Vatican Access with Robert Duncan

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.

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.

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 the 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.

Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu — a Nigerian prelate serving at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization — stands at the forefront of the Church’s global missionary efforts, helping guide its growth in some of the places where the Church is expanding most rapidly.In this conversation, he reflects on his vocation and childhood, the key social challenges shaping the African continent, and the significance of Pope Leo’s April 2026 visit to four African nations. Filmed at the Palazzo Propaganda Fide, the discussion situates these themes within a broader shift in global Christianity—raising a central question for the future of the Church: is Africa becoming its new heart, and what, if anything, can the West learn from it?Guest bio:Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu is a Nigerian prelate serving in the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization. A biblical scholar and seasoned diplomat, he has represented the Holy See in various roles across Africa and Europe, including at the United Nations in Geneva and in the Vatican Secretariat of State. His work focuses on the Church’s missionary activity, particularly in regions experiencing rapid growth, placing him at the center of conversations about the future of global Catholicism.

John Studzinski — a leading investment banker and philanthropist — has spent his life at the intersection of global finance and the Catholic Church.In this conversation, he reflects on his rise on Wall Street, his commitment to serving others, and the spiritual vision behind his philanthropic work. A trusted advisor to popes and cardinals, he has supported initiatives in human rights, charitable outreach, and the arts.His work with the Genesis Foundation includes commissioning Angels Unawares, a sacred composition by Sir James MacMillan performed in the Sistine Chapel. The title points to a central theme of his life: an awareness of the unseen—and a call to generosity rooted in faith.Guest bio:John Studzinski is an international investment banker and philanthropist. Through his Genesis Foundation, he supports projects in the arts, education, and humanitarian work, often in collaboration with Vatican institutions.

Cardinal Edwin O’Brien — a former Vietnam War chaplain who later served as Archbishop for the Military Services and as a Vatican cardinal charged with a mission to the Holy Land — spent decades ministering to American soldiers and to Catholic communities around the world.In this conversation, recorded at Catholic News Service in Rome, he reflects on jumping from helicopters to reach troops in Vietnam, the discipline and faith forged in war, his role helping reform seminaries after the 2002 clerical sex abuse crisis, and the Church’s mission amid global conflict.Recorded just days before the United States entered a new war with Iran, the cardinal offers a perspective shaped by a lifetime on the front lines of pastoral ministry: that suffering endured with faith can become a powerful witness beyond the Church’s walls.Guest bio:Cardinal Edwin O’Brien is a retired American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop for the Military Services and later as Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He previously served as archbishop of Baltimore and participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.