Inside The Vatican

When Father John Wester received a call just before 8 a.m. Mass, he had no idea it would be the nuncio, the pope’s ambassador, phoning to tell him he would be the next auxiliary bishop of San Francisco.Archbishop Wester’s story is not unusual. Most bishops are appointed without ever knowing they were being considered for the job and are caught by surprise when chosen.The bishop selection process is perhaps the most secretive hiring process in the world, shielded from both the candidate and the priests and people he will serve. Those who are consulted about possible candidates are required to return the list of questions they’ve been sent, because even the questions, which reveal no particulars about a candidate, are protected under the Vatican’s top confidentiality classification: the “pontifical secret.”There is a joke among the hierarchy that “a pontifical secret is a secret you don’t tell the pope,” but the secrecy around this process has been chipped away in recent years. In 1984, Thomas J. Reese, S.J., then the editor of America magazine, obtained the survey that the nuncio sends out to gather information on candidates. He published it, in full, in America.The biggest blow to the secrecy around how bishops are appointed, though, came from the Vatican itself. Last fall, it took the unprecedented step of revealing how former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was removed from the college of cardinals and from the priesthood for abusing minors, managed to rise through the ranks despite rumors circling about his sexual misconduct.The Vatican’s 460-page report detailed who supported Mr. McCarrick’s promotion to archbishop and soon after, cardinal-archbishop, of Washington, D.C., along with who opposed it and who withheld information about his abuse.The McCarrick report was the most significant glance the Vatican had ever given into the process of making a bishop, and already there are calls for similar reports on others involved in abuse or cover-up.America’s Vatican correspondent, Gerard O’Connell, said on this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” that “the McCarrick report put a silver bullet through the pontifical secret.... It has explained largely how the system failed from down low to high up.”In this week’s deep dive episode on how bishops are chosen, Father Reese walks host Colleen Dulle through the official process of choosing a bishop, and Gerry explains where that process went awry in the case of Cardinal McCarrick.Pope Francis has tried to create such a system by having the secret questionnaire that is sent out to bishops rewritten, expanding it from one page to four and including specific questions about abuse and cover up. Working from a copy of the new survey that he obtained, Gerry summarizes some of the questions that the Vatican is now asking about possible bishops.Finally, calls for laypeople to have more of a voice in the selection of bishops have come from inside and outside the church. Pope Francis has asked nuncios to reach out to a wide variety of people, including clergy, religious and laypeople, when gathering feedback. Some lay groups say that consulting with laypeople needs to be a required step in the process.Colleen speaks to Kerry Robinson of Leadership Roundtable, an organization founded in the wake of the 2002 sexual abuse crisis that fosters collaboration between bishops and laypeople in the areas of church management, finances, communications and human resources.Although Leadership Roundtable has not called for any changes to the bishops’ appointment process, Ms. Robinson stresses the importance of diverse voices: “We need to solve for our own myopia,” Ms. Robinson says. “If I were in charge of appointing bishops, I would want desperately for as much informed advice and opinion as possible.”Links from the show:Gerard O’Connell | Deep Dive: The McCarrick Report and the popes it implicatesCan the Catholic Church find a better way to choose bishops? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ten years ago, it would have been impossible to imagine the pope having the kind of strong relationship with a top Muslim leader that Pope Francis has with the Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb. Back in 2019, the two signed the groundbreaking document on Human Fraternity together in Abu Dhabi, but a new book by the Muslim judge, Mohamed Abdel Salam, who was intimately involved in the process of putting that document together, explains that the road to signing that document was not always easy.Judge Mohamed Abdel Salam presented his new book about the process, The Pope and the Grand Imam: A Thorny Path, to Pope Francis last week. On this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” America’s Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell walks listeners through the story of how the pope and the grand imam rebuilt the once-icy relationship between the Vatican and the top Sunni institute, Al-Azhar University.Links from the show:Gerard O’Connell: An inside look at how Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar have revolutionized Catholic-Muslim relationsBuy The Pope and the Grand Imam: A Thorny Path: A Testimony to the Birth of the Human Fraternity DocumentHoly Father Names New Under-Secretary for CDFPope Francis warns World Bank and IMF: Covid-19 is not the only global crisis we’re facing right nowRead: Pope Francis on the risen Jesus’ message of mercy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pope Francis celebrated a private Holy Thursday Mass at the apartment of Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the high-ranking prelate whose resignation Pope Francis ordered last September. The dismissal was widely believed to be linked to the Vatican’s $200 million London real estate scandal.Most years, Pope Francis has