Podcast
Inside The Vatican
Hosted by America Media · EN
Each week, Colleen Dulle goes behind the headlines of the biggest Vatican news stories with America’s Rome correspondent Gerard O’Connell. They'll break down complicated news stories that have a whole lot of history behind them in an understandable, engaging way. Colleen and Gerard will give you the inside scoop on what people inside the Vatican are thinking, saying—and planning.
38episodes
Episodes
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SSPX rejects Vatican dialogue offer
Feb 2700:41:05Tap to summarizeThis week on “Inside the Vatican,” Colleen Dulle and Gerard O’Connell discuss the announcement of several new papal trips, as well as the Society of St. Pius X’s rejection of a Vatican offer for dialogue and what could happen next. In the second part of the show, the hosts look at the situation of Ukrainian Catholics and the Vatican’s efforts to help end the war on its fourth anniversary. 0:00 Intro 0:47 Papal trips for spring announced 7:30 SSPX rejects Vatican proposal 12:33 The extra letter to SSPX that Gerry saw 17:30 Cardinals Muller and Sarahs’s warnings 19:24 What’s next for SSPX? 24:14 Fourth anniversary of war in Ukraine 26:59 Vatican response to Ukraine peace talks 31:02 Vatican’s humanitarian aid to Ukraine 34:02 Situation of Ukrainian Catholics 38:32 Outro and Credits Links: Pope Leo XIV to embark on 10-day Africa tour and trips to Spain and Monaco SSPX rejects Vatican dialogue, plans to consecrate bishops without papal mandate Cardinals Müller, Sarah urge SSPX to submit to papal authority Pope Leo calls for ‘an immediate ceasefire’ to the war in Ukraine Four years of war: ‘The Ukrainian Catholic Church is wiped out every time there is Russian aggression.’ Follow Gerry on X: @gerryorome Follow Colleen on Instagram: @colleendulle Support Inside the Vatican by becoming a subscriber to America Magazine! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Pope Leo’s first Lent begins
Feb 2000:34:30Tap to summarizeThis week on “Inside the Vatican,” Senior Vatican Correspondent and Contributing Editor Ricardo da Silva, S.J., discuss the Vatican’s decision not to join President Trump’s Board of Peace, Pope Leo’s Lenten message, and the pope’s plans for the first Lent since his election last May. 0:00 Intro 0:35 Vatican declines Board of Peace invitation 5:06 Pope Leo’s Ash Wednesday plans 7:17 Pope Leo’s Lenten message 12:14 Inviting communities to listen during Lent 14:30 Pope Leo calls war a public health crisis 18:14 Pope Leo begins visiting Roman parishes 22:43 Altar girls serve at papal Mass 25:36 Recent appointments of women in Vatican offices 29:20 Pope Leo dissolves papal committee for World Children’s Day 32:11 Credits Links: Vatican will not join Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza, Cardinal Parolin says Pope Leo XIV explains why Catholics fast during Lent Follow Gerry on X: @gerryorome Follow Colleen on Instagram: @colleendulle Support Inside the Vatican by becoming a subscriber to America Magazine! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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The Vatican and SSPX: A Timeline
Feb 1300:46:15Tap to summarizeThis week on “Inside the Vatican,” Gerard O’Connell and Colleen Dulle are joined by longtime Vatican journalist John Thavis to discuss the strained relationship between the Vatican and the Priestly Society of St. Pius X, after the Society said it plans to ordain new bishops July 1 with or without papal permission. 0:00 Intro 1:08 Pope Leo travel updates 4:36 What is the Society of St. Pius X? 7:14 SSPX’s beginnings and beliefs 12:46 The 1988 SSPX bishops’ ordinations 16:48 Pope Benedict and the Latin Mass 22:24 Benedict lifts excommunications, offers autonomy 28:05 Pope Francis’s actions on SSPX and Latin Mass 30:34 Questions facing Pope Leo XIV 36:37 What do the Vatican and SSPX each want? 42:57 Update on Feb. 12 meeting with Cardinal Fernandez 44:00 Credits St. Pius X Society to ordain new bishops without Vatican approval, risking excommunication The Vatican Diaries: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Power, Personalities and Politics at the Heart of the Catholic Church Follow Gerry on X: @gerryorome Follow Colleen on Instagram: @colleendulle Support Inside the Vatican by becoming a subscriber to America Magazine! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Minneapolis Bishop on ICE, immigration and Pope Leo
Feb 600:42:15Tap to summarizeBishop Kevin Kenney was born in Minneapolis and has ministered to Latino communities there for years. Now an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, he speaks to America about the realities facing Latino Catholics on the ground and what the Catholic Church is doing to support them. 0:00 ICE outside churches and schools 4:45 How the Catholic Church is responding 10:00 Targeting criminals only? 11:45 Preaching during the crisis 15:12 Ministering to ICE 16:45 Latinos have enriched Minneapolis 18:53 Longterm effects 23:45 Pope Leo and prioritizing immigration 34:00 What Bishop Kenney is praying for Links for further reading: Twin Cities pastors preach on the killing of Alex Pretti: ‘We are walking in darkness and living in fear’ I’m a Minnesota Catholic mom. Here’s what my neighbors are saying about ICE No more funding for ICE without reform. Congress must act Bishop Tyson: Not all are called to be martyrs like Alex Pretti. But we can be witnesses Minnesota Catholic Relief Fund Support Inside the Vatican by becoming a subscriber to America Magazine! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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How the Vatican is thinking about Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ invitation
