Christopher White

Christopher White is the Vatican correspondent for NCR.  His e-mail address is cwhite@ncronline.org. Follow him on Twitter: @cwwhiteNCR.
 
Prior to moving to Rome in August 2021, he served as NCR's national correspondent, where his award winning reporting included coverage of the Catholic vote during the 2020 campaign and the election of President Joe Biden.
 
He holds a master's degree in ethics and society from Fordham University and a bachelor's degree in politics, philosophy and economics from The King's College. His work has appeared in Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Forbes, Foreign Policy, New York Daily News, International Business Times, among many other print and online publications. He has regularly appeared on television and radio programs, including CNN, NPR, RTE and BBC and is a Vatican analyst for NBC and MSNBC news. 

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Pope Francis attends the final session of the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon at the Vatican Oct. 26, 2019. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope Francis expands participation in synod to lay members, granting right to vote

Pope Francis on April 26 dramatically expanded participation in the Vatican's upcoming Synod of Bishops to include lay men and women, for the first time granting them a right to be appointed as full voting members.

Pope Francis meets with Mercedarian Sr. Shizue "Filo" Hirota from Tokyo, third from right, and other members of the preparatory commission for the general assembly of the Synod of Bishops on March 16 in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. Pictured to the right of the pope are: Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg, general relator of the upcoming synod; Bishop Lucio Muandula of Xai-Xai, Mozambique; Hirota; Archbishop Timothy Costelloe of Perth

Synodality is 'radically inclusive,' says Vatican committee member Sr. Filo Hirota

The Mercedarian sister is the only woman and only nonordained member of the seven-person commission tasked with organizing the upcoming synod meetings in Rome. But despite being in the minority, she is unintimidated.

Haejin Shim Fujimura presents Pope Francis with a 15th century kintsugi bowl by on Nov. 8. (Courtesy of Haejin Shim Fujimura)

Pope meets artist whose work reveals how God touches brokenness

An ancient Japanese art form repairs broken vessels with gold, not hiding the damage. The tradition illustrates Pope Francis' call to "to go to the margins" because they are also places of possibility.

Sr. Nadia Coppa of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ is the new president of the International Union of Superiors General. (Courtesy of UISG)

UISG's new president speaks on the importance of embracing vulnerability

UISG's plenary became a "sacred space to share about our vulnerabilities as leaders of congregations," Sr. Nadia Coppa said. "Vulnerability is part of our lives as consecrated women, and we have to embrace it, not remove it."

Women religious look through their plenary materials May 6, the final day of the 2022 plenary of the International Union of Superiors General in Rome. (GSR photo/Chris Herlinger)

UISG plenary concludes, calling sisters to renewal, transformation and inclusivity

At the end of UISG plenary in Rome, sisters shared this pledge: "I commit myself to live vulnerable synodality through service as a leader, animating it within the community, together with the people of God."

Xavière Sr. Nathalie Becquart at the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops Sept. 27, 2021, at the Vatican (AP/Sipa USA/Abaca/Erice Vandeville)

Women religious blaze new trails in roles of authority at the Vatican

With a wave of new appointments of religious sisters inside the Vatican, Pope Francis is making room for more women religious to have a permanent seat at the table. Sisters spoke about the importance of these changes.

Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz created a 20-foot bronze sculpture, titled "Let the Oppressed Go Free," depicting St. Josephine Bakhita freeing victims of human trafficking. (Courtesy of Timothy Schmalz)

Artist hopes new sculpture can spotlight sisters' work fighting human trafficking

The design for Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz's sculpture, titled "Let the Oppressed Go Free," is inspired, in part, by a 19th-century Canossian religious sister, now saint, Josephine Bakhita.

Panelists discuss how the process underway for the Synod of Bishops has to be sure to include the views of women and address "hot button" topics at a "Women in Synodality" event held in Rome on Dec. 16. (GSR photo/Christopher White)

Synod cannot avoid hot-button issues, say 'Women in Synodality' panelists

With the listening stage of the synod on synodality underway, the two-hour conversation on Dec. 16 aimed to amplify the voices of Catholic women from across the globe, with panelists from Africa, Australia and Europe.

Xaviere Missionary Sister Nathalie Becquart attends a news conference at the Vatican in this Oct. 9, 2018, file photo. (CNS/Paul Haring)

Synod of Bishops official stresses pope's focus on 'a primacy of listening that works from the bottom up'

As the first phase of the newly revamped synod process begins, Sister Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary of the Vatican's office of the Synod of Bishops, delivered a talk in which she described the pope's vision of a more relational church. "The focus is no longer first on the primacy at the top of the pyramidal view," she said.

Loreto Sr. Imelda Poole speaks Oct. 14 at a panel discussion about empowering young people to help fight modern slavery. (Courtesy of U.S. Embassy to the Holy See)

Catholic sisters hope to harness energy, tech savvy of young people to target human trafficking

"An economy without human trafficking is an economy of care," Comboni Missionary Sr. Gabriella Bottani said at a discussion aimed at including young people in the fight against modern day slavery. Bottani described the effort as a call to care for "people and nature" in line with Pope Francis' call to care for creation.