Rome: John Allen Jr., a leading Vatican journalist known for explaining Church affairs with clarity and humor, has died in Rome after a long battle with cancer. He was 61.
Allen fought the illness for four years and continued working for as long as his health allowed. He was the founder and editor of Crux, a news website dedicated to reporting on the Catholic Church and the Holy See for English speaking readers, especially in the United States.
He began his Rome career 26 years ago as a correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, covering Pope John Paul II and the Vatican. Colleagues remember him for his warm smile, open personality and deep respect for people from all walks of life.
During the Jubilee Year 2000 and the final years of John Paul II’s pontificate, Allen closely followed major events in the Church and the world. His reporting covered Vatican debates, papal trips and global crises, including the period after the September 11 attacks and the wars that followed.
Allen became known for combining strong reporting with careful analysis. He insisted on using named sources and on the record quotes. He avoided writing only for insiders and made complex Vatican matters understandable for ordinary readers. Even when readers disagreed with him, his work was valued for its fairness and depth.
In 2014, he left the National Catholic Reporter to create Crux, which first worked with the Boston Globe before becoming independent. He believed that serious and specialized journalism was essential at a time when news was often rushed and simplified.
Allen wrote several books, including a biography of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger years before he became Pope Benedict XVI. He later covered the pontificates of Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, as well as the election of the first American pope, Leo XIV. He knew the new pope personally and often met him through his wife Elise, a Vatican correspondent and biographer of Leo XIV, who cared for him during his illness.
Friends recall Allen as a lover of Roman food and a loyal supporter of AS Roma football club. They also remember his gift for building relationships across the Church, his effort to understand different views, his sharp sense of humor and his talent as a public speaker who mixed serious analysis with stories and wit.
John Allen leaves behind a lasting legacy as one of the most trusted voices on Vatican affairs of the past quarter century.