John Allen: How a Kid from Kansas Made His Mark

The Vatican expert's early career at National Catholic Reporter showed his potential as a journalist.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

John Allen Jr., a renowned Vatican expert, got his start as a freelance journalist at the National Catholic Reporter in Kansas City, Missouri in the late 1990s. Despite his lack of experience at the time, Allen quickly proved himself to be an exceptional reporter, covering complex topics within the Catholic