Inside The Vatican

This week on “Inside the Vatican” we look at why the Vatican seems to be lowering expectations for its upcoming international summit on sexual abuse.

Then, we talk about World Youth Day, which is being held in Panama this week. Gerry has covered every World Youth Day since the inaugural one in 1985, and he explains how the young people at this event have had a significant impact on their bishops, and even on popes.

We also look at how Pope Francis is empowering young people and local churches by decentralizing the Vatican’s power.

Links from the show:

• Inside the Vatican: Will the Vatican’s summit on sexual abuse make a difference?
• Vatican lowers expectations ahead of February’s sex abuse summit
• Pope Francis heads to Panama for World Youth Day

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This week on “Inside the Vatican,” we explore the topic of women deacons. We feature some clips from America’s exclusive interview with two members of the Vatican’s commission to research women deacons in the early church. Then, Rome correspondent Gerry O’Connell and I unpack what Pope Francis might do next with the commission's research.

In the second half of the show, we look at three recent developments in the case of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, whose alleged sexual abuse is being investigated by the Vatican. We update you on the progress of that investigation, and discuss the latest letter from Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò asking Archbishop McCarrick to repent of his crimes.

Finally, we re-examine the question of who knew what when about Archbishop McCarrick in light of the news that Cardinal Donald Wuerl reported Archbishop McCarrick’s misconduct with seminarians to the Vatican in 2004.

Explore these stories:

• Full video interview with Phyllis Zagano and Bernard Pottier, S.J.
• Special Topic: Women deacons
• Viganò begs McCarrick to repent as abuse verdict nears

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As 2019 begins, all eyes in the Vatican are turned towards the upcoming summit on sexual abuse, and recent weeks have brought a number of stories that reveal how Pope Francis aims to lead the church on this issue.

First, the Vatican confirmed this past weekend that it is investigating a third accusation of abuse against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick. On “Inside the Vatican” this week, Gerry O’Connell and I look at how—and why—the Vatican is expediting that investigation.

Next, we examine the American bishops’ retreat, which they held at the behest of Pope Francis. The pope sent the Vatican’s top preacher, along with a personal letter to guide the retreatants in their reflection.

Finally, Gerry and I look at the resignation of the director and deputy director of the Vatican’s press office, and what challenges the interim director will face as he coordinates media coverage of February’s summit on sexual abuse.

Read more:

• Will the Vatican’s summit on sexual abuse make a difference?
• The Vatican may be deciding fate of former Cardinal McCarrick
• Pope Francis to U.S. bishops on retreat: Abuse crisis requires conversion and humility
• Director and deputy director of Vatican press office resign on last day of 2018

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This week before “Inside the Vatican” goes on break, we are giving you a round-up of this year’s top Vatican news—and digging into the questions that remain about these stories going into the new year.

We examine whether Pope Francis’ document on holiness “Gaudete et Exsultate” has had an impact beyond its short appearance in the news cycle. We also look at the open questions from this year’s sexual abuse scandals in both the United States in Chile—and ask when those questions might finally be answered.

We also cover whether worrying developments in China will affect this year’s major provisional deal between the Vatican and the People’s Republic, and we discuss how the Vatican plans to follow up on the Synod on Young People.

Gerry and I also share some the stories we wish had gotten more attention in 2018.

“Inside the Vatican” will be on a Christmas break until Jan. 8. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the entire team!

Read more:

• America Special Topics: “Gaudete et Exsultate”

• America Special Topics: Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church

• The Extremely High Stakes of the China-Vatican Deal
• What you need to know about the 2018 Synod on Young People

Overlooked stories of 2018:

• Who is Madeleine Delbrêl—the “French Dorothy Day” Pope Francis made venerable this weekend?

• Surprise! Pope Francis makes several impromptu visits

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This week on “Inside the Vatican,” we look at Pope Francis’ recent comments about homosexuality and religious life. His new book on consecrated life, “The Strength of a Vocation,” is based on a long interview and Pope Francis has a number of quotations that have made headlines around the world.

“The issue of homosexuality is a very serious issue that we need to adequately discern right from the start with the candidates, if that’s the case,” Pope Francis said. “In consecrated life and in priestly life, there is no room for this type of affection. For this reason, the Church recommends that people with this ingrained tendency not be accepted into the ministry or into consecrated life. Their place is not in ministry or in consecrated life.”

He ends the brief section by urging gay consecrated people to live their vows of celibacy.

On this week’s episode, we look at these comments in the context of the pope’s other famous comment on gay priests: “Who am I to judge?” We examine what Pope Francis’ pastoral history with gay and lesbian people can tell us about the intentions behind these new comments.

Read more:

• Understanding Pope Francis’ controversial remarks on homosexuality in the priesthood

Read full show notes

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This week on “Inside the Vatican,” we take a look at the newly announced committee that will plan the Vatican’s upcoming, high-stakes summit on sexual abuse. One committee member, Cardinal Oswald Gracias of India, told Crux in October that the meeting “will be successful, or it will be a disaster for the Church.”

So, can it succeed in creating lasting change?

In this week’s episode, we try to answer that question by looking at the plans for the meeting. It will have a structure similar to the last synod, with listening sessions, work in language groups and involvement from lay people and religious. In addition, bishops will listen to speeches by survivors of sexual abuse and participate in a penitential liturgy with them. The goal, committee member Archbishop Charles Scicluna told Gerry, is to get the bishops “on the same page” with Pope Francis about sexual abuse. The real change, we conclude, will depend on how the bishops decide to follow through after the summit ends.

Read more:

• Exclusive: Archbishop Scicluna says February meeting start of ‘global approach’ to fighting sex abuse
• Pope Francis summons the world’s top bishops for sexual abuse prevention summit

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Full show notes and related articles: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/11/21/has-catholic-infighting-gotten-worse

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Full show notes and related articles: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/11/14/whats-behind-stalled-us-bishops-vote-sex-abuse

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For full show notes and links, visit: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/11/07/nuncio-reported-mccarrick-he-became-dc-archbishop-new-book-confirms 

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This week on “Inside the Vatican,” America’s new Vatican news explainer podcast, producer Colleen Dulle and Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell unpack the final document from the Synod on Young People.

The main takeaway from the synod, Gerry says, is the method of listening, discussing and discerning that Pope Francis established. Now it’s up to dioceses to continue dialoguing with young people on a local level.

The hosts also look behind the headlines of Pope Francis’ puzzling comments about abuse accusations being a form of persecution. Was the pope referring to legitimate accusations of sexual abuse, or something else entirely?

Read more:

• Youth synod final document urges ‘accompaniment,’ endorses women in church leadership
• Pope Francis concludes synod by condemning ‘the continuous accusations to smear the church.’
• Read our full coverage of the synod here: What you need to know about the 2018 Synod on Young People

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