Inside The Vatican

Crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square on April 10 for the Vatican’s first public Palm Sunday Mass in two years, and Pope Francis began the busiest liturgical week of the year while still dealing with acute knee pain. Afterwards, he called for an Easter truce in Ukraine.On “Inside the Vatican,” Rome correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle discuss Pope Francis’ message of peace and how he is likely to expand it later this week.The two also look at what mobility challenges Pope Francis may face during his eight Holy Week ceremonies.Note: After this episode was recorded April 11, news broke that Pope Francis will be washing the feet of inmates at a prison in Civitavecchia, Italy, on Holy Thursday. Two high-profile Ukrainians have also called on Pope Francis to remove a Russian family from co-presenting one of the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum with a Ukrainian family. More on those stories below.Read more:Pope Francis calls for an Easter truce in Ukraine, leading to ‘peace through a true negotiation’Read: Pope Francis’ homily for Palm Sunday 2022. ‘God can forgive every sin.’Joe Donnelly, a ‘proud’ Catholic, presents credentials to Pope Francis as U.S. ambassador to Holy SeeA Ukrainian and a Russian were invited to lead the Vatican’s Via Crucis. Ukraine wants Pope Francis to reconsider. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, Pope Francis apologized to representatives of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit people for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s residential schools that suppressed Indigenous culture and were often the site of abuse. This week on “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss what the apology meant to Indigenous leaders.Pope Francis also told the Indigenous delegations that he hopes to visit Canada this summer, in addition to his already-announced trips to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan in July, and possible trips to Ukraine and Lebanon before that. But this past weekend, the pope struggled to move around during his trip to Malta April 2-3.On the podcast, Gerry recounts the difficulty Pope Francis has had with his knee in Malta and the questions it raises about the impending Holy Week ceremonies and future papal trips. “Obviously they will have to tailor-make the events for him just as they did for the last years of John Paul II,” Gerry said. “They devised ways of reducing the stress and making mobility more easy.”Colleen and Gerry also discuss Pope Francis’ revelation that he closely follows the news Elisabetta Piqué—Gerry’s wife and an Argentine war correspondent—has been reporting from Ukraine, calling her a few times a week for updates. “We never said anything publicly. It was he who spilled the beans!” Gerry says. “I think it really shows the pope doesn't just work by ordinary, official channels to get his information. He doesn’t depend on the Curia or on ambassadors or governments or nuncios. He also goes out to ordinary people whose judgment he trusts and whom he knows are in touch with the reality.”Links from the show:Pope Francis visits Malta this weekend. Here’s what to expect.Arriving in Malta, Pope Francis warns of a new Cold War and urges attention to refugeesRead Pope Francis’ address to Maltese authorities, civil society and diplomatic corpsPope Francis last spoke to Putin before New Year’s, is willing to visit Kyiv but that is ‘up in the air’Pope Francis is wise to not call out Putin directly. Here’s why.Pope Francis to visit Lebanon in June during economic crisis, country’s president saysPope Francis: The blood of innocent victims massacred in Bucha ‘cries out to heaven’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Pope Francis is meeting with leaders of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people who have traveled to Rome from Canada. They want to tell the pope about their experiences at the state-funded, church-run residential schools that took indigenous children from their communities in an effort to assimilate them to the dominant Canadian culture.Last year, the country and the church were shocked by the discovery of hundreds of human remains that were found buried on the sites of former residential schools. It’s the hope of Indigenous leaders that Pope Francis will travel to Canada this year to apologize for the church’s role in the schools and for the abuse that was perpetrated there.But this work is part of a larger process of finding truth and reconciliation between indigenous people and the church in Canada, that will take much more than a papal apology. So this week, we’re bringing you an interview with six people from the truth and reconciliation committee that was established within the Archdiocese of Regina in Saskatchewan to uncover the truth of what happened at residential schools in their area and foster a relationship of healing and dialogue, led by Indigenous people. Our guests include two residential school survivors, May Desnomin and Susan Beaudin, along with Bishop Donald Bolen, Joanna Laundry, Deacon Eric Gurash, and Lisa Polk.This week on Inside the Vatican, they tell their stories—and explain their hopes for what healing can look like when the church and indigenous people can face the truth together.After that, veteran Vatican reporter Gerard O’Connell gives an update from Rome, where the meetings between the pope and the Canadian delegations are already in full swing.Links from the show:The Indigenous people of Canada want an apology from Pope FrancisThe Canadian church’s leadership is changing. What could it mean for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples?Inside Day 1 of the historic encounter between Pope Francis and Canada’s Indigenous communitiesWhat does Our Lady of Fátima have to do with Russia and Ukraine?Pope Francis: Consecrating Russia and Ukraine to Mary is ‘not a magic formula but a spiritual act.