Did the pope “endorse” civil unions? (Yes.) Were Francis’ words mistranslated? (No.) Is this “old news”? (Yes and no.)
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, News Analysis
Explainer: Why isn’t Pope Francis wearing a mask?
A maskless Pope Francis met guests at a crowded indoor papal audience last week, kissing the hands of newly ordained priests and embracing people who pulled their masks down or did not wear masks at all, flouting the Vatican’s coronavirus protocols.
Posted inFaith
A deep dive into the secret archives of Pope Pius XII
Many documents from the Second World War remained sealed until the full archive was finally opened in March.
Posted inDispatches, Faith
German archbishop calls for open debate about women priests in the Catholic Church
Archbishop Stefan Hesse, Germany’s youngest bishop, said he was entering reform talks with an open mind.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Explainer: What the church has done to fight clergy sex abuse since 2018’s ‘summer of shame’
It has been two years since the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report was published, documenting in disturbing detail at least 1,000 cases of abuse by 300 predator priests spanning seven decades.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Explainer: 5 takeaways from the Vatican’s new document on parish reform
What does the Vatican document on parish life mean for Catholics in the pews?
Posted inFaith, Music
With ‘Chromatica,’ Lady Gaga comes home.
In her new album, Lady Gaga transports us light years away, ultimately, to return us to ourselves.
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Subway mysticism: How Madeleine Delbrêl transformed my commute
The church needs Madeleine Delbrêl’s words and example to transform our vision of one another, whether across ecclesial lines or simply across the subway aisle.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis has set up a new commission to study women deacons
This is the second commission established by Pope Francis to study the question of a women’s diaconate.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis approves new ‘Mass in Time of Pandemic’ and Good Friday coronavirus intention
“In these days, during which the whole world has been gravely stricken by the Covid-19 virus, many requests have come to be able to celebrate a specific Mass to implore God to bring an end to this pandemic.”