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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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:

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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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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 [email protected] 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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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.

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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.

Read the full show notes and find links to read more here.

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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.

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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.

Read more:

Explainer: Mongolia only has 1,400 Catholics. Pope Francis is going there anyway.

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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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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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