Voices

Gerard O’Connell is America’s Vatican correspondent and author of The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Story of the Conclave That Changed History. He has been covering the Vatican since 1985.
Politics & SocietyVatican Dispatch
Pope Francis answered questions on Israel, sexual abuse, the role of women in society and abortion.
FaithVatican Dispatch
Pope Francis sought to encourage and reinvigorate the Catholic Church in Belgium, which has been disheartened by the abuse crisis.
FaithVatican Dispatch
The prime minister’s speech at the start of Pope Francis’ visit was one of the most pointed ever directed at the pope during a foreign trip and underscored just how raw the abuse scandal still is in Belgium.
FaithVatican Dispatch
During a brief visit to Luxembourg, Pope Francis recalled the nation's painful history and lauded its welcome to immigrants, encouraging its people "to be faithful to this legacy."
FaithVatican Dispatch
Pope Francis is expected to speak about war and peace, the migrant crisis, ecology, secularization and the sexual abuse of minors by clergy.
FaithVatican Dispatch
Francis, who will turn 88 on Dec. 17, has not rested one day since his return from the East on Friday, Sept. 13.
FaithVatican Dispatch
In a talk to leaders of popular grassroots movements, Pope Francis said, “It is often precisely the wealthiest who oppose the realization of social justice or integral ecology out of sheer greed.”
FaithVatican Dispatch
The Vatican has approved the promotion of devotion to the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje but did not make any declaration on the alleged supernatural character of the Marian apparitions there.
FaithVatican Dispatch
At a press conference today, Cardinal Grech made clear that there’s no point in returning to these hot-button topics this October since they were already discussed at the first session and are now being studied in-depth.
Politics & SocietyVatican Dispatch
Will he visit Argentina? Why didn’t he denounce the death penalty in Singapore? Is he satisfied with the results of the Vatican-China deal? Pope Francis answered these questions and more on the flight back to Rome.