“Pope Francis is not only a Jesuit; he is a Christian. And discernment is part of Christianity. Discernment is an essential dimension of Christian life in all times.”
Colleen Dulle
Colleen Dulle is the Vatican Correspondent at America and co-hosts the "Inside the Vatican" podcast. She is the author of Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter (Image, 2025).
Posted inFaith, Faith in Focus
I never met Daniel Berrigan. But he showed me as a young Catholic a different way to live out my faith.
Learning of the witness of Daniel Berrigan, S.J., sparked me to make many of the choices that led me to be a journalist and an activist.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Communion for the divorced and remarried, papal critics and family life: Pope Francis’ ‘Amoris Laetitia’ at 5 years
What is the legacy of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation “Amoris Laetitia,” released five years ago today?
Posted inFaith, Lent Reflections
Reflection: Don’t place a price on other people’s lives. That’s what Judas did.
The Crucifixion is not just an image of God’s love, but a mirror reflecting our sin back to us, saying, this is the evil you’re capable of.
Posted inFaith, Lent Reflections
Reflection: God lives in our traditions. Keeping them is a form of prayer.
Remember the jar of expensive, perfumed oil that Mary pours on Jesus’ feet. We know Mary, Martha and Lazarus weren’t rich, and this oil was expensive. They would have been saving it for a special occasion.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
The 8 Most-Defining Images from 8 Years of Pope Francis
While much ink has been spilled by Vatican watchers interpreting how the pope’s writings and structural changes will shape the church for years to come, Pope Francis’ gestures may do even more to define his legacy.
Posted inFaith, Features
After Covid, Mass will never be the same. Maybe that’s a good thing.
Many Catholics have found themselves connected to parish communities in ways that previously were impossible.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Explainer: Cardinal Tobin will now help Pope Francis pick bishops. What does that mean for the U.S. Church?
Cardinal Joseph Tobin, named today to the influential Congregation for Bishops, has been known as a “Pope Francis bishop”—one who generally follows the pope’s lead in prioritizing social justice issues and dialogue over culture war flashpoints.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Explainer: The history of women lectors and altar servers—and what Pope Francis has changed
Women have served as lectors and acolytes for decades. Now Pope Francis has changed canon law to formally recognize their ministry.
Posted inArts & Culture, Television
Netflix announces new series that will feature Pope Francis
Pope Francis will appear in a new Netflix docu-series that highlights the stories of elderly people from around the world.