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday, March 19, unexpectedly and with no fanfare, the Vatican published the new 54-page constitution for the Roman Curia, called “Praedicate Evangelium” or “Preach the Gospel.” Among other changes, it made evangelization the Vatican’s top office, opened leadership of top Vatican offices to any baptized Catholic, and made the protection of minors a permanent part of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.In this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle break down the document’s changes in the context of Pope Francis’ vision of evangelization, and what effects they are likely to have.Colleen and Gerry also discuss Pope Francis’ second phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Links from the show:With Pope Francis’ reform of the Roman Curia, nine years of work is coming to fruitionPope Francis is drawing on Vatican II to radically change how the Catholic Church is governedPope Francis just opened the door for lay people to head Vatican departments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Russian airstrikes on Ukraine continue and its ground efforts meet fierce resistance from the Ukrainian army, the Vatican is stepping up its efforts for peace.On this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle discuss Pope Francis’ latest moves, including Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s call with the Russian foreign minister, Cardinals Michael Czerny and Konrad Krajewski’s mission to Ukrainian refugees, the pope’s call to “Stop this massacre,” and the chance of a papal visit to Kyiv. Amid all these efforts, Colleen asks Gerry: Is the diplomatic solution the Vatican is advocating really possible?In the second part of the show, Gerry tells the story of Sr. Lucia Caram, the heroic nun who drove 4,000 miles to Ukraine and back to rescue six Ukrainian refugees.Find the latest updates on the Vatican’s anti-war efforts at https://www.americamagazine.org/topic/ukraine. Links from the show:Cardinal Krajewski in Ukraine: ‘Faith can move mountains, not to mention a stupid war.’Meet Sister Lucía Caram, the nun who drove 4,000 miles in a weekend to save Ukrainian refugeesInside Cardinal Czerny’s visit to UkraineCardinal Parolin calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine: ‘Peace is not a utopia.’Pope Francis on Ukraine: ‘Stop this massacre’Ukraine mayor invites Pope Francis to visit Kyiv, asking ‘the world’s spiritual leaders to take a stand’Read: Pope Francis prays for Ukraine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Benedict XVI resigned as pope, he broke with 600 years of tradition and reshaped the papacy—possibly forever. As people live longer, it is likely future popes will be more willing to follow Benedict XVI’s example instead of remaining and dying in office.But Benedict’s self-professed intention to be “hidden from the world” has hardly gone according to plan. A collection of controversies including Benedict’s 2019 letter attempting to explain the sexual abuse crisis in the church, the sudden removal of his name from a book that Cardinal Robert Sarah claimed to have co-written with him, and his recent, problematic contribution to church abuse investigators in Germany, have raised questions about future emeritus popes and who controls the messages issued in their names.Outside the Vatican, a small but vocal movement—including the former deputy prime minister of Italy, Matteo Salvini—continues to claim Benedict is still “my pope” and, in so doing, set him up, against his will, as a parallel authority to Pope Francis.It is likely Benedict resigned, in part, to avoid being subjected to the sort of manipulation and power-grabbing that Pope John Paul II faced in his final years as leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. But in the nine years since his resignation, Benedict’s legacy and the questions raised about his aptitude to govern are no less contested.On this deep dive episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle talks with Gerard O’Connell, America’s veteran Vatican correspondent; Christopher Lamb, author of “The Outsider: Pope Francis and the Battle to Reform the Church”; and Christopher Bellitto, a church historian at Kean University, in Union, N.J., to peel back the layers of papal politics, precedents and history. Together, they examine the title of pope emeritus—and what might need to change in the future to protect popes who retire from the opportunism and scandal we have witnessed in the nine years since the retirement of Benedict XVI.Links from the show:Austen Ivereigh: Pope Benedict’s letter on sex abuse is not an attack on Francis (or Vatican II)Editorial: Discerning when and how a pope emeritus should speakThe Gloria Purvis Podcast: Do Pope Francis and Pope Benedict disagree about Vatican II and the traditional Latin Mass?David Gibson: Pope Benedict likely won’t be punished for his handling of sex abuse. But his record can point the way forward.More from our guests:The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Account of the Conclave That Changed History by Gerard O’ConnellThe Outsider: Pope Francis and His Battle to Reform the Catholic Church by Christopher LambWebsite: Christopher M. Bellitto, Ph.D. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a Russian military convoy, 40 miles long, makes its way to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, Pope Francis is fighting for peace in Rome. The pope warned against going down the road of conflict, appealed for negotiated settlements, and called for believers worldwide to fast and pray for peace in Ukraine on Ash Wednesday. And it’s not only the pope’s words that speak here, but his actions. Pope Francis, without notifying the press, made a personal visit to Alexander Avdeev, the ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Vatican, who is also the personal representative of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Holy See. He expressed his deep concerns about the war, especially for the elderly, the sick, and the hundreds of thousands of people who will be displaced. Pope Francis then asked the Russian ambassador for a cessation of fighting to allow for negotiations.  