For the first time in his 10-year papacy, Pope Francis has had to cancel a previously announced trip abroad due to health issues. In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," Vatican experts Joshua McElwee and Christopher White discuss the pope's health, and the significance of the cancellation of his planned trip to Dubai for the UN Climate Change Conference. They also have an exclusive conversation with Brownsville, Texas Bishop Daniel Flores, the lead coordinator of the U.S. bishops' national consultation process for the Synod of Bishops. Flores, who took part in the October 2023 synod assembly in Rome, said the delegates at the gathering wanted to express "a certain amount of sorrow" over how women have been treated by the Catholic Church. Flores said the bishops at the Oct. 4-29 gathering wanted to show recognition "about how the church has not, in her leadership or in the way it works … appreciated the sacrifice and [that] in so many parts of the world [what] continues to make the church viable is the work of women."

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Relevant links:

Christopher White's coverage of Pope Francis canceling his planned trip to Dubai: Pope Francis cancels trip to Dubai for UN climate conference

Brian Roewe's report on the opening of the UN climate summit: Catholics at COP28 vow to carry ill pope's call for action on climate change

The Associated Press' reporting on the pope's Nov. 29 weekly general audience: Ailing Pope Francis holds weekly audience, but aide reads his remarks

Brian Fraga's reporting on how the U.S. bishops discussed the Synod of Bishops during their November plenary meeting in Baltimore: Vatican ambassador urges US bishops to embrace synod on synodality

White and Joshua McElwee's reporting on the synod's final document: Pope's major Vatican summit ends without action on women deacons, mention of LGBTQ Catholics

White and McElwee's coverage of Dominican Fr. Timothy Radcliffe's reflections at the retreat ahead of the opening of the synod: 'Orthodoxy is spacious': At retreat, synod members hear about women's hopes, LGBTQ issues

In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," Vatican experts Joshua McElwee and Christopher White have an exclusive conversation with Jesuit Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, one of the leading African voices at Pope Francis' 2023 Synod of Bishops. Orobator says that although the synod's final document did not mention better inclusion of the faith's LGBTQ members, it also made sure that "no issue is finalized" ahead of the next assembly in 2024. "Nothing is closed," said Orobator, a former president of the Jesuit conference of Africa and Madagascar. "It's clear that there is no issue that is off the table. And therefore, even now, because this document is not a final document … no issue is finalized or closed." In this episode, McElwee and White also speak with Helena Jeppesen, one of the first group of women to participate in the synod as full, voting members. Jeppesen reflects on being part of a campaign only four years ago to convince the pope to appoint women as members of the synod. "This is a symbol for me," she says. "Let's open more doors for the women in the Catholic Church."

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Relevant links:

Joshua McElwee and Christopher White's joint exclusive interview with Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich and San Diego Cardinal Robert McElroy: Exclusive: Cardinals Cupich, McElroy say 'impossible to go back' to synods without lay voters

McElwee and White's reporting on the Synod of Bishops' final document: Pope's major Vatican summit ends without action on women deacons, mention of LGBTQ Catholics

Catholic News Service coverage of Pope Francis' homily at the Mass closing the synod: Pope Francis closes synod with 'dream' of a church with open doors

Christopher White's reporting on the testimony at the Synod of Bishops about an LGBTQ suicide: Story of LGBTQ youth's suicide led synod delegates to cry, Radcliffe reveals

Joshua McElwee's 2016 profile of Jesuit Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator: African Jesuit Fr. Orobator quests for women's inclusion in church structures

National Catholic Reporter's May 2023 editorial thanking the "Votes for Catholic Women" campaign, led by the Women's Ordination Conference, which advocated for women to be appointed as voting members of the synod: Thank God — and women — for lay voters at the synod

In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," Vatican experts Joshua McElwee and Christopher White have an exclusive conversation with Cardinal Michael Czerny about Pope Francis' moving Oct. 19 prayer vigil in St. Peter's Square for migrants and refugees. Czerny, a key papal ally and the head of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, also speaks briefly about the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. "The needs of God's people … are very acute and very pressing," he says. In this episode, McElwee and White also speak with the distinguished Australian leader Susan Pascoe about her experience participating in the Oct. 4-29 assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Pascoe, who has been involved with every level of the three-year synod process, says the assembly members feel a responsibility "to keep an integrity and an authenticity" to the process, and to represent Catholics' real concerns. "There's also an awareness that we're a privileged group here in Rome and winning the hearts and minds of all that need to be involved -- all the bishops, all the priests, all the religious, all the lay people -- it's a massive exercise," she says.

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Relevant links:

Christopher White's reporting on the opening session of the synod's final week: Synod enters final week recalling Vatican II and the church's 'living tradition'

Christopher White's reporting on the testimony at the Synod of Bishops about an LGBTQ suicide:  Story of LGBTQ youth's suicide led synod delegates to cry, Radcliffe reveals

Catholic News Service coverage of Pope Francis' Oct. 19 prayer vigil: At synod prayer service, pope calls for immigration reform with a heart

Catholic News Service coverage of Cardinal Michael Czerny's remarks at an Oct. 19 Vatican briefing on the Synod: Church hierarchy has 'nothing to fear' from synodality, cardinal says

Catholic News Service coverage of Pope Francis' call for a day of fasting and prayer for the Israel-Palestine conflict, and other global conflicts: Pope calls for world day of prayer for peace as catastrophe looms in Gaza

In a special episode of "The Vatican Briefing," Vatican experts Joshua McElwee and Christopher White have an exclusive conversation with Loretto Sr. Jeannine Gramick about her historic meeting with Pope Francis. Gramick, a longtime advocate for LGBTQ Catholics, has long operated at the margins of the global Catholic Church. But on Oct. 17, she was welcomed into the Vatican for an historic 50-minute meeting with Francis. The pope, says Gramick, "has a warmth and a wanting to embrace everyone, not just LGBT people but those who have been shunned by society and the church." Francis, she says, "is trying to get us to move forward."

