Rocco Palmo

Rocco Palmo
Born1973 (age 50–51)
NationalityAmerican
EducationB.A. University of Pennsylvania
Occupation(s)Roman Catholic journalist and blogger
Political partyDemocrat

Rocco Palmo (born 1973) is a Catholic commentator and writer living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Education

Palmo was raised in a large Italian family[1] in South Philadelphia.[2] He is a great-nephew of the onetime papal Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Gasparri. He has a B.A. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania.[3] He still lives in South Philadelphia.[4]

Career

Palmo's blog "Whispers in the Loggia" is focused primarily on Catholic ecclesiastical happenings in North America.[5] Palmo verifies all his reports with three sources before publishing.[6] Palmo was previously US correspondent for the London-based Catholic weekly The Tablet,[7] and he is a former columnist for the online magazine Busted Halo.[8]

National Public Radio profiled Palmo, stating that his blog: "...has become a must-read for many Catholics — even some inside the Vatican."[9] Archbishop Emeritus Robert James Carlson of St. Louis is quoted as saying he reads "Whispers in the Loggia" with some regularity.[10] Palmo is frequently cited by major publications including USA Today, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the New York Times.[11][12][13][14][15] He was interviewed by National Public Radio on February 27, 2013, about the papal conclave to name a successor to retiring Pope Benedict XVI.

In April 2011 he was named as one of two chairs of the Vatican's first conference on the blogosphere/social media.[16] In March 2012 Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap named Palmo a member of a new Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, the first body of its kind to be established in Philadelphia.[5]

References

  1. ^ Baltimore Sun: "Blogger Rocco Palmo uncovers Vatican secrets — all from his basement in Philly - Catholic writer broke the news that Baltimore's archbishop was leaving for Rome By Mary Carole McCauley September 03, 2011
  2. ^ Philadelphia Inquirer: "Covering Rome on Philadelphia time" by Julie Shaw July 10, 2012
  3. ^ National Catholic Reporter: "Catholic bloggers" by Heidi Schlumpf October 1, 2009
  4. ^ Washington Post: "Blogger Rocco Palmo covers the papal conclave — from South Philly basement" By Michelle Boorstein March 12, 2013
  5. ^ a b St Louis Post Dispatch: "Blogger, 27, Drags Age-Old Church Into 21st Century" By Tim Townsend May 12, 2010
  6. ^ The Oxford Handbook of Religion and the American News Media edited by Diane Watson retrieved December 28, 2014
  7. ^ List of Tablet articles
  8. ^ index of Busted Halo articles
  9. ^ National Public Radio: "Young Catholic Blogger Makes Waves" by Rachel Martin September 11, 2006
  10. ^ Archdiocese of St Louis: "Vatican Scoops are Rocco Palmo's Gift, Passion" May 13, 2010
  11. ^ USA Today: Rocco Palmo
  12. ^ St Louis Post Dispatch: Rocco Palmo
  13. ^ National Catholic Reporter: "Q & A: Rocco Palmo" September 30, 2010
  14. ^ Catholic Herald: Rocco Palmo
  15. ^ New York Times: Rocco Palmo
  16. ^ Get Religion: "Whispering with Rocco Palmo" by Sarah Pulliam Bailey October 1, 2009