Inside The Vatican

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

Gerry and Colleen unpack their takeaways from the 2024 Synod on Synodality’s final document  and from the 2021-2024 synodal process as a whole. In the second part of the show, Colleen interviews Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark about what the experience at the synod means for the U.S. church and how bishops exercise authority. More from this episode: An English translation of the Synod's Final Document will be posted here Father James Martin: The conversions I had at the synod To teach faith and morals in a diverse church, we must recognize the doctrinal authority of bishops’ conferences Pope Francis calls for a ‘church that gets its hands dirty’ at synod’s closing Mass Synod Diary: The synod’s final document didn’t solve everything—and I’m grateful for that. Jesuitical Podcast: Cardinal Tobin on the synod and the future of women deacons Women Deacons and the Catholic Church: A Video Explainer Pope Francis says he will not write his own exhortation on synod, publishes members’ final document Vatican releases audio of meeting on women deacons between Cardinal Fernández and synod members Please support our coverage of the Synod on Synodality by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Inside the Vatican's synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Colleen Dulle and Ricardo da Silva, S.J., interview Dr. Catherine Clifford, a professor of systematic and historical theology at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa, Canada, who served as an elected member of the 2024 Synod on Synodality’s drafting commission for the final document They discuss the meetings on the discernment of women deacons that happened during the synod, as well as the document-drafting process and Dr. Clifford’s reactions to the final decisions the synod took. More from this episode: - Pope Francis says he will not write his own exhortation on synod, publishes members’ final document - To teach faith and morals in a diverse church, we must recognize the doctrinal authority of bishops’ conferences - Vatican releases audio of meeting on women deacons between Cardinal Fernández and synod members - Pope Francis calls for a ‘church that gets its hands dirty’ at synod’s closing Mass - Synodality—and ‘controversial’ issues—are here to stay: Takeaways from the Synod’s final document - Synod Diary: The synod’s final document didn’t solve everything—and I’m grateful for that. - Jesuitical Podcast: Cardinal Tobin on the synod and the future of women deacons - Deep Dive: What just happened at the Synod on Synodality? - Deep Dive: Why Pope Francis is worried about seminaries and young priests with ‘authoritarian attitudes’ Please support our coverage of the Synod on Synodality by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Inside the Vatican's synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the eve of the highly anticipated publication of the final report for the Synod on Synodality, Inside the Vatican host Colleen Dulle and Jesuitical host Zac Davis speak with their colleague and synod delegate James Martin, S.J., about his experience this month inside the second assembly. Zac and Colleen discuss: - The atmosphere at this year’s synod assembly compared to last year’s - How controversial topics like L.G.B.T. issues and women’s ordination have been tackled - The deep conversion that took place among the members and the long-term impact of this gathering on the global church Jesuitical’s synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University. Links from the show: The Jesuit roots of the synod’s ‘conversations in the spirit’ ‘Palpable outrage’: Synod delegates react to women deacons study group meeting Synod Diary: The Vatican Curia is still learning synodality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices