Bishop Vincent Presents: Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell & Elisabetta Piqué

Event Details

Bishop Vincent, in partnership with the University of Notre Dame Australia and the Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD), warmly invites all to a special public lecture featuring two of the world’s most respected Vatican journalists, Gerard O’Connell and Elisabetta Piqué. 

Presenting From Francis to Leo: An Insider’s Account of an Historic Papal Transition, Gerard and Elisabetta will share their unique perspective on one of the most significant moments in the contemporary life of the Church. Together they bring more than 60 years of experience covering the Vatican, the papacy and the global Church, having reported on the pontificates of St John Paul II, Benedict XVI, Francis and now Pope Leo XIV. 

Gerard O’Connell has covered the Vatican since 1985 and is Senior Vatican Correspondent for America magazine. Widely recognised as one of the leading English-language authorities on the Holy See, he has provided expert analysis for international media including the BBC, ABC, NBC, Al Jazeera and CTV during papal conclaves. He is the author of the acclaimed The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Story of the Conclave That Changed History. 

Elisabetta Piqué has served for more than two decades as Vatican correspondent for Argentina’s La Nación. She is internationally respected for her reporting on the Church and is the author of the bestselling biography Pope Francis: Life and Revolution, which was adapted into the feature film Francis: Pray for Me. Having known Jorge Mario Bergoglio before he became Pope Francis, she brings a rare personal perspective to his life and legacy. 

The lecture also marks the forthcoming publication of their co-authored book, The Election of Pope Leo XIV: The Last Surprise of Pope Francis, which offers an insider’s account of the final days of Pope Francis’ pontificate, the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, and the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the Catholic Church. 

This promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking evening, offering a rare opportunity to hear firsthand from two internationally renowned journalists whose decades of experience, trusted Vatican sources and unparalleled access have helped shape the world’s understanding of the modern papacy. 

Everyone is warmly welcome to attend this special event. 

Places are limited.