Vatican Access with Robert Duncan

About Vatican Access with Robert Duncan

Explore the biggest questions of our time with Vatican leaders and insiders.

Publisher

Catholic News Service

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Mar 2026

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

32 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   A Vatican Controversy, 10 Years Later

   As bishops from around the world gathered in Rome Oct. 7 to commemorate Pope Francis' Amoris Laetitia ten years after its publication, a Catholic publisher once at the center of a Vatican controversy has returned with a new book on love and marriage. In 2014, Ignatius Press distributed "Remaining in the Truth of Christ," a defense of traditional Catholic teaching on marriage that many commentators interpreted as opposing Cardinal Walter Kasper's proposal to allow some divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion. The book became a source of controversy during the Synod on the Family. Now, representatives of the publisher have presented Pope Leo XIV with "YOUCAT Love Forever," a new guide to love and marriage for young Catholics that draws on Amoris Laetitia. In this episode, Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio, founder of Ignatius Press, and its president, Mark Brumley, revisit the controversy surrounding the earlier book. Father Fessio reflects on Pope Francis' pontificate, the challenges of defending Catholic orthodoxy, and what has changed under Pope Leo XIV. Brumley explains why the publisher challenged prevailing views during the synod, whether Amoris Laetitia represented a break with Church tradition, and why he sees continuity between the two pontificates. Ignatius Press editor Thomas Jacobi also discusses the new YOUCAT book, its origins under Pope Francis, and Pope Leo's message to young people about love and marriage. Guest bios: Father Joseph Fessio, SJ, is the founder of Ignatius Press, one of the leading Catholic publishing houses in the United States. A Jesuit priest and theologian, he earned his doctorate under Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, and has spent decades publishing works on Catholic theology, philosophy and culture. Mark Brumley is the president of Ignatius Press. A Catholic author, editor and apologist, he has worked extensively in Catholic publishing and religious education and helped oversee the publication of "Remaining in the Truth of Christ" in the run-up to the 2014 Synod on the Family. Thomas Jacobi is an associate editor at Ignatius Press, where he works on editorial projects and manuscript acquisitions. He contributed to the English-language edition of "YOUCAT Love Forever," a new guide to Catholic teaching on love, sexuality and marriage that draws on Amoris Laetitia.

2. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Inside the Global Marriage Crisis Facing Pope Leo

   As bishops from around the world gather in Rome for a meeting convened by Pope Leo XIV on marriage and the family, J.P. De Gance has been working behind the scenes to help the Church understand what's at stake. His organization, Communio, produced a report on the state of marriage in America, providing research and analysis to inform today's discussions ten years after Pope Francis published "Amoris Laetitia." In this conversation, De Gance reveals why he believes the Catholic Church has failed to respond adequately to the collapse of marriage. He explains why Catholic marriages have declined dramatically in the United States, why most parishes spend too little on marriage ministry, and how the decline of the family may be driving the crisis of faith. He also discusses his conversations with bishops from around the world, whether Pope Francis' reforms have made a practical difference, and what Pope Leo's gathering could accomplish. Guest bio: J.P. De Gance is the founder and president of Communio, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening marriages and families through churches. Previously involved in public policy, he turned his attention to marriage renewal following a family crisis that brought four nieces and nephews into his home. His work has included a major initiative in Jacksonville, Florida, where 93 churches participated in a program associated with a 24% decline in the local divorce rate over three years. Communio has since worked with nearly 600 churches and parishes in 44 U.S. dioceses.

3. 

   7 Oct 2026

   Young Catholics Going Traditional? An Archbishop Answers

   Archbishop Michael McGovern has spoken openly about the renewed interest many young Catholics have in the traditional Latin Mass, Eucharistic adoration, reverence and other elements of Catholic tradition. Now Archbishop of Omaha, he has encountered these questions both as a bishop and in conversations with young Catholics searching for deeper roots in the Church’s liturgical life. In this conversation, Archbishop McGovern reflects on why younger Catholics are drawn to the traditional Latin Mass, what their interest in tradition may reveal about the wider Church, and how bishops should respond. He discusses whether the Latin Mass has a future, the importance of unity under Pope Leo XIV, and his conviction that the essential elements Catholics seek in the older liturgy are present in the Novus Ordo. He also explains what his ideal celebration of the Mass would look like, why silence and beauty matter, and why Eucharistic adoration has become so important to a new generation. Guest bio: Archbishop Michael McGovern is the Archbishop of Omaha. A native of Chicago, he previously served as Bishop of Belleville, Illinois. As a bishop, he has met with Catholics attached to the traditional Latin Mass, including attending the older liturgy in choir and speaking with members of those communities. In this interview, he describes the bishop’s role as being a shepherd and teacher for the whole Church, particularly at a moment when a new generation of Catholics is asking questions about the roots, continuity and future of Catholic worship. Original music was created using AI.

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5.0 / 5

10 ratings

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5.0 / 5

4 ratings

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