On this “Inside the Vatican” episode, Ricardo da Silva, S.J., standing in for Colleen Dulle, and veteran Vatican reporter Gerard O’Connell discuss the actions Pope Francis has taken in the days since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine. The Vatican believes it can be a mediator for peace in this war, but it also has to negotiate through the oft-treacherous and sensitive terrain of interchurch politics as Putin moves to manipulate the split between Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox believers in Russia and Ukraine.Links from the show: Pope Francis on the war in Ukraine: ‘Let the guns be silenced.’Pope Francis calls Ukrainian archbishop: ‘I will do everything I can’ to help.Pope Francis speaks with Ukrainian President Zelensky: I pray ‘for peace and a ceasefire.’Pope Francis visits Russian embassy as invasion of Ukraine continues Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russian troops entered two breakaway regions of Eastern Ukraine on Monday, Feb. 21 and launched a full-scale invasion on Thursday, Feb. 24. The day before Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia took the decision to initiate war in Ukraine. Pope Francis called for all people to pray and fast for peace in Ukraine on Ash Wednesday, March 2. It was the second time the pope has called for a day of prayer for peace.On this “Inside the Vatican” episode, host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell examine the religious aspects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Colleen asks Gerry, why has Pope Francis refrained from calling out Russia by name?In the second half of the show, Gerry and Colleen discuss the recent exemption Pope Francis granted to a group of traditionalist priests, giving them permission to continue celebrating the pre-Vatican II Mass.Finally, Pope Francis spoke at a conference on the priesthood held in the Vatican last week. Gerry recaps the key takeaways from the pope’s speech.UPDATE 2/25/2022: Pope Francis personally visited Russia's embassy to the Holy See in a highly unusual diplomatic move. Read Gerry's report: Pope Francis visits Russian embassy as invasion of Ukraine continuesRead more:Pope Francis declares Ash Wednesday a day of fasting and prayer for peace in UkrainePraying for peace in Ukraine—even when it feels uselessPope Francis approves use of Latin Mass for group of traditionalist priestsPope Francis: Priests need to have these 4 traits in the world today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pope Francis has restructured the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican’s central doctrine office, which also investigates sexual abuse cases that are reported to Rome. With the pope’s Feb. 14 declaration, which goes into effect immediately, the discipline part of the Congregation will become its own section, with its own secretary, separate from the doctrine section. And the doctrine section will have an updated purview that’s geared more towards evangelization, in line with the pope’s ongoing reforms of the Roman Curia.This week on “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle explain the changes to the C.D.F. and how they fit into Pope Francis’ larger goal of evangelization.“[The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith] has two tasks, one to deal with the discipline, with the abuse question, which is torpedoing the real possibility of evangelization. The second is to develop new thinking in the theological field, to enable it to address the challenges that are coming from the world of science, the development of peoples, the cultures, and that are challenges to the church,” Gerry explains.Colleen and Gerry also examine the urgency of the changes, particularly as the C.D.F. faces a backlog of 4,500 sexual abuse cases with only 18 staff members to investigate them.Links from the show:Pope Francis issues major overhaul of the C.D.F. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two weeks after the release of a report that accused Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI of mishandling sexual abuse cases when he was the archbishop of Munich and Freising, the former pope responded in a brief letter published Feb. 8 by the Vatican. "I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church,” Benedict XVI writes. “All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate.”On this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle analyze the emeritus pope’s letter and the accompanying, more technical, explanatory note drafted by his lawyer friends. The letter confirms, on the record, that Benedict did not write his 82-page testimony to the German investigators and that the factual error about him attending a 1980 meeting where an abuse case was discussed was not intentional.Although Benedict expresses regret that abuse happened on his watch, he does not take responsibility for any specific cases and his lawyers maintain his innocence. On the podcast, Colleen and Gerry discuss how the letter has been received and how the events of recent weeks will affect his legacy.Links from the show:Pope Benedict asks for forgiveness in a ‘confession’ responding to Munich sex abuse reportRead: Pope Benedict XVI’s penitential letter on Munich sexual abuse reportPope Francis: I’m no saint. I couldn’t be pope without my friends.Pope Francis, Joe Biden and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar all issue statements promoting human fraternityCardinal Marx: Having married priests ‘would be better for everyone’Top European cardinal: Church teaching on gay people ‘no longer correct’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices