The Church Up Close
Covering Catholicism in the Age of Leo XIV
Monday, 7 September
9.00 - 9.45 Registration and welcome coffee *
9.45 - 10.30 Introduction to the Program: Getting to Know the Church Up Close*
Rev. Prof. John Wauck - Pontifical University of Santa Croce
10.30 - 11.30 Nature and Mission: What Is the Catholic Church?*
Rev. Prof. Paul O’Callaghan - Pontifical University of Santa Croce
12.00 - 13.30 Getting to Know Pope Leo through the Order of Saint Augustine *
P. Kolawole Chabi, OSA (Order of Saint Augustine)
13.30 - 14.30 Greetings from the Rector and Buffet *
14.30 - 17.00 Guided Tour: St. Peter's Basilica
Rev. Prof. John Wauck - Pontifical University of Santa Croce
Tuesday, 8 September
9.00 - 10.30 Roundtable: Doing Diplomacy in the Holy See *
The Honorable Mr. Keith Pitt - Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See
Cav. Mark Vlasic - International Lawyer and former White House official
10.30 - 11.00 Coffee Break*
11.00 - 12.30 Demographics of the Catholic Church*
Jesús Colina - Journalist and Author
13.00 - 15.00 Work Lunch: The Catholic Church in Latin America
Prof. Rodrigo Guerra - Secretary of the Commission for Latin America
15.30 - 17.00 Encounter at the Dicastery for Communication
17.00 - 19.00 Guided Tour: Historic Center of Rome
John and Ashley Noronha - Professors, Art & Architecture Guides
Wednesday, 9 September
8.00 - 11.00 Pope's Audience
11.30 - 13.00 Christians in the Middle East*
Marta Petrosillo - Aid to the Church in Need International
13.15 - 15.15 Work Lunch: Vatican Communications
Mr. Alessandro Gisotti - Dicastery for Communications
15.30 - 17.00 Finance and Economy of the Vatican*
Dr. Benjamín Estévez de Cominges - Secretary General of the Secretariat for the Economy
17.15 - 18.45 The Church in Asia*
Fr. Robert McCulloch - Missionary Society of St. Columban
Thursday, 10 September
9.00 - 10.30 The Diplomatic Corps of the Holy See: How is a Nunzio made?*
Mgr. Mihăiţă Blaj, Under-secretary of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State
10.30 - 11.00 Coffee Break*
11.00 - 12.30 The Roman Curia: Organization, Reform and Challenges*
Rev. Prof. Fernando Puig - Rector, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross
13.15 - 15.15 Work Lunch: Dos and Don’ts in Covering the Vatican
Gretchen Crowe - Editor-in-Chief, OSV News
Courtney Mares, OSV, Vatican Editor
15.30 - 17.00 Human Trafficking and Migrants*
Dr. Monica Attias - Coordinator of the Sant’Egidio Anti-trafficking Network
17.15 - 18.45 Vatican Museum: An Introduction*
Dr. Elizabeth Lev - Art Historian, Author & Tour Guide
Friday, 11 September
9.00 - 10.30 Roundtable: Social Doctrine of the Church on Poverty and AI and labor implications*
Prof. María Dolores Sánchez Galera - Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development
Matthew Sanders - CEO of Longbeard & Founder of Builders AI Forum (BAIF)
10.30 - 11.00 Coffee Break *
11:00 - 12:30 Journalism, Trust and Clerical Abuse in the Church*
Paulina Guzik - International Editor (OSV News) & Author of “Truth Heals”
12.30 - 15.30 Free time
15.30 - 17.00 The Church in Africa*
Archb. Fortunatus Nwachukwu - Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization (Section of First Evangelization and New Particular Churches)
17.30 - 20.00 Guided Tour: Vatican Museums
Dr. Elizabeth Lev - Art Historian, Author & Tour Guide
Saturday, 12 September
9.00 - 10.00 Bus trip to Castel Gandolfo
10.30 - 12.00 Encounter at the Vatican Observatory: The Catholic Church and Scientific Culture
Rev. Fr. Richard D'Souza, SJ - Astronomer and Superior of the Jesuit Community
12.00 - 13.30 Guided Tour:Borgo Laudato Si gardens
13.30 - 15.30 Farewell lunch in Castel Gandolfo
18.00 - 19.00 Bus trip back to Rome