Inside The Vatican

Pope Francis spoke out on the police killing of George Floyd last week as protests against racism spread across the globe. This week on Inside the Vatican, veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell describes the protests in Europe and the change of heart some Europeans have had about racism in their countries.

Pope Francis made his position on the death of George Floyd clear as he called two American bishops to thank them for speaking out against racism. One, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, had been photographed kneeling with a Black Lives Matter sign; the other was Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. On the show, Gerry and producer Colleen Dulle unpack the pope’s statement that “we cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life.”

The hosts also give an update on the recent arrest of one of the two Italian real estate brokers who profited from the Vatican’s controversial London real estate deal. Gerry explains what role Gianluigi Torzi, the broker who was arrested, played in the deal and what questions remain to be answered in the Vatican’s ongoing investigation.

Links from the show:

• Pope Francis calls U.S. bishops to offer prayers amid George Floyd protests
• Pope Francis on the death of George Floyd: We cannot tolerate racism and claim to defend life
• Vatican arrests businessman in shady London real estate deal
• Podcast: The Vatican’s $200 million London real estate scandal, explained

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Pope Francis took a major step in his ongoing reform of Vatican finance on June 1 by putting in place a centralized system to approve who gets contracts to work with the Vatican. The change amounts to what Crux editor John L. Allen, Jr. called a “direct frontal assault on Vatican nepotism.” This week on the Inside the Vatican podcast, America’s veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and I explain how the former system had led to corruption and how the new system aims to stamp it out. 

Beginning in July, Vatican offices will have their contracts and budgets approved by a central authority, which will then oversee accepting bids from an approved group of contractors. The contractors will be vetted for ethics violations, tax evasion, and illegal activities before they are approved. Despite limiting Vatican entities to pre-approved contractors, the new system aims to increase competition for Vatican contracts and thus drive down prices—an important priority for the financially struggling institution.

After that, Gerry and I discuss Pope Francis’ Pentecost messages, which focused on ensuring justice for those on the margins of society during the Covid-19 pandemic. I connect them with the ongoing protests in the United States sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, and Gerry says it is likely that the pope will comment on the unrest.

Links from the show:

• In major reform, Pope Francis issues new regulations on awarding contracts in the Vatican
• In his Pentecost homily, Pope Francis asks Christians to reject narcissism and pessimism
• How can Catholics help lead the fight against racism?
• To fight racism, Catholics must hunger for justice like we do for the Eucharist

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This week on the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, America’s Rome correspondent, Gerard O’Connell, gives an exclusive look inside the Vatican museums, which will reopen with new social distancing measures in place on Monday, June 1.

Then, Gerry and producer Colleen Dulle discuss the death of the former superior general of the Jesuits, Adolfo Nicolás. Father Nicolás led the Jesuits from 2008 to 2016 and was responsible in large part for implementing the justice-oriented vision laid out by the Jesuits’ 34th General Congregation. Colleen and Gerry examine Father Nicolás’ legacy and his friendship with Pope Francis.

Up next, the Vatican spoke out against a U.S.-backed proposal for Israel to annex up to 30 percent of the West Bank. On the show, Gerry explains what the Holy See, which recognizes Palestinian statehood and has diplomatic relations with both it and Israel, aims to accomplish with its recent statement.

Finally, Colleen and Gerry give a few updates on Pope Francis’ recent message to Chinese Catholics, his announcement of a year of prayer and study of Laudato Si’, and plans for the pope’s Pentecost Mass.

Links from the show:

Former Jesuit superior general Adolfo Nicolás has died in Tokyo

Watch Adolfo Nicolás’ funeral on YouTube

Arturo Sosa remembers his predecessor, Adolfo Nicolás

Watch: Remembering Fr. Adolfo Nicolás, S.J.: A Conversation with Fr. James Grummer, S.J.

The Vatican objects to Israeli plan to annex Palestinian territory

Pope Francis announces year of reflection on “Laudato Si’” and prays for Catholics in China

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As Italy gradually reopens and public Masses resume there, the Vatican is facing the challenge of a decreased income while working to lead the world’s humanitarian and diplomatic response to the coronavirus pandemic. This week on the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell describes the scene in St. Peter’s Basilica on its first day open to the public since the start of Italy’s lockdown.

