Habemus Papam: Three Journalists Weigh In on Pope Leo’s First Year

April 15, 2026

7–8:30pm

McCormick Lounge, Coffey Hall, Lake Shore Campus

This event is free and all are welcome.

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In less than 12 months since his election to the Chair of St. Peter, Pope Leo has continued Vatican reforms, personally reached out to the faithful in need of support, and inspired the Catholic faithful—both committed and lapsed. His influence has been felt outside of the Catholic Church through his ecumenical and interreligious dialogues, as well as his public ministry to the marginalized in Rome. To mark the one-year anniversary of Pope Leo’s election, The Hank Center will host a conversation focused on the first year of the Pope Leo’s reign: What has he accomplished? Where do we go from here? What remains to be done?

Journalists Colleen Dulle (America), Michael Sean Winters (National Catholic Reporter), and Gretchen Crowe (Our Sunday Visitor) will offer their take on Pope Leo’s first year. Dominic Preziosi (Commonweal) will moderate.

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Speakers

Gretchen R. Crowe

Gretchen R. Crowe is editor-in-chief of OSV News, the Catholic information service and evangelization partner that communicates the truth of what is happening in the Church and the world. She directs a team of seasoned reporters and content creators who contribute to one of the world’s largest Catholic content collections, spanning breaking news, in-depth analysis, inspirational stories, formational content, and social and digital assets.

Colleen Dulle

Colleen Dulle is Vatican Correspondent for America magazine and host of the “Inside the Vatican” podcast. She was an ABC News Contributor for the 2025 conclave and appears frequently as a commentator on Vatican news for national and international outlets. Her debut book, “Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter” was published by Image Books, a division of Penguin Random House, last August. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, she now lives in New Orleans with her husband, dog and two-year-old son; she plans to move to Rome this summer.

Dominic Preziosi

Dominic Preziosi is the editor of Commonweal, an independent journal of opinion on religion, politics, and culture. He is also the host of the Commonweal Podcast. 

Michael Sean Winters

Michael Sean Winters directs the Way Forward, which brings Catholic leaders together in a spirit of hospitality, dialogue and worship to focus together on the challenges facing the Church. The Hank Center is one of the co-sponsoring organizations of the Way Forward. In addition, Winters is a columnist at the National Catholic Reporter and served as U.S. correspondent for the Tablet until this year. He is a fellow at the Sacred Heart University Center for Catholic Studies. He is the author of two books: Left at the Altar: How the Democrats Lost the Catholics and How the Catholics Can Save the Democrats (2008) and God’s Right Hand: How Jerry Falwell Made God a Republican and Baptized the American Right (2012).