuitical Podcast: Cardinal Tobin on the synod and the future of women deacons

- Deep Dive: What just happened at the Synod on Synodality?

- Deep Dive: Why Pope Francis is worried about seminaries and young priests with ‘authoritarian attitudes’

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Inside the Vatican's synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.

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On the eve of the highly anticipated publication of the final report for the Synod on Synodality, Inside the Vatican host Colleen Dulle and Jesuitical host Zac Davis speak with their colleague and synod delegate James Martin, S.J., about his experience this month inside the second assembly.

Zac and Colleen discuss:

- The atmosphere at this year’s synod assembly compared to last year’s

- How controversial topics like L.G.B.T. issues and women’s ordination have been tackled

- The deep conversion that took place among the members and the long-term impact of this gathering on the global church

Jesuitical’s synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.

Links from the show:

The Jesuit roots of the synod’s ‘conversations in the spirit’

‘Palpable outrage’: Synod delegates react to women deacons study group meeting

Synod Diary: The Vatican Curia is still learning synodality

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The “Inside the Vatican” team is together in Rome—live and in person—for the Synod on Synodality’s final week. Host Colleen Dulle, veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O'Connell and producer Ricardo da Silva, S.J., discuss last week’s most contentious story out of the Vatican: the scheduled meeting of Study Group 5, which is considering ways to increase participation for women in the Church, including the possibility of women deacons.

The team examines the “palpable outrage” reported by delegates during their scheduled meeting, where they expected to engage with the Vatican's doctrinal chief and study group members. Instead, they were met by staffers from his office. This unexpected turn not only frustrated delegates but raises serious questions about the real commitment to synodality in the church’s highest ranks.

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On this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Colleen Dulle and Ricardo da Silva, S.J., are joined by Rev. Matthew Laferty, a Methodist minister who works for the World Methodist Council and represents the Methodist church’s relationship with the Catholic Church and the Vatican. They discuss how the Catholic Church’s current Synod on Synodality is inspiring deeper conversations and greater unity between the Christian churches.

A link to further reading from the episode will be added here soon.

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The 2024 session of the Synod on Synodality has reached its halfway point. In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” producer Ricardo da Silva, S.J., reporting from Rome, provides an overview of the second week of the synod.

Then, joined by Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell, the two explore some central themes that are beginning to emerge from this session of the synod, including the growing role for theologians, the reimagining of ordained ministries and how the Catholic Church's efforts to foster unity with fellow Christian churches are central to its understanding of synodality. 

Inside the Vatican's synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.

Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media.

Links:

Synod Diary: Father James Martin’s halftime report from inside the synod hall

Brazilian Cardinal talks restoring women deacons, ordaining married men at synod press briefing

Pope Francis hears testimonies from transgender and intersex Catholics

Further synod coverage from America:

The keys to a bishop’s role in a synodal church: collaboration and compassion

Interview: Laurence Gien, the abuse survivor and opera singer who spoke at the Vatican

Writing to 21 new cardinals, Pope Francis urges them to be compassionate shepherds

Synod Diary: Lessons from the Jesuit pilgrimage for the synod slog

Synod Diary: Women deacons are not a ‘Western’ obsession

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On this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle is joined by Laurence Gien, a survivor of clerical sexual abuse who spoke about his experience as part of a penitential celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Oct. 1, 2024.

Calling for healing for survivors and administrative urgency from the church to address their pain, Mr. Gien saw his testimony as an important symbolic act to promote transparency and accountability for people wounded by the Catholic Church—many of whom remain unnamed and unheard.

Find links for further reading from the episode here.

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The second session of the Synod on Synodality began with a penitential liturgy at St. Peter's Basilica, where a victim of child sexual abuse shared his story for the first time during an official liturgy there. This underscored the church's commitment to naming its sins, greater transparency and accountability.

On this episode of Inside the Vatican, host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell are joined by producer Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to recap the first week of the synod. While the consideration of contentious issues like the ordination of women to the diaconate have been tabled from the official agenda and set aside for deeper study, they continue to be raised by delegates despite this, as Ricardo reports.

Later, Colleen and Gerry discuss some of the 21 cardinals-elect named at the weekend by Pope Francis—all but one eligible to vote in the conclave—and how each aligns with his vision for a more inclusive, compassionate church, serving the most marginalized.

Find links for further reading from the episode here.

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Colleen Dulle and Gerard O'Connell tackle your burning questions in a special mailbag episode of “Inside the Vatican.” Tune in for their answers on issues that matter to ordinary Catholics. What real changes can we expect from the Synod on Synodality? Why won’t Pope Francis travel to Paris for the grand reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral this December? And how is the Vatican responding to the rapidly expanding war in the Middle East? Colleen even shares her thoughts on who the next pope might be, while Gerry explains why he prefers to opt out of such speculation.

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This episode of “Inside the Vatican” was originally slated to be our mailbag Q. and A. episode, but with so much news, Gerry and Colleen are focusing this week on the most newsworthy moments from Pope Francis’ visit to Belgium. Sexual abuse was a main issue going into this visit; what was less expected were the criticisms the pope faced on the role of women in the church and society.

In the second half of the show, Colleen and Gerry explain the expulsion of ten members of an influential Catholic lay group in Peru. One of those suspended was a Catholic journalist, which raises the question: Are Vatican sanctions like these in conflict with the freedom of the press?

Find links for further reading from the episode here.

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Among the youngest people in a room of mostly bishops, Julia Oseka and José Manuel De Urquidi were in the first group of lay voting members at a synod, as delegates to the Synod on Synodality held at the Vatican last year. In an episode of “Inside the Vatican” recorded last month, José and Julia join host Colleen Dulle for an interview about their experience at the synod: a month of deep listening, dialogue, and disagreement handled with respect—even on sensitive topics like LGBT issues and women’s ordination—and what they expect from this year’s gathering.

Colleen, Gerry and the 'Inside the Vatican' and 'Jesuitical' teams return to the Vatican to deliver in-depth reporting and on-the-ground analysis of the Synod on Synodality as it happens. Great news: you can follow along from home! Visit AmericaMagazine.org/subscribe and you’ll get access to daily synod diaries along with our full coverage. If you have questions about the synod or topics about the Vatican you’d like us to cover during the synod, let us know! Send an email to [email protected]

Find links for further reading from the episode here.

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Links for further reading

Five things to watch for in the upcoming October synod

I listened to Synod delegates opposed to LGBTQ issues. Here are my responses.

Women deacons, LGBT issues not on the agenda for October’s synod meeting

Vatican II—and its media coverage—has a lesson for today’s synod: Don’t expect immediate results

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