• Pope Francis names Cardinal McElroy archbishop of Washington; Sister Simona Brambilla first woman to lead Vatican department
    Jan 9 2025
    Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy as archbishop of Washington and Sister Simona Brambilla, an Italian Consolata missionary, as prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Her appointment makes her the first woman to lead a major Vatican department and to have a cardinal as her deputy. On this week's episode of “Inside the Vatican,” hosts Colleen Dulle and Gerard O'Connell discuss the challenges Cardinal McElroy may face in Washington, D.C., due to his views on issues like racism, migration, poverty, and climate change, which may conflict strongly with the incoming administration’s proposed policies. They also explore how Sister Brambilla’s appointment marks a milestone for the Vatican and consider Pope Francis’ ongoing efforts to elevate women to top leadership roles within the Vatican. Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    35 mins
  • The Jubilee year: Its history and what’s planned for 2025
    Dec 26 2024
    The Catholic Jubilee Year, established in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII, is rooted in the Jewish tradition of releasing prisoners, forgiving debts, and restoring harmony every 50 years. During the Jubilee, Catholics can receive plenary indulgences, which remove the temporal punishment for sins that have already been forgiven and can be offered for others, such as those in purgatory. In this episode of Inside the Vatican, Colleen Dulle and Gerard O’Connell discuss the 2025 Jubilee Year, beginning on Christmas Eve 2024 and ending in January 2026. With the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” Pope Francis seeks to rekindle hope and trust in the future, encouraging Catholics to deepen their faith through acts of charity, penance, and pilgrimage. The hosts explore the history of the Jubilee Year, the Vatican’s plans for 2025, and Rome’s preparations to accommodate an anticipated 32 million pilgrims. They also offer travel tips for visitors and alternatives for those unable to make the trip to the Eternal City. Links for further reading from the episode Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Pope Francis’ birthday, biography and shocking assassination attempt revelation
    Dec 19 2024
    On his 88th birthday, Pope Francis revealed he survived two assassination attempts during his 2021 apostolic visit to Iraq, a journey already recognized as high-risk. In this episode of Inside the Vatican, Colleen and Gerry examine this shocking disclosure and other insights from his forthcoming autobiography, Hope, with excerpts released to mark the occasion ahead of its January publication. They also reflect on the first-ever visit of a pope to the Mediterranean island of Corsica on Sunday, Dec. 5, where he participated in a conference on popular religiosity and celebrated Mass for the island’s predominantly Catholic community. Links for further reading from this episode Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    25 mins
  • Pope Francis creates 21 cardinals, calls for an end to U.S. death penalty
    Dec 12 2024
    This week on “Inside the Vatican,” Colleen Dulle and Gerard O’Connell take a closer look at Pope Francis’ latest consistory, which created 21 new cardinals on Saturday, Dec. 7. In the second half of the show, they discuss the pope’s call for an end to the death penalty in the United States and for ceasefires in the world’s wars before Christmas. Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Find the links for further reading here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • Pope Francis explains magisterial weight of synod final document
    Dec 5 2024
    On this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Colleen Dulle and Gerard O’Connell investigate Pope Francis’ new letter on the final synod document, his address to experts of the International Theological Commission on developing a theology of synodality and Gerry’s interviews with Archbishops Charles Scicluna and Timothy Costelloe. They also unpack Pope Francis’ hope to leverage the 2025 Jubilee Year to end international wars. Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Find the links for further reading here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 mins
  • Pope Francis on Gaza: We must investigate allegations of genocide
    Nov 21 2024
    In this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Colleen Dulle and Gerard O’Connell discuss Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims Toward a Better World, a new book being released this week in which Pope Francis calls for the investigation of allegations of genocide in Gaza. They also unpack the Pope’s celebration of the eighth World Day of the Poor on Sunday, Nov. 17 with a lunch shared by 1300 poor and homeless people in St. Peter’s Square and a moving homily at Sunday Mass. Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Find the links for further reading here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • The Vatican responds to Donald Trump’s re-election as president
    Nov 14 2024
    Inside the Vatican’s Colleen Dulle and Gerard O’Connell unpack the Vatican’s response to the re-election of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States. They also cover several stories, including a new AI model of St. Peter’s Basilica developed in part by Microsoft, new Vatican appointments and a slate of Jesuit news out of Rome. Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Find links for further reading here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • Interview: Michael W. Higgins on how Pope Francis has ‘disrupted’ the church
    Nov 7 2024
    On this week’s episode, host Colleen Dulle interviews Catholic author and academic Michael W. Higgins to discuss his new book, “The Jesuit Disruptor: A Personal Portrait of Pope Francis.” They unpack the pope’s responses to scandals, his reform efforts, and his spiritual and intellectual formation—all of which have profoundly shaped his moral voice at the helm of an evolving church. Find full show notes and links for further reading here. Please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 mins