The Vatican Briefing

In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," a leading Catholic bishop on the U.S.-Mexico border expresses "grave concern" that the 2024 presidential race could lead to further demonization of migrants seeking to enter the country. "I'm concerned about the election period very much," El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz tells expert journalists Joshua J. McElwee and Christopher White. "It seems

In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," expert journalists Joshua J. McElwee and Christopher White discuss a major new Vatican document that has attracted controversy over its condemnation of gender-affirming surgery for trans individuals and the growing practice of surrogate motherhood. They also speak with a Spanish-language Vatican journalist, Javier Martínez-Brocal, who is

A prominent U.S. Ukrainian Catholic leader has sharply criticized Pope Francis' recent suggestion that Ukraine might enter negotiations to end its brutal, two-year war with Russia, calling the pontiff's remarks "very problematic." In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," expert journalists Joshua J. McElwee and Christopher White interview Archbishop Borys Gudziak, who represents

San Diego Cardinal Robert McElroy, a key ally of Pope Francis, says U.S. Catholic bishops are not giving enough attention to the pope's call for the world to address global climate change. In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," expert journalist Christopher White interviews McElroy about how the U.S. bishops' conference has (and has not) implemented the teachings of pope's 2015

This February marked the fifth anniversary of one of Pope Francis' seminal efforts to confront clergy sexual abuse: a first-of-its-kind 2019 Vatican summit with global Catholic bishops about abuse prevention. In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," expert journalist Christopher White interviews one of the leading U.S. advocates for clergy abuse survivors about the impact of that

Xavière Sr. Nathalie Becquart is one of the main organizers of Pope Francis' Synod of Bishops, a two-part summit about the very future of the Catholic Church. She says the pope is creating "a new style of leadership" for the global faith. In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," expert journalists Joshua McElwee and Christopher White interview Becquart inside the Vatican's offic

Archbishop Charles Scicluna, one of the Catholic Church's leading investigators of clergy sexual abuse, says the church should reconsider its millennia-long practice of mandating priestly celibacy. In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," expert journalists Joshua McElwee and Christopher White interview Scicluna from inside the Vatican's powerful Dicastery for the Doctrine of the

In his annual "State of the World" address on Jan. 8, Pope Francis made a firm call for a total ceasefire in the Middle East, amid the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war. In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," Vatican expert Christopher White interviews the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Joe Donnelly, who said the United States is working "nonstop" to prevent civilian deaths in Gaza b

In a monumental shift, the Vatican's powerful doctrinal office on Dec. 18 declared it possible for Catholic priests to bless same-sex unions. In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," Vatican experts Joshua McElwee and Christopher White discuss the unexpected decree and its possible long-term implications. They also have a conversation with Kerry Robinson, president and CEO of Cat

For the first time in his 10-year papacy, Pope Francis has had to cancel a previously announced trip abroad due to health issues. In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," Vatican experts Joshua McElwee and Christopher White discuss the pope's health, and the significance of the cancellation of his planned trip to Dubai for the UN Climate Change Conference. They also have an exclu