Heidi Schlumpf

Francis Effect podcast: In this episode, NCR's senior correspondent Heidi Schlumpf interviews the publication's Vatican correspondent, Christopher White, about what might be coming next for the Francis papacy.

In response to the synod on synodality's punting on issues of women's leadership, the Women's Ordination Conference is planning a walkout during Lent to protest the pace of reform in the church.

Full-time faculty not on the tenure track want to unionize to address salary and other disparities. They say Marquette's decision not to recognize the union goes against the school's mission and Catholic identity.

"The Francis Effect": NCR senior correspondent Heidi Schlumpf, columnist Daniel Horan and David Dault discuss the implications of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks for vulnerable populations. 

Election results indicate shifts among Catholics overall, especially white Catholics, as well as with Latino voters – and point to abortion's growing insignificance as a political issue. 

The synod concluded without movement on the question of women deacons, but kept the issue open. That was frustrating to advocates but also has helped some remain hopeful.

In this episode of "The Francis Effect," Heidi, Dan and David welcome their guests, Fr. Bryan Massingale and Social Service Sr. Simone Campbell, to look at the 2024 election and consider: Where do we go from here?

Catholic voters must negotiate a balance between what the church teaches and how their other values contribute to their voting decisions. Nowhere is that more evident than around the issue of legalized abortion.

In a speech to the ecumenical Kentucky Council of Churches, Catholic Bishop John Stowe of Lexington urged pastors to speak out against Christian nationalism and fight it with love.

In the first poll focused exclusively on Catholics in swing states, NCR found that voters saw the economy as the most important issue and, somewhat surprisingly, supported their candidate, Trump or Harris, for reasons that contradicted church teaching on immigration or abortion.