Gerry and producer Colleen Dulle discuss Pope Francis’ last livestreamed daily Mass, which was celebrated on the centenary of St. John Paul II’s birth. Gerry explains how a Polish documentary on clerical sexual abuse cast a shadow on the centenary celebration, and what follow-up steps the Vatican may take to investigate.

Colleen and Gerry also take a look at the Vatican’s finances in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Like many governments and companies around the world, the Vatican is facing a major loss in income. The Dicastery for Finance has instructed Vatican offices to build austere budgets for next year covering only what is essential—a move that could signify big changes for offices that were only required to prepare budgets for the first time a few years ago.

Finally, the Vatican’s coronavirus task force has given its first update on its wide-ranging diplomatic, humanitarian and environmental work. Gerry and Colleen unpack their updates on how global hunger and migration have been impacted by the pandemic.

Links from the show:

Pope Francis celebrates St. John Paul II centenary: ‘God sent his people a prophet.’

Vatican faces difficult budget choices as coronavirus pandemic crushes revenue

Pope Francis highlights ways for Christians to help internally displaced people

Vatican task force says millions risk hunger problems during pandemic; calls for ‘creative solidarity’ to solve global problems

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On this week’s episode of the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, producer Colleen Dulle and Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss the Australian Royal Commission’s findings that Cardinal George Pell knew about priests abusing children in the Ballarat diocese as early as 1973, a year after he began working in that diocese, and that Cardinal Pell was involved in transferring pedophile priests between parishes. 

The commission’s findings were previously released in a redacted form while Cardinal Pell’s trial and appeal process were underway. The Australian High Court overturned a lower court’s conviction of Cardinal Pell on sexual abuse charges in early April. On the podcast, Colleen and Gerry discuss what, if any, consequences may follow the Royal Commission’s findings.

In this episode, the hosts also discuss changes in the Italian church as that country prepares to resume public Masses next week. Colleen details the sanitation requirements for public liturgies, and Gerry explains why Italian churchgoers may not be keen to go back to Mass quickly. 

Colleen and Gerry also look at Pope Francis’ surprise appointment of a Franciscan as the new archbishop of Genoa. While previous archbishops of Genoa could count on being named cardinals, Gerry believes Pope Francis is unlikely to give the new archbishop a red hat while Italians are over-represented in the College of Cardinals.

Links from the show:

Inquiry: Pell knew of abuse by Australian pedophile priest

Italy will soon allow public Masses—with conditions

Pope Francis, in surprise appointment, chooses a Franciscan as archbishop of Genoa, Italy

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Last week, an Italian newspaper reported that Pope Francis had fired five employees who were under investigation for their involvement in the $200 million purchase of minority stake in a luxury apartment development in London’s upscale Chelsea neighborhood.

After the Vatican’s Secretariat of State lost money on the investment, the Vatican’s middleman, Italian businessman Raffaele Mincione, advised the Vatican to buy the remainder of the property, which he owned. The Vatican’s judicial system is now investigating staffers who were involved in the deal for possible financial improprieties. Last year, Vatican police raided several offices in the Secretariat of State and the Vatican’s financial watchdog office and suspended the staff members.

America’s Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell reported this week that the situation of the five employees was more complex than the premature, unjust firings the Italian newspaper had made them out to be. 

This week on “Inside the Vatican,” Gerry and producer Colleen Dulle explain the background of the London deal, what happened to the five employees, and what questions still remain.

Links from the show:

Has Pope Francis dismissed five Vatican employees linked to a property deal in London?

Vatican employees suspended as finance investigation continues

Vatican police raid Secretariat of State and finance watchdog offices

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In this episode, Vatican correspondent Gerard O'Connell gives an on-the-ground update from “phase two” of Italy’s coronavirus lockdown. Gerry and producer Colleen Dulle also discuss the interreligious day of prayer between Muslims and Christians for an end to coronavirus, along with Pope Francis’ call for nations and corporations to share any eventual Covid-19 vaccine. That call was the latest in a string of requests from the Vatican for greater multilateralism, which former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta recently discussed in an interview with Gerry.

Next up, a newly-published interview with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI grabbed headlines this weekend that focused on the former pope’s comments linking abortion and gay marriage to the “Antichrist.” That interview was part of a new 1,000-page biography of the pope emeritus by Peter Seewald, released in German on Monday and slated to be published in English in November.

