Inside The Vatican

In this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Gerry and Colleen preview Pope Leo XIV’s visit to France, set for Sept. 25-28. The two unpack Pope Leo’s itinerary for the trip, give context for the political situation in the country and discuss what messages the pope may send to both secular and ecclesial authorities in a country and church that are being reshaped by the arrival of newcomers.

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Chapters:

00:00 News: Pope Leo to visit Latin America2:12 Background on Pope Leo's trip to France11:07 The EU, war, and multilateralism15:19 The pope's diplomatic balancing act18:20 A religious spring in France?24:00 Scandals, wounds and reconciliation29:20 Who the pope is meeting

Links:

Pope Leo XIV will meet with the French abuse survivors as critics demand action

As Pope Leo prepares to visit France, can its ‘Catholic moment’ become a lasting revival?

Follow Gerry on X: @gerryorome

Follow Colleen on Instagram: @colleendulle

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In this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Gerry and Colleen discuss the “birthday gifts” Pope Leo XIV gave to the Vatican on his 71st birthday: an expansion of the Vatican Library and archives and the repeal of Covid-era salary cuts. The hosts explain Vatican salaries and what has changed financially for the Holy See since the pandemic.

In the second part of the show, Colleen and Gerry give a primer on “Baby Bishops’ School,” the annual training for newly-ordained bishops that recently concluded in Rome.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

0:42 Pope Leo repeals Covid-era salary cuts

4:52 How Vatican employees are compensated

7:52 The Vatican’s financial recovery since 2024

10:39 Vatican finances under Pope Leo

15:06 Vatican Library and archive expansion

18:33 Baby Bishops’ School explained

21:03 Bishops get international perspective

24:49 Pope Leo’s address to new bishops

29:43 The Pope Leo ‘style’ of being bishop

33:40 What could change for bishops under Leo

35:30 Outro and credits

Links:Pope Leo celebrates his 71st birthday—by giving gifts to the Vatican

Is Pope Leo ‘Americanizing’ Vatican fundraising?

What Pope Leo has said about an ‘A.I. pause’

Pope Leo calls for ‘culture of negotiation’ at meeting of North and South American leaders

Synodality, multiculturalism and working with Pope Leo: Archbishop Costelloe on the Australian Catholic Church

Pope Leo warns technology cannot replace the value of human relationships

Cardinal Czerny awarded inaugural Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal

Pope Leo commemorates 9/11, praying for all who ‘bear wounds of that tragic day’

Follow Gerry on X: @gerryorome

Follow Colleen on Instagram: @colleendulle

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In this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Gerry and Colleen take the opportunity of Pope Leo’s 71st birthday on Monday, Sept. 14, to look back at what he has accomplished thus far in his papacy and what major items remain on his desk for the fall, including trips to France and Latin America, a series of high-profile appointments and the ongoing trials of Marko Rupnik and Angelo Becciu.

The hosts also announce the launch of the newest America newsletter, Vatican Notebook! Subscribe here.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

3:21 Pope Leo celebrates his 71st birthday

5:50 A review of Pope Leo's first year

10:01 Pope Leo's effect on geopolitics

13:53 Pope Leo assembles a diverse new team

21:50 Leo's focus on peace, poverty and A.I.

28:10 Pope Leo is in no rush

29:10 The pope's preferences for bishops

35:11 Plans for filling bishop vacancies

37:03 Marko Rupnik trial updates

40:53 A new attitude on Vatican finances

44:30 Outro

Links:

How do popes celebrate their birthdays? Pizza, parties and puppies (from 2025)

Is Pope Leo ‘Americanizing’ Vatican fundraising?

Pope Leo: Catholics cannot be ‘unengaged spectators’ amid ‘injustice, discrimination and violence’

Pope Leo’s visit to France likely to attract a million people

Peruvian city to unveil world’s tallest statue of Pope Leo for trip to South America

A long-awaited reckoning: A timeline of the Father Marko Rupnik case

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Follow Gerry on X: @gerryorome

Follow Colleen on Instagram: @colleendulle

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Pope Leo today received the National Constitution Center’s liberty medal and gave an acceptance speech via livestream from the Vatican. Colleen Dulle recaps his message.

Links from the show:

Read: Pope Leo’s message to the United States on its 250th anniversary

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Today, July 2, in response to the SSPX’s illicit ordinations of bishops, the Vatican announced that not only were the bishops involved in the ordination automatically excommunicated and in schism, but that any clergy of SSPX or lay members who “adhere” to the schism are also to be considered excommunicated.

Links from the show:


The Vatican and SSPX controversy, explained


Vatican declares excommunicated SSPX bishops, warns priests and lay faithful of schism


Analysis: SSPX excommunications show what Pope Leo means by church ‘unity’


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