Vatican Access with Robert Duncan

Catholic News Service
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Vatican Access is a Catholic News Service podcast hosted by Robert Duncan, featuring in-depth conversations with Church insiders and leaders on the life, governance, and global mission of the Holy See.

  1. 2 days ago

    What the Dalai Lama Told a Catholic Priest About Christ

    CREDIT: Opening three images animated with AI with permission from the artist. Copyright Nicola Magrin. Courtesy Nuages, Milano. Father Francis Tiso is a Catholic priest, scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, and former advisor on Buddhist-Christian dialogue for both the Vatican and the U.S. bishops. For decades, he has explored the intersection of Christian mysticism, Buddhist meditation, neuroscience, and religious consciousness through extensive study, interreligious dialogue, and firsthand experience in monasteries and retreat centers across Asia. In this conversation, he discusses why Buddhism has become so attractive to many modern Westerners, what the Dalai Lama told him about Christian meditation, and how Buddhist practices of recollection and mindfulness compare to Catholic contemplative traditions. The discussion explores the modern loss of religious consciousness, the secular assumptions shaping contemporary culture, and the challenges Christians face in recovering deeper forms of prayer and spiritual discipline.Father Tiso also reflects on his years studying Tibetan Buddhism, his meetings with the Dalai Lama, the risks and possibilities of interreligious dialogue, and the controversial phenomenon known as the “rainbow body,” which he connects to broader questions surrounding mysticism, resurrection, and the nature of human consciousness. Guest bio: Father Francis Tiso is a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Isernia-Venafro, scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, and former associate director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He studied at Columbia University, where he earned a doctorate in Buddhist studies specializing in Tibetan religion and the biographies of Milarepa. He has advised the Vatican on Buddhist-Christian dialogue, met privately with the Dalai Lama, and authored several books including "Rainbow Body and Resurrection."

    58 min

  2. 6 days ago

    Expert Panel Reacts to Pope Leo's AI Warning

    Four experts on AI and Catholic teaching join Robert Duncan to discuss Pope Leo’s first encyclical on artificial intelligence and what they believe is its deeper message about the human person in a technological age. Drawing on theology, philosophy, media studies, and Catholic social teaching, they argue that the encyclical is not primarily about technology itself, but about safeguarding human dignity, relationships, attention, work, and spiritual freedom in the face of rapidly advancing AI systems.In this conversation, they explore why Pope Leo insists that human beings are more than machines, how artificial intelligence and social media can fragment identity and community, and why the Church views AI as a profoundly anthropological and spiritual challenge rather than merely a technical one. The discussion examines the future of work, the influence of algorithms on human behavior, transhumanism, digital culture, the meaning of face-to-face relationships, and the growing tension between technological progress and the cultivation of a fully human life. They also discuss their forthcoming book, "Catholic Cosmotechnics for the AI Age," and explain how Catholic liturgy, sacramental imagination, and the Augustinian tradition offer resources for understanding and responding to the AI revolution. Guest bios: Bo Bonner is Headmaster of Mother of Good Counsel School. A theologian, educator, and author, his work focuses on Catholic intellectual tradition, philosophy, education, technology, and human flourishing. Brett Robinson is the founder of the Church Communications Ecology Program at Notre Dame, a program for Church leaders to engage more deeply with the challenges and opportunities created by the rise of digital technology and artificial intelligence. Luigi Russi is an environmental educator, researcher, and scholar of media, ecology, and technology. His work explores how technological systems shape human experience and how religious traditions can provide frameworks for critically engaging contemporary technological culture. Michael Murphy is Executive Director of the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University Chicago. His work focuses on Catholic thought, culture, higher education, and the relationship between faith and contemporary society.

    1hr 9min

  3. 20 May

    Inside Rome’s Exorcist Conference: Are Demons Using AI?

    Sean Tobin is a clinical psychologist who works at the intersection of psychology, spiritual formation, and the Catholic Church’s ministry of exorcism, helping individuals navigate experiences that blur the boundaries between mental illness, trauma, and spiritual suffering. In this conversation, he discusses the modern resurgence of interest in exorcism, the relationship between demonic influence and psychological distress, and why he believes technology and artificial intelligence are reshaping the human person in spiritually consequential ways. The discussion explores how social media and algorithms intensify self-focus and isolation, the Church’s evolving approach to spiritual warfare and mental health, and why AI systems may increasingly function as mirrors of human desire, identity, and meaning. Guest bio: Sean Tobin is a clinical psychologist specializing in psychotherapy, trauma, spirituality, and exorcism ministry. A former member of religious life, he has worked alongside Catholic exorcists supporting individuals experiencing alleged demonic phenomena and lectures on the relationship between psychology, spiritual formation, and the Catholic understanding of evil. He is the author of Big God, Little Devil.

