Pope Francis canceled his public audiences beginning Thursday, February 27 due to what his spokesman called a “slight indisposition.” Amid media reports that Francis had been tested for coronavirus, the pope addressed a smaller-than-normal crowd in St. Peter’s Square and said he had a cold.

On this week’s “Inside the Vatican” podcast, Rome correspondent Gerard O’Connell describes the fear surrounding coronavirus that has gripped the Eternal City. Then, Gerry and producer Colleen Dulle unpack the pope’s most extensive comments to date on the ongoing reform of the Legionaries of Christ.

The hosts also discuss a new task force that will bring together the Vatican’s top experts on sexual abuse prevention to help dioceses and religious orders that are not yet in compliance with Vatican guidelines catch up.

Finally, Colleen and Gerry give a few quick updates on the opening of the Vatican’s secret archives on Pope Pius XII, which they covered previously on the show, as well as the death of Nicaraguan priest and poet Ernesto Cardenal.

Links from the show:

• Pope Francis, recovering from his cold, greets pilgrims
• After slight cold, Pope Francis reportedly tests negative for coronavirus
• Inside the Vatican, June 27, 2019: What does the pope do on vacation?
• Pope Francis tells scandal-marred Legion of Christ they still haven’t reformed
• AP: Vatican task force offers help to church on abuse prevention
• Vatican wartime archives ready for new batch of scholars
• Inside the Vatican, March 7, 2019: Vatican opens secret wartime archives
• Father Ernesto Cardenal, poet and revolutionary, dies in Nicaragua

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