This week on “Inside the Vatican,” veteran correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle discuss Pope Francis’ recent interview with the Italian daily newspaper La Stampa. In a comprehensive two-page spread, the pope candidly shares his feelings of loneliness and explores how he navigates these emotions through prayer and dialogue with others.
The interview also touched on “Fiducia Supplicans” for the second time in a single day. Colleen and Gerry recap the pope’s remarks to La Stampa and a plenary assembly of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office behind the declaration. In both instances, the pope addresses criticisms of the document. The hosts conclude by discussing Pope Francis’ comments on the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Israel/Palestine.
In the second part of the show, Colleen and Gerry discuss significant developments in the Vatican’s relationship with China. After a one-year delay, Pope Francis has appointed three new bishops in China and taken the unprecedented step of approving a new diocese for the Chinese church in just a week. How will this move, which is outside the strictly-defined purview of the Vatican-China agreement, impact the renewal discussions later this year?
Links from the show
- Gerry’s report on the pope’s interview with La Stampa: Pope Francis: No peace in Israel and Palestine without two-state solution
- Colleen’s analysis of the DDF: Explainer: How Cardinal Fernández is changing the Vatican doctrine office
- Inside the Vatican’s roundtable on blessings for same-sex and ‘irregular’ couples: Blessings and backlash: A conversation on ‘Fiducia Supplicans’
- Another Chinese bishop, approved by Pope Francis and government, ordained
More Vatican headlines
- Vatican appeals court finds priest guilty of ‘corrupting a minor’
- Religion News Service’s report mentioning the synod’s next steps: Pope Francis’ synod made few waves, but organizers say it’s already changing the church
- Québec cardinal, named in lawsuit, will temporarily step aside from duties
