Vatican Insider

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this final weekend of Advent! I know that in these days we’re all getting our homes ready for guests and shared meals and telling stories around a Christmas tree and Nativity scene but we are also getting ready, in a prayerful and joy-filled fashion, to welcome our Lord and Savior on December 25! Christmas is thus special and that is exactly what I offer you this week...

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this third weekend of Advent, when we mark Gaudete Sunday, a reminder of the joy that comes with the anticipation of Christ’s birth. Join me in the interview segment for Part II of my conversation with Patrick Reilly, a friend of many years and founder in 1993 of the Cardinal Newman Society.

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this first weekend of December 2025. My guest in the interview segment is Patrick Reilly, a friend of many years and founder in 1993 of the Newman Society. We spoke when he was in Rome for the November 1 declaration by Pope Leo of Cardinal John Henry Newman as doctor of the Church.

In this edition of Vatican Insider we present the second part of The Kingship of Christ interview. My guests are Aidan Gallagher, head of EWTN Ireland, and Jesuit Fr. Bernard McCuckian, principal narrator of “The Kingship of Christ,” a documentary produced by EWTN Ireland. Other protagonists of this 4-part documentary on Christ the King that premiered November 18 in the Vatican’s filmoteca or film...

Welcome to a new edition of Vatican Insider on this penultimate weekend in November! My guests in the interview segment this weekend are Aidan Gallagher, head of EWTN Ireland, and Jesuit Fr. Bernard McCuckian, principal narrator of “The Kingship of Christ,” a documentary produced by EWTN Ireland. Other protagonists of this 4-part documentary on Christ the King that premiered November 18 in the Vat...

In part II of our conversation, my special guests are Marlene Watkins, founder of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality – North American Volunteers, and Bishop Douglas Lucia of Syracuse, New York, who is the chaplain for the group. Don't miss on this special edition of Vatican Insider.

My special guests this week in the interview segment are Marlene Watkins, founder of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality – North American Volunteers and Bishop Douglas Lucia of Syracuse, New York, who is the chaplain for the group. Join us!

Stay tuned for Part II of my conversation with Jesuit Fr. Thomas Merkel, president of the D.C.-based Gregorian University Foundation. This was established in 1972 with the aim of supporting Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University through raising much-­needed funds for scholarships, academic chairs, libraries and capital improvements.

Some big news stories this week to tell you about but now I want you to know that my guest in the interview segment is Fr. Thomas Merkel, president of the D.C.-based Gregorian University Foundation that was instituted in 1972 with the mission to support the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, through raising much­-needed funds for scholarships, academic chairs, libraries and capital improveme...

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this third weekend of October. Lots of events this week at the Vatican as you will hear in the opening news segment. After the news highlights, you’ll want to stay tuned for my weekly interview segment when my guest is Lisa Petrocelli, an American who spent a week in Rome as a volunteer for the Jubilee Year of Hope.

This week, instead of an interview segment, I’ve prepared a Special on Pope Leo’s first magisterial document, his Apostolic Exhortation “Dilexi te – I have Loved You – that was presented Thursday, October 9 in the Vatican. Join us!

I do have a very uplifting story in the interview segment of VI and my conversation with Deacon Andy Orosco of the diocese of San Bernardino in California. Andy is a Native American who works in the Native American Ministry in the diocese and tells a fascinating story about his ministry and his people. You will also hear from his wife Roseanne as both were in Rome recently for the Jubilee of Deaco...

I’m calling this segment INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW because I’m going to bring you some trivia, that is, some little known and often unusual facts about the Vatican – some fun stories about bells and flags and basilica floors. It might be trivia but it is not trivial! (Originally aired on 7/20/18)

My guest this week in the interview segment of “Vatican Insider” is a longtime friend, Fr. Frank Phillips, former pastor for 30 years at Chicago’s well-known St. John Cantius Church. After a number of years, we met serendipitously over my vacation at a pre-investiture ceremony for the Order of the Holy Sepulchre that was held at St. John Cantius. (Originally aired on 10/14/22)

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this mid-September weekend. I hope the weather is as beautiful where you are as it is here in Rome! For the interview segment this weekend, please join me for Part II of a Special on the papal residence of Castelgandolfo and its centuries-long history where I look at the main palace and other buildings, the extensive land and magnificent gardens and the papal farm tha...

Welcome to Vatican Insider on a very important weekend for the Catholic Church and especially for young people everywhere! As you surely know, this Sunday, September 7, two young men, Blesseds Carlo Acutis and Piergiorgio Frassati, will be canonized by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square during Mass. In this week’s new segment, in addition to the top stories in the Vatican, I offer brief biographie...

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this final weekend of August. Is summer really almost over! I have yet to go on vacation but that’s coming soon. No interview this weekend, rather, I’ve prepared a Special on the two very special saints we celebrated this week – St. Monica on August 27th and her famous son, St. Augustine, on the 28th. Join us!

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this August weekend as summer winds down for so many people and schools are about to reopen or already have reopened in many cases. My guest in the interview segment this week is Dr. Blythe Kaufman, founder of the Children’s Rosary®, an International Prayer group movement for children. This week we look at how the Children’s Rosary has grown throughout the world and B...

Welcome to Vatican Insider at this halfway mark of August. August might be the 8th month of the year for most people but for Italians, it is THE month of the year! It is the month of ferragosto – August holidays. In place of an interview segment this weekend, I have prepared a special I’ve called The Lazy, Hazy Days of August in Rome. I think you’ll get a kick out of it and learn a few things as w...

Welcome to Vatican Insider on a quiet August weekend – at least in Italy as August is the month of the so-called Great Exodus when Italians leave big cities, small towns and everywhere in between for some vacation time at a summer home in the mountains or at the seashore. Be sure to stay tuned after the news report for the interview segment and Part II of my conversation with Johnny Vrba, creator...

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this exciting weekend in Rome when the Jubilee of Youth that started July 28 continues with a vigil Saturday night and a Mass on Sunday on the Tor Vergata esplanade to conclude the weeklong event. My young guest in the interview segment is Johnny Vrba, creator of the now-famous 1000-piece mosaic that depicts the future Saint Carlo Acutis. He spent some days in Rome du...

Welcome to Vatican Insider on the weekend that precedes the arrival in Rome of half a million youth from over 140 countries to celebrate the weeklong Jubilee of Youth that starts Monday, July 28! Exciting days ahead, for sure! And an exciting Special report this weekend in what is normally the interview segment of VI. I prepared a Special program because this is such a special weekend! Saturday is...

In Part II of our conversation, we talk about the years of filming The Chosen, how he was chosen for his role as Jesus, and the extraordinary time spent in Matera for the Crucifixion. Jonathan explains when and how that season will air. I asked if he felt this role had changed him in any way over all these years of filming? I also asked an almost impossible question to answer: Did he have a favori...

This week and next, Jonathan talks about how he and the cast rejoiced over meeting a fellow American, Pope Leo XIV, and he also offered a perceptive analysis of the new Pope. We talk about the years of filming The Chosen, how he was chosen for his role as Jesus, and the time spent in Matera. I asked if he felt this role had changed him in any way over all these years of filming? I also asked an al...

This week we continue with the second part of the interview of 3 amazing cast members of the TV series, THE CHOSEN – Vanessa Benavente Mother Mary, Elizabeth Tabish -Mary Magdalen and George Xanthus as John The Apostle as they visited Rome after filming the Crucifixion and Season 6 in Matera, Italy. Join us for Vatican Insider!