Colleen and Gerry take a look at the interview beyond the media spin: The two discuss Pope Benedict XVI’s historical connections to some of the topics he addressed, and Gerry highlights what’s new in the excerpts he has seen thus far, including the emeritus pope’s revelation that he has written a “testament” to be published after his death.

Links from the show:

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI sees church threatened by pseudo-humanism

Pope Francis joins Muslim leaders in calling for world day of prayer to end the coronavirus

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It’s no secret that Pope Francis has faced opposition during his pontificate: some of it, the healthy disagreement he’s called for, some more serious—what The Tablet Vatican reporter Christopher Lamb calls well-financed, well-publicized “guerilla attacks” on the pope.

Chris outlines more than one hundred instances of such highly-publicized attacks on Francis in his new book The Outsider: Pope Francis and His Battle to Reform the Church. He joins “Inside the Vatican” host Colleen Dulle to discuss the criticism the pope has received from across the church-political spectrum, and what distinguishes healthy disagreement from the attacks that Pope Francis called backstabbing.

The two also put the attacks on Pope Francis in context: Is it fair to say that attacks on Francis’ papacy are unprecedented when, for example, there were three rival popes during the Western Schism? What role has money played in these attacks, and what is their end goal?

Colleen and Chris unpack the connections between the pope’s wealthy critics and the media outlets that have magnified their voices. They discuss, too, the places the pope has fallen short, and why Chris believes that, despite his mistakes, the pope is still “a man of integrity.”

Link from the show:

The Outsider: Pope Francis and His Battle to Reform the Church

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Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has announced that Italy will transition into “phase 2” of its coronavirus lockdown, re-opening the manufacturing and construction industries on May 4, followed by libraries, museums, and some stores May 18. Not included in the re-openings were churches, causing outcry from the Italian bishops, who demanded a plan to resume public Masses. On this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” America’s Rome correspondent Gerard O’Connell explains what negotiations are happening between the bishops and the Italian government.

At his daily Mass on Tuesday, April 28, Pope Francis seemed to respond to the situation, praying, “In this time, during which we are beginning to have the possibility to come out of quarantine, let us pray that the Lord will give his people the grace of prudence and obedience to the instructions so the pandemic will not return.”

The pope has had his eye on the coronavirus response outside Italy as well, speaking with French president Emmanuel Macron two days before a major meeting of European Union leaders to discuss the E.U.’s response to the pandemic. On the show, Colleen and Gerry discuss Francis’ call with Macron along with his other priorities for the multilateral meeting, and the hosts give an update on what decisions came out of the meeting.

Pope Francis has also called the world’s Catholics to pray the rosary in the month of May for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. Gerry and Colleen take a look at the two new prayers the pope penned to accompany the Rosary and discuss Pope Francis’ spiritual leadership throughout the crisis.

Links from the show:

Italian bishops demand plan for resuming public Masses

Pope Francis speaks with French President Macron about coronavirus, international debt relief

Read: Pope Francis’ rosary prayers in the midst of coronavirus

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In recent weeks, the Vatican has made it clear that it sees the coronavirus pandemic as a pressing call for the transformation of society. This past week, Pope Francis put together a task force with specific mandates for coordinating humanitarian aid, international relations, and the protection of the environment, all at the service of a broader vision of human solidarity in a time of pandemic.

That vision was laid out on March 30 in a note entitled “Global Pandemic and Universal Brotherhood,” issued by the Pontifical Academy for Life, which focuses on moral theology and bioethics. In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” the president of that academy, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, speaks to producer Colleen Dulle about that document and some of the specifics of the Vatican’s vision for a new human solidarity arising from this pandemic.

In the interview, Archbishop Paglia describes the theological and health considerations that have factored into the decisions to cancel public Masses while keeping churches open: “Precisely because of the principle of incarnation, which is at the heart of our faith, we must take seriously the concrete concerns to which our body is subject,” the archbishop said.

He also speaks in depth about the need that Vatican leadership has expressed for a globally coordinated health care network which would ensure care for the most vulnerable people. Speaking about how decisions about rationing care when resources are scarce, Archbishop Paglia said, “the choice is not about the dignity of the person or the value of his or her life, which is equal and priceless for all, but on the treatment: priority must be given to those who—when needs are equal— are expected to benefit the most.”

Links from the show:

Read “Global Pandemic and Universal Brotherhood”

Find America Magazine’s full coronavirus coverage here

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