Vanessa R. Corcoran

Dr. Vanessa R. Corcoran is an advising dean and history professor in the College of Arts & Sciences at Georgetown University. In addition to Commonweal, her writing has been published in America Magazine, Today’s American Catholic, and Perspectives on History. She tweets @VRCinDC.

Article

Cathedral Thinking

Antoni Gaudí’s vision for the Sagrada Família is a prime example of the creativity Pope Leo praises in 'Magnifica humanitas.'

By Vanessa R. Corcoran

June 9, 2026

Religion

Culture

Pope Leo XIV

Article

Praying with Mary in Pompeii

On the anniversary of his papal election, Pope Leo will eschew a formal commemoration to preside over Mass at a Marian shrine in Pompeii.

By Vanessa R. Corcoran

May 5, 2026

Religion

Pope Leo XIV

Article

An Ecumenical Pilgrimage

Dame Mullally’s participation in the Becket Camino represents a sign of ecumenism as she becomes the first woman to lead the Church of England.

By Vanessa R. Corcoran

March 24, 2026

Religion

Women in the Church

Ecumenism

Article

Under Her Mercy

The history of Marian devotion in the Catholic Church is over a millennium old. This weekend, thousands of Catholic pilgrims will gather in Rome to continue this long tradition at the Marian Jubilee.

By Vanessa R. Corcoran

October 10, 2025

Religion

Article

The Millennial Saint

It is remarkable and new, not just that web design was a major part of Carlo Acutis’s life, but that the Catholic Church praised it as an integral aspect of his sanctity.

By Vanessa R. Corcoran

September 6, 2025