Joshua J. McElwee

Joshua J. McElwee was NCR's news editor from 2021-24. He was previously the publication's Vatican correspondent from 2014-21, where his dispatches from Rome and during papal trips abroad were frequently cited by his peers, and broadly seen as a touchstone for nuanced Vatican and papal coverage. 

Among McElwee's most noted work was his years-long, tenacious coverage of Pope Francis' clergy abuse commission, which through a series of exclusive interviews with ex-members of the group revealed serious shortcomings to its work.

McElwee was also the first journalist to break the news of Pope Francis' promise during a meeting with an international group of sisters and nuns in 2016 to create a commission to study the history of the ordination of women as deacons in the Catholic Church.

McElwee reported for NCR from 39 countries and traveled for the publication in the press pool abroad with Pope Francis 24 times. 

By this Author

Pope tells synod to be open-minded, cardinal says no to divorced and remarried

Francis opens synod calling for church that is bridge, not roadblock

Synod to be culmination of two years' preparation, consultation

New process for Synod of Bishops aims at allowing more dialogue

Vatican: Besides Kim Davis, Francis also met gay couple in DC

What we don't know about Francis' Kim Davis meeting

Francis again rejects women priests without specific reasoning

Francis' last message to America: Don't be afraid of new things!

For only second time, Francis meets abuse survivors, says 'God weeps'

Francis: Families should be given work, healthcare

Francis: Church not about historic buildings, but personal calling

At NY Mass, Francis describes how to be a saint in the city

At Ground Zero, Francis asks 9/11 families to be instruments of peace

Vatican's Lombardi: Pope may address sexual abuse crisis in US again

Francis praises US women religious, but is non-specific on sexual abuse

Francis, citing Day and Merton, pushes Congress to pursue common good

Francis meets with nuns fighting contraceptive mandate

Newest saint, Junipero Serra, Francis says, protected Native Americans

Francis tells US bishops to be ‘promoters of the culture of encounter’

Francis meets Obama, calling for protection of religious liberty, environment

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