    1 hr

  4. 13 May

    Pope Leo's Astronomer Just Responded to Trump's UFO Disclosure

    Jesuit astronomer Br. Guy Consolmagno joins Vatican Access to discuss UFOs and what the Catholic Church really thinks about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.Known around the world as “the Pope’s astronomer,” Br. Consolmagno is a planetary scientist, former director of the Vatican Observatory, and a member of the advisory board of the SETI Institute — the organization dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. In this conversation, he reflects on the modern fascination with UFOs, why belief in aliens often functions as a substitute religion, and whether discoveries beyond Earth would challenge Christian theology or deepen it. The discussion explores biblical passages that hint at cosmic mystery, the relationship between faith and science, the growing cultural obsession with space and figures like Elon Musk, and why both religion and science today face a common crisis: the loss of confidence that truth can actually be known. Recorded just days after the U.S. government declassified a new trove of UFO-related images and documents, the interview examines one of humanity’s oldest questions from the perspective of one of the Church’s leading scientific voices. Guest bio: Br. Guy Consolmagno is a Jesuit brother, planetary scientist, and former director of the Vatican Observatory. Widely known as “the Pope’s astronomer,” he has written extensively on the relationship between faith and science and serves on the advisory board of the SETI Institute, dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

    1hr 21min

  5. 8 May

    The Real Story Behind the Election of Pope Leo

    Veteran Vatican journalist Gerard O’Connell joins Vatican Access to discuss the inside story of the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in history. Drawing from his new book, The Election of Pope Leo XIV: The Last Surprise of Pope Francis, O’Connell explains how Cardinal Robert Prevost emerged as an unexpected consensus candidate during one of the most consequential conclaves in modern Church history. The conversation explores the tensions inside the pre-conclave meetings, the question of whether Pope Francis’ legacy would continue, and why many cardinals initially believed an American pope was impossible. O’Connell also reflects on Pope Leo XIV’s first year, the global reaction to his papacy, and the deeper spiritual and political forces shaping the Catholic Church in a time of polarization, uncertainty, and rapid change. Guest bio: Gerard O’Connell is a veteran Vatican correspondent and longtime Rome reporter known for his extensive coverage of papal politics, conclaves, and the global Catholic Church. Together with his wife, Argentine journalist Elisabetta Piqué, he is the co-author of The Election of Pope Leo XIV: The Last Surprise of Pope Francis, an in-depth account of the conclave that elected the first American pope.

    1hr 13min

  6. 4 May

    Catholic Charities Funding Cut by Trump: What's Next?

    Pope Leo XIV received a delegation from Catholic Charities Network in private audience on May 4, as media scrutiny intensified over recent funding cuts by the Trump administration affecting Catholic organizations serving immigrants and refugees. In this conversation, Catholic News Service speaks one-on-one with Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, reflecting on the delegation’s audience with the pope and the broader implications for the Church’s charitable mission. The discussion explores how political polarization is shaping public perception of Catholic aid efforts, the risks facing vulnerable populations, and what is at stake for the Church’s longstanding commitment to serve those most in need.Guest bio:Kerry Robinson is the president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, one of the largest humanitarian networks in the country. She has extensive experience in nonprofit leadership and Catholic philanthropy, with a focus on advancing the Church’s mission of service, particularly among the poor, immigrants, refugees and marginalized communities.

    37 min

  7. 29 Apr

    What Happens When Millions Ask AI About God?

    Matthew Sanders is a technologist working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and Catholic evangelization, building digital tools that are shaping how people encounter faith in the modern world. In this conversation, he discusses the rise of AI as a space for spiritual inquiry, the millions of users engaging with Magisterium AI, and the kinds of personal and religious questions being asked through these systems. The discussion explores whether AI can serve as a form of pre-evangelization, the risks of mediating spiritual authority through technology, and what Catholics can expect Pope Leo to say in his forthcoming encyclical on AI. Guest bio: Matthew Sanders is a Catholic technologist who has designed and developed major digital platforms for the Church, including projects for the Vatican Observatory and the Vatican’s Office for Migrants and Refugees. He is the creator of Magisterium AI, an initiative aimed at bringing the Church’s intellectual and spiritual tradition into conversation with users through artificial intelligence.

    1hr 20min

  8. 22 Apr

    Why Young People Are Converting to Catholicism Again

    Curtis Martin, founder of the FOCUS, has spent nearly three decades working on college campuses at the front lines of Catholic evangelization, engaging a generation often assumed to be drifting away from faith. In this conversation, he discusses the surprising rise in conversions alongside continued disaffiliation, the growing interest in Catholicism among young people, and the spiritual forces driving these trends. The discussion explores the meaning of evangelization, the role of friendship and witness, and the internal tensions within the Church about how clearly to propose the faith. Guest bio: Curtis Martin is the founder and longtime leader of FOCUS, an international Catholic outreach that sends missionaries to college campuses and parishes around the world. Martin has advised bishops, served in consultative roles at the Vatican on evangelization, and is the author of several books on faith, mission, and Christian formation.

    1hr 19min
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Vatican Access is a Catholic News Service podcast hosted by Robert Duncan, featuring in-depth conversations with Church insiders and leaders on the life, governance, and global mission of the Holy See.

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