Jan 3000:39:36Tap to summarizeThis week on “Inside the Vatican,” Junno Arocho Esteves, international correspondent for OSV News, joins host Colleen Dulle to explain what factors the Vatican is likely weighing in its decision-making on whether or not to join the “Board of Peace.” Links from the show: Vatican weighs joining Trump’s Board of Peace but calls for respect for international law Top Vatican official calls violence in Minneapolis ‘unacceptable’ Pope encourages Neocatechumenal Way to continue mission ‘without closing yourselves off’ Pope Leo to visit Spain this year, with stops in Madrid, Barcelona and Canary Islands, cardinal says What does the Vatican know about A.I.? A lot, actually. Pope Leo gives stark warning on AI: We must ‘safeguard ourselves.’ Support Inside the Vatican by subscribing to America Magazine! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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U.S. cardinals speak out against Trump on Greenland, Venezuela and Ukraine
Jan 2300:27:30Tap to summarizeOn “Inside the Vatican,” America Chief Correspondent Kevin Clarke joins Colleen Dulle to discuss the cardinals’ statement, analyzing its content, precedents, and potential impact on the U.S. Catholic hierarchy. Links from the show: Vatican expert John Allen shaped a generation of Catholic reporters Vatican weighs joining Trump’s Board of Peace but calls for respect for international law Cardinals urge Trump to step back from threats on Greenland and Venezuela Archbishop Broglio: It is ‘morally acceptable’ for troops to disobey ‘morally questionable’ orders on Greenland Pope Leo meets families of victims of Crans-Montana fire Pope encourages Neocatechumenal Way to continue mission ‘without closing yourselves off’ Vatican completes official mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV for papal basilica Support Inside the Vatican by subscribing to America Magazine! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Pope Leo's foreign policy
Jan 1600:46:51Tap to summarizePope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado this week, only the latest in a monthslong series of statements and meetings that have shown the Vatican repeatedly pushing for peace. This week, David Gibson of Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture joins host Colleen Dulle to discuss Pope Leo’s approach to foreign policy. Links from the show: New York Times Opinion: Pope Leo Confronts Trump on His Own Terms Pope Leo meets with Venezuelan opposition leader Machado Washington Post: Inside the frantic global race to find an escape route for Maduro George Orwell is more relevant than ever. Just ask the pope. Support Inside the Vatican by subscribing to America Magazine! 0:00 Intro 3:57 Vatican/Venezuela timeline in fall 2025 6:53 Parolin and Burch’s urgent Christmas Eve meeting 11:28 Pope Leo’s comments after U.S. operation 13:11 Leo XIV’s ‘State of the World’ address 20:00 Maria Corina Machado meets Pope Leo 21:50 Why Vatican diplomacy matters 24:36 Is Pope Leo a counterweight to Donald Trump? 27:44 Pope Leo’s message to the American church 29:41 Pope Francis’ vs. Pope Leo’s foreign policy 33:33 Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI’s foreign policies 37:30 What makes Pope Leo’s approach unique? 41:20 The Vatican’s endgame in Venezuela Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Who is Pope Leo XIV | Part III: From Peru to the papacy
Jul 10, 202500:41:35Tap to summarizeFather Robert Prevost, O.S.A., has long been recognized as a bridge builder—a pastor who listens deeply, builds consensus, and seeks unity without imposing authority. In the third and final episode of our first-ever “Inside the Vatican” Deep Dive series on Pope Leo XIV, we follow his extraordinary journey—from his early years as pastor and formator in northern Peru to the chair of St. Peter. Pope Leo’s ministry in Peru was marked by his dedication to empowering lay leaders and nurturing vibrant communities amid challenging circumstances. After returning to the United States, he served briefly as provincial of the Augustinians in the Midwest before being elected prior general, leading the order worldwide from Rome for over a decade. During this time, his bridge-building leadership caught the attention of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who would later become Pope Francis. In 2014, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, where he served for eight years. Before ultimately calling him back to Rome in 2023 to lead the Dicastery for Bishops, Francis made him a cardinal and then elevated him to cardinal-bishop—the highest rank in the College of Cardinals—paving the way for his election as Pope Leo XIV. Many pin their hopes on him to renew a polarized church. Studying Robert Francis Prevost—as a priest and canon lawyer, Augustinian prior general, bishop, cardinal, and Vatican prefect—reveals who he has become, what his priorities might be, and how he may choose to lead the Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion faithful today. In this episode, you’ll hear from: Arthur Purcaro, O.S.A. – Augustinian priest who worked with Pope Leo XIV in Peru and later served on his order’s leadership council when Prevost was Prior General. Christopher White – Author of Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy (Loyola Press, 2025) and former Vatican correspondent for National Catholic Reporter. Emilce Cuda – Argentine theologian and Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Julia Oseka – Student at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and one of the youngest voting members of the Synod on Synodality. Socorro Cassaro Novoa – Lay leader from Monserrate community in Trujillo, Peru, where Pope Leo XIV helped establish the parish and served as first administrator. Nila Ruiz Gonzales – Lay leader from Santa María community in Trujillo, Peru, where Pope Leo XIV directed the Augustinian formation house and served as pastor. Read: "Who is Pope Leo? 5 surprising things I learned while reporting on Robert Prevost," by Colleen Dulle: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/07/10/who-pope-leo-robert-prevost-251107 Help shape the future of the show—take our end-of-season listener survey. If you want to hear more deep dives like this, please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Who is Pope Leo XIV | Part II: Ministry amid terror in Peru
