On June 26, 2025, the National Catholic Reporter hosted Inside the Conclave: The Legacy of Pope Francis and the Promise of Pope Leo, a special gathering that brought together more than 100 friends and donors for an evening of conversation and reflection. The event celebrated NCR’s mission of independent Catholic journalism while inviting guests to explore the church’s recent history and its future. The evening was co-hosted with Fr. Greg Goethals, SJ, Former President of Loyola High School in Los Angeles.
The program was moderated by Sylvia Lopez, retired KCAL9 anchor in Los Angeles, and featured a distinguished panel including Fr. Thomas Reese, SJ, NCR & Religion News Service Columnist; James Grimaldi, Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist and Executive Editor of NCR; and Camillo Baronne, NCR journalist. Together, they examined the impact of Pope Francis’ papacy and the challenges and hopes surrounding the election of Pope Leo.