left St. Peter’s Basilica and opted to commemorate the Last Supper in prisons or refugee housing facilities, where he has washed the feet of women, inmates and asylum seekers. Some have read his private Mass at Cardinal Becciu’s home as a sign that the pope has changed his mind about accepting Cardinal Becciu’s resignation and asking him to renounce his rights as a cardinal.This week on “Inside the Vatican,” Gerry explains why he does not believe Pope Francis is retracting his decision and explains how he interprets the gesture.Links from the show:Pope Francis celebrates Last Supper Mass at the home of Cardinal Becciu whose resignation he accepted last SeptemberPodcast: The Vatican’s $200 million London real estate scandal, explainedPope Francis at Chrism Mass: Preaching the Gospel will always mean embracing the CrossCardinal, at pope’s Good Friday service, decries divisions within churchPope Francis on Easter: ‘The risen Christ is hope for all who continue to suffer.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does the Vatican advocate for democracy in Myanmar but not Hong Kong?This week on “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell discuss Gerry’s wide-ranging interview with Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher. In the interview, Gerry and Archbishop Gallagher discussed the Vatican’s strategies in China and its hopes for the Biden administration.Gerry took the opportunity to discuss the Vatican’s view on democracy more broadly, asking whether the Vatican, as Europe’s last absolute monarchy, supports democracy around the world and why it has been silent on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong when it has advocated strongly for democracy in Myanmar.Gerry and Colleen also discuss revealing comments Archbishop Gallagher made about the Vatican’s often opaque relationship with China.Links from the show:Pope Francis spoke out against oppression in Myanmar. Why is he silent on China and Hong Kong?Interview: Joe Biden says ‘America is back.’ What does that mean for U.S.-Vatican relations?Pope Francis instructs Vatican to provide vaccines for 1,200 of Rome’s poorest people during Holy WeekPope Francis names Juan Carlos Cruz, prominent abuse survivor and whistleblower, to Vatican panelPodcast: The Vatican-China deal, explained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Church historian and Villanova University professor Massimo Faggioli joins host Colleen Dulle to discuss the Vatican’s recent guidelines banning private, individual Masses in St. Peter’s Basilica and restricting celebrations of the Traditional Latin Mass (officially called the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite) to one chapel in the basilica’s crypt.Dr. Faggioli explains how the change is part of Pope Francis’ ongoing effort to implement the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and how the Council’s changes to liturgy reflect new understandings of theology and ecclesiology.The two also discuss liturgical divisions within the church and how those may be affected with these changes to worship in St. Peter’s Basilica.Links from the show:Why the Vatican is restricting the Traditional Latin Mass | Behind the StoryGerard O’Connell: The Vatican restricts Traditional Latin Mass and suppresses private Masses at St. Peter’s Basilica Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith document marked a departure from Pope Francis’ usual pastoral tone on LGBT issues, even though the pope had approved its publication. This weekend, the pope spoke against “theoretical condemnations,” posing “gestures of love” as an alternative. America Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell spoke with several Vatican officials who told them that the pope’s comments were an effort to distance himself from the document.Why use anonymous sources for this claim? This week on “Inside the Vatican,” Gerry and host Colleen Dulle discuss the pope’s comments and why Vaticanistas use anonymous sources so often.In the latter half of the show, the hosts discuss Gerry’s recent interview with Vatican foreign minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher, which America will be publishing in three parts this week. (Read part 1 on the Middle East here and part 2 on China here.) Archbishop Gallagher spoke about Pope Francis’ diplomatic goals for his recent Iraq trip and the Vatican’s larger goals for influencing the region.Links from the show: Vatican sources suspect Pope Francis was distancing himself from CDF statement on same-sex unions in addressPope Francis’ trip to Iraq was a historic breakthrough. But will it lead to greater peace in the Middle East?Pope Francis spoke out against oppression in Myanmar. Why is he silent on China and Hong Kong? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, a statement from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith made global headlines, saying that the church cannot bless gay unions and reiterating that they are “not ordered to the Creator’s plan.” The document said Pope Francis “assented” to its publication, which disappointed LGBT Catholics who had come to appreciate the pope’s more supportive tone.But how closely did Pope Francis really examine the document? This week on “Inside the Vatican,” America’s Rome correspondent Gerard O’Connell reveals that the document was drafted by a much smaller group of people than would ordinarily be involved in writing this type of statement and that Pope Francis reviewed it just before his Iraq trip. While it is unclear how much attention Pope Francis gave the document, Gerry says that it is significant that the document said the pope was “informed” and “assented to its publication,” a more hesitant phrasing than “approved” and “ordered its publication,” the terms the Vatican normally uses.On this week’s show, Julia Erdlen, a