John L. Allen Jr.

Crux Now

John L. Allen Jr. was the editor of Crux, specializing in coverage of the Vatican and the Catholic Church, and the Rome correspondent for Angelus from 2016 to 2025.

Latest by John L. Allen Jr.

A U.S. flag with a photo of Pope Leo XIV near the Vatican June 17. (CNS/Cindy Wooden)

Voices

A cautionary tale from history’s only other English-speaking pope

John L. Allen Jr.|Jun 30, 2025|5 Min Read

Vatican

Three headaches awaiting the acute legal mind of Pope Leo XIV

John L. Allen Jr.|Jun 16, 2025|6 Min Read

Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican May 8, following his election during the conclave. (OSV News photo/Stoyan Nenov, Reuters)

Voices

The emerging watchword of Pope Leo XIV's first weeks: Calm

John L. Allen Jr.|Jun 3, 2025|5 Min Read

Pope Francis greets children as he visits a refugee camp in Bangui, Central African Republic, Nov. 29, 2015. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Voices

'A pope who mattered': Francis leaves behind 'roller coaster’ legacy

John L. Allen Jr.|Apr 21, 2025|32 Min Read

A group of deacons crosses the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica during the Jubilee of Deacons at the Vatican Feb. 22. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

Voices

For Romans, Holy Year start has been a Jubilee of dashed tourism hopes

John L. Allen Jr.|Apr 10, 2025|6 Min Read

St. John Paul II addresses a press conference with President Jimmy Carter in the Rose Garden at the White House Oct. 6, 1979. Carter died Dec. 29, 2024, at 100, at his home in Plains, Georgia. (OSV News photo/CNS file photo)

Voices

Trouble with Tehran: The echoes of Jimmy Carter in modern Vatican diplomacy

John L. Allen Jr.|Jan 8, 2025|5 Min Read

Pope Francis and members of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality attend the synod’s final working session Oct. 26 in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.(CNS/Vatican Media)

Voices

The 5 top Vatican stories of 2024, explained

John L. Allen Jr.|Dec 31, 2024|8 Min Read

Syrians living in Turkey celebrate after Syrian rebels announced that they had ousted President Bashar Assad from Syria on Dec. 8.(OSV News/Dilara Senkaya, Reuters)

Voices

How the fall of Assad may allow Pope Francis to play the peacemaker

John L. Allen Jr.|Dec 11, 2024|5 Min Read

The Border Wall is seen in the background as migrants from South and Central America look to surrender to immigration officials after crossing into the United States from Mexico in Ruby, Arizona, June 24, 2024. (OSV News photo/Adrees Latif, Reuters)

Nation

History confirms that for US bishops, immigration isn’t political

John L. Allen Jr.|Dec 1, 2024|5 Min Read

Pope Francis and members of the Synod of Bishops on synodality pose for a photo after the synod's final working session Oct. 26, 2024, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Voices

Playing the long game, synod conclusion opts for unpredictability

John L. Allen Jr.|Nov 24, 2024|5 Min Read

Pope Francis greets U.S. President Donald Trump during a private audience at the Vatican May 24, 2017. (CNS/Paul Haring)

Voices

In new Trump term, US/Vatican relations have a puncher’s chance

John L. Allen Jr.|Nov 18, 2024|5 Min Read

Pope Francis gives his blessing to members of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality after the synod’s final working session Oct. 26, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

Voices

Synod voting results suggest new terms for Catholic debates

John L. Allen Jr.|Nov 1, 2024|6 Min Read