Joshua J. McElwee

Listen: In this episode of The Vatican Briefing, Joshua McElwee and Christopher White discuss the Vatican's document "Dignitas Infinita." And they speak with a Vatican journalist about his book-length interview with Pope Francis.

A prominent U.S. Ukrainian Catholic leader has sharply criticized Pope Francis' recent suggestion that Ukraine might enter negotiations to end its brutal, two-year war with Russia, calling the pontiff's remarks "very problematic."

In this episode of "The Vatican Briefing," BishopAccountability.org co-director Anne Barrett Doyle offers a blunt assessment of Pope Francis' efforts to confront clergy sexual abuse.

As the Vatican prepares to host the second part of Pope Francis' major summit on the future of the Catholic Church this October, one of the event's main organizers said a central purpose of the gathering is to create "a new style of leadership" for the global faith institution. From an exclusive interview with Xavière Sr. Nathalie Becquart.

One of the Catholic Church's leading doctrinal officials has reiterated his unusual call for the global institution to consider ending its millennia-long requirement that priests remain celibate, saying that allowing priestly marriage could be a means of preventing clerics from living dangerous double lives. In an exclusive interview with National Catholic Reporter on Jan. 24, Archbishop Charles Scicluna said: "One of my worries is that people are put in a situation where they are comfortable with a double life."

Following Pope Francis' call to the international community to support a total cease-fire in the Middle East, President Joe Biden's representative to the Vatican said the United States is working "nonstop" to prevent civilian deaths in Gaza, but stopped short of backing a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.

The leader of the umbrella organization representing Catholic Charities agencies nationwide has expressed praise for Pope Francis' efforts to expand opportunities for women's leadership in the Catholic Church, calling it "a matter of managerial and moral urgency."

The bishops taking part in Pope Francis' recent major Vatican summit on the future of the Catholic Church wanted to express "a certain amount of sorrow" over how women have been treated by the global faith institution, said one of the American prelates who took part in the gathering.

Although the final document for Pope Francis' summit on the future of the Catholic Church did not mention better inclusion of the faith's LGBTQ members, it also made sure that "no issue is finalized" ahead of the next assembly in 2024, said one of the leading African voices at the monthlong gathering.

Pope Francis' ongoing summit on the future of the Catholic Church, which has drawn some 450 delegates from across the globe for closely watched discussions at the Vatican, is a sign to the world that there are "very acute and very pressing" needs right now in many countries, said Cardinal Michael Czerny.

For decades, Loretto Sr. Jeannine Gramick has operated at the margins of the global Catholic Church because of her devotion to ministry with LGBTQ Catholics. But on Oct. 17, she was welcomed into the Vatican for an historic 50-minute meeting with Pope Francis.

One of the 13 members of the committee expected to draft the hotly anticipated final document from Pope Francis' ongoing Vatican summit on the future of the Catholic Church has expressed an openness to ordaining women as Catholic deacons.

One of the voting members of Pope Francis' hotly anticipated Synod of Bishops on synodality has indicated an openness to restoring the early Catholic Church's tradition of ordaining women as deacons.