Boston College graduate student in theology who identifies as queer, shares her reaction to the new document on blessing gay unions.After that, Gerry and host Colleen Dulle discuss a recent guideline banning priests from celebrating Masses alone at the side altars in St. Peter’s Basilica and restricting celebrations of the Tridentine Latin Mass to one chapel in the basilica’s crypt. The two explain how these moves align with Pope Francis’ goal of implementing the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and explain why the pope has ordered an outside review of the Congregation for Divine Worship.Links from the show:Gerard O’Connell | Vatican, with Pope Francis’ approval, says priests cannot bless same-sex couplesMichael J. O’Loughlin | ‘It just hurts’: Catholics react to Vatican ban on blessings for same-sex couplesGerard O’Connell | The Vatican restricts Traditional Latin Mass and suppresses private Masses at St. Peter’s BasilicaBefore naming Cardinal Sarah’s replacement, Pope Francis wants an outside review of the congregation for worship Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pope Francis visited Iraq March 5-8, and America’s Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell traveled with him. Fresh off the trip, Gerry joins host Colleen Dulle on “Inside the Vatican” to discuss what it was like to travel with the pope on his riskiest trip yet.Pope Francis was determined to visit Iraq despite the increases in violence and coronavirus cases there because he wanted to encourage Iraqis to believe in their country’s future after decades of conflict. In particular, he hoped to bring hope to Iraq’s Christian minority, which shrunk by 75 percent as Christians fled persecution by Islamic State extremists.This week on the podcast, we hear from a young Iraqi Christian woman, Rashel, who has had difficulty imagining a future for herself in her country. She went to see Pope Francis this weekend with her family. “He said so many words in each town [where] he went,” Rashel said. “All these words were...about the peace. This is what we need.” As Gerry said on this week’s show, “Peace means a future.”That peace will require reconciliation between the different communities in Iraq, particularly between the Shia Muslim majority and religious and ethnic minorities, like the Christians. Pope Francis worked in this trip to strengthen Christian-Muslim relations by visiting with Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, one of the most revered clerics in Shia Islam. Gerry describes how Iraqi Christians and Muslims reacted to the leaders’ meeting positively, believing it would be a step towards peace in the country.As for Rashel, while she said it was difficult to know exactly what effect the pope’s visit would have long-term, “I feel that something good is going to happen, really. I don’t know when, but I think it’s going to happen. I’m sure from this [visit].”Links from the show:Inside the Vatican’s Deep Dive into Pope Francis’ trip to IraqGerard O’Connell: Pope Francis makes history by meeting Ayatollah al-Sistani, spiritual leader of Iraqi Shia MuslimsGerard O’Connell: ‘Peace more powerful than war’: Pope Francis ends his Iraq trip in the land once ruled by ISISGerard O’Connell: Pope Francis says Iraq trip brought him ‘back to life’ after a year in Covid prisonFind all of America’s coverage of Pope Francis’ historic visit to Iraq here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pope Francis takes off for Baghdad on Friday, March 5. Once he arrives in Iraq, he will zigzag the country at breakneck speed visiting civic and religious leaders and touring places that are still recovering from the destruction wrought by the Islamic State.Since ISIS’ takeover of the Nineveh Plain, the area where most Iraqi Christians lived, three-quarters of those Christians have left the country. Pope Francis is intent on encouraging them and affirming the choice of those who have remained. Along the way, he wants to continue strengthening relationships with Muslims, visiting for the first time a Shia-majority country.But why go now, when coronavirus cases and violence are both increasing in Iraq? What has given Pope Francis such a sense of urgency around this trip?On this special deep dive episode of “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle speaks with Dr. Amir Harrak, a professor of Aramaic and Syriac studies at the University of Toronto; Rashel Groo, a university student who lived through the ISIS takeover; Jordan Denari Duffner, a scholar of Muslim-Christian relations at Georgetown University; and Gerard O’Connell, America Media’s Vatican correspondent, to explain what the situation in Iraq is like now and why the pope is insistent on visiting, despite the risks.Find all of America’s coverage of Pope Francis’ trip to Iraq at americamagazine.org/iraq2021 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Sunday, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Guinean prelate with whom he has publicly clashed on a few occasions. Pope Francis was widely expected to accept Cardinal Sarah’s resignation soon after his 75th birthday in June, but the pope surprised Vatican watchers this week by declining to fill Cardinal Sarah’s now-vacant post as head of the Congregation for Divine Worship.This week on “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle gives a brief update on this news, along with the Vatican’s $60.3 million budget shortfall and its newly-announced penalties for employees who decline the Covid-19 vaccine.Links from the show:Pope Francis accepts the resignation of Cardinal Sarah as prefect of the Congregation for Divine WorshipVatican expects multi-million dollar budget deficit for 2021Vatican tells its employees to get a Covid vaccine, or risk getting fired Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices