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

Francis asks Christians to add new works of mercy in push for climate change action

Francis creates new Vatican office for charity, justice, peace, migration

Francis: No one is ever thrown away or discarded by God

New Canadian archbishop: A church in dialogue doesn't just mean 'yelling louder'

Francis to focus 2017 peace message on non-violence as 'political method'

Morning Briefing, International

Francis asks priests to learn that life isn't black and white, but shades of grey

Morning Briefing, International

Members of Francis' women deacons commission express diverse views

Morning Briefing, International

Global sisters group thanks Francis for creating commission on women deacons

Francis institutes commission to study female deacons, appointing gender-balanced membership

Francis asks media to withhold judgment on Cardinal Pell abuse claims

Francis to world's youth: Be vanguard of a 'new humanity'

Francis makes rousing call for millennials to get off couch and fix world

Francis tells Polish clergy: The Gospel is unfinished, we write it with our mercy

With 'Way of Mercy,' youths show Francis desire to welcome migrants

At Auschwitz, Francis quietly begs God's forgiveness 'for so much cruelty'

Francis tells Poles: God not in a history book, but peoples' real lives

Francis tells migrant-averse Poland to 'overcome fear,' welcome strangers

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