Inside The Vatican

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.

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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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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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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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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.

Read more: Jesuits expel prominent artist Marko Rupnik after allegations of abuse against adult women

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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.

Find the full show page and links for further reading here.

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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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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.

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

Pope Francis meets with Argentine nun about field hospitals in Ukraine

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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.

Links from the show

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi to lead peace mission

Pope Francis plans to visit Fatima for World Youth Day

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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.” 

Links from the show

Pope Francis meets with Ukranian president Volodymyr Zelensky

New leadership in Caritas Internationalis

• Interview: New Vatican charity leaders look to the future after workplace crisis

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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.

Links from the show

Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors meets without Hans Zollner, S.J.

Pope Francis reveals plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine

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