Jul 9, 202500:30:00Tap to summarizeFather Robert Prevost’s early years in Peru shaped his ministry and vision for the church—but few know the brutal reality he encountered there in the 1980s and 1990s. In this second episode of our “Inside the Vatican” Deep Dive series on Pope Leo XIV, we follow the future pope to northern Peru. He first served in Chulucanas as a canon lawyer, helping establish the new diocese after its elevation from an apostolic prelature. Following a brief return to Rome to defend his doctoral thesis, he came back to Peru as a formator for diocesan and Augustinian seminarians and as a pastor in Trujillo. There, he and his fellow Augustinians ministered amid escalating violence and an approaching dictatorship—an experience that shaped the man who now leads the global Catholic Church. Peru in the late 1980s and early 90s was torn by conflict but also strangely alive with hope. The Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) and MRTA (Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru), two violent rebel groups, terrorized communities while economic collapse paved the way for Alberto Fujimori’s authoritarian rule. Amid it all, Father Prevost and the Augustinians in Northern Peru pioneered a new model of parish life. They opened a formation house for young men discerning religious life with the order and helped staff parishes, establishing new chapels and parish communities. They divided sprawling parishes into small zones led by lay teams responsible for prayer, outreach and community life. Two women who worked with him describe how this model empowered the local community. His ministry in Peru didn’t just shape parish structures; it shaped him—teaching him to lead with humility, courage and deep concern for the marginalized. In this episode, you’ll hear from: - John Lydon, O.S.A. – Augustinian priest and friend of Pope Leo, with whom he served in parish and formation ministry in Trujillo, Peru - Socorro Cassaro Novoa – Lay leader from the Monserrate community in Trujillo, Peru, where Pope Leo helped establish Nuestra Señora de Monserrate parish and served from 1992 to 1999 - Nila Ruiz Gonzales – Lay leader from the Santa María community in Trujillo, Peru, where Pope Leo XIV directed the Augustinian formation house and served as pastor in the 1980s and 90s And don’t forget to come back for the final episode in this series. Read: "Who is Pope Leo? 5 surprising things I learned while reporting on Robert Prevost," by Colleen Dulle: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/07/10/who-pope-leo-robert-prevost-251107 Help shape the future of the show—take our end-of-season listener survey. If you want to hear more deep dives like this, please support this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Who is Pope Leo XIV | Part I: From Chicago’s South Side to Augustinian Priest
Jul 8, 202500:30:53Tap to summarizeNo one expected a pope from the U.S. In this first-ever “Inside the Vatican” Deep Dive series, those who know him best reveal who Pope Leo XIV—“the American pope”—really is. Across three episodes, we trace his vocation from Chicago’s South Side through his formative years as an Augustinian friar in the Midwest; training as a canon lawyer in Rome; early ministry in Peru as canon lawyer, priest and formator of future friars and diocesan priests; leadership of the Augustinian Order worldwide; a return to Peru as bishop; and, finally, to the Vatican—first as cardinal and now as pope. In this first episode, host Colleen Dulle takes listeners from the electrifying moment of his announcement as Pope Leo XIV to a discovery uncovered by a genealogist in New Orleans: just two generations ago, census records listed his family as “Black” or “mulatto,” revealing deep Louisiana roots and a history of enslavement. But we consider far more than his family tree. We hear about his childhood, seminary years shaped by Vatican II and insights from his brothers and friends in the Augustinian Order that reveal the deep-listening, community-focused approach that defined the ministry of the man then known as Robert Prevost. In this episode, you’ll hear from: - Jari C. Honora, genealogist and family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection - Dianne Bergant, C.S.A., Professor Emerita of Old Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, who taught Pope Leo. - John Merkelis, O.S.A., Augustinian priest and lifelong friend of Pope Leo - Arthur Purcaro, O.S.A., Augustinian priest, friend and missionary who worked alongside him in Trujillo, Peru And don’t forget to come back for the next two episodes in this series. Read: "Who is Pope Leo? 5 surprising things I learned while reporting on Robert Prevost," by Colleen Dulle: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/07/10/who-pope-leo-robert-prevost-251107 Help shape the future of the show—take our end-of-season listener survey. If you want to hear more deep dives like this, 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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