Please support this podcast by joining NCR Forward, National Catholic Reporter's membership program. 

Relevant links:

Joshua McElwee's initial coverage of Pope Francis' meeting with Loretto Sr. Jeannine Gramick: Pope Francis meets Jeannine Gramick, US sister known for LGBTQ ministry 

Christopher White's coverage of the 2023 Synod of Bishops' debates on gay Catholics: LGBTQ Catholics subject of emotional debate at synod, participants say

Christopher White's coverage of German Cardinal Gerhard Muller's interview with EWTN: German Cardinal Müller defies pope's request for confidentiality at synod with EWTN interview

Joshua McElwee and Christopher White's coverage of Pope Francis' letter suggesting the Catholic Church might bless same-sex couples: Pope signals openness to blessings for gay couples, study of women's ordination

In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," Vatican experts Joshua McElwee and Christopher White interview one of the 13 members of the committee expected to draft the hotly anticipated final document from Pope Francis' ongoing summit on the future of the Catholic Church. Australian Bishop Shane Mackinlay, elected by his peers to be part of the Synod of Bishops' Commission for the Synthesis Report, expresses openness to ordaining women as Catholic deacons. "I'm glad it's going to be discussed," said the bishop. "And if it were to be that the outcome was for ordination to the diaconate to be open to women, I'd certainly welcome that." 

Please support this podcast by joining NCR Forward, National Catholic Reporter's membership program. 

Relevant links:

Christopher White's coverage of the synod's debates on gay Catholics: LGBTQ Catholics subject of emotional debate at synod, participants say

Joshua McElwee and Christopher White's coverage of Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich's call for the synod to embrace tension: Synod's second week starts with call to steer into tensions, news of four COVID infections

Catholic News Service coverage of the Australian plenary council's final document on the status of women in the Catholic Church: Australia council concludes with agreement on equal dignity of men, women

Joshua McElwee's coverage of the beginning of Australia's fifth plenary council: Cardinal Pell's release stokes concerns about Australia's plenary council

Joshua McElwee and Christopher White's coverage of Pope Francis' letter suggesting the Catholic Church can study women's ordination: Pope signals openness to blessings for gay couples, study of women's ordination

Joshua McElwee and Christopher White's coverage of Dominican Fr. Timothy Radcliffe's retreat reflections for the October 2023 synod: 'Orthodoxy is spacious': At retreat, synod members hear about women's hopes, LGBTQ issues

Vatican experts Joshua McElwee and Christopher White discuss the opening of a major summit in Rome that could determine the very future of the Catholic Church. They interview Mercedarian Sr. Filo Hirota, one of seven members of the high-level commission that organized the ongoing October 2023 Synod of Bishops. Sr. Hirota says the synod, which Pope Francis has asked to confront big topics such as women's ordination, is helping the church "become normal" and "really touch the depths of our humanity."

Show links:

An earlier interview of Sr. Filo Hirota by Christopher White: Synodality is 'radically inclusive,' says Vatican committee member Sr. Filo Hirota

Christopher White's coverage of Pope Francis' new apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum: Pope Francis takes on climate deniers, 'irresponsible' Americans in new climate letter

Joshua McElwee and Christopher White's coverage of Pope Francis' opening message to the October 2023 synod: Opening momentous Vatican summit, Pope Francis begs church to 'not impose burdens'

Joshua McElwee and Christopher White's coverage of Pope Francis' letter suggesting the Catholic Church might bless same-sex unions: Pope signals openness to blessings for gay couples, study of women's ordination

Joshua McElwee and Christopher White's coverage of Dominican Fr. Timothy Radcliffe's retreat reflections for the October 2023 synod: 'Orthodoxy is spacious': At retreat, synod members hear about women's hopes, LGBTQ issues

Vatican experts Joshua McElwee and Christopher White discuss the opening of a major meeting in Rome that could determine the very future of the Catholic Church. They interview renowned church historian and theologian Dr. Catherine Clifford, who calls the October 2023 Synod of Bishops a "huge" and "remarkable" experiment.

An earlier interview of Catherine Clifford by Brian Fraga: Lay synod member Catherine Clifford praises Pope Francis' method of dialogue, participation

Christopher White's profile of the secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops: Cardinal Mario Grech: Central figure in pope's plan to change Catholic Church

Christopher White's interview with new Cardinal Christophe Pierre: New Cardinal Pierre's suggestion for US bishops: 'Always listen' to the pope

Catholic News Service coverage of Pope Francis' ecumenical prayer vigil ahead of the opening of the synod: Before synod retreat, pope prays for listening instead of polarization

Coming soon - The Vatican Briefing from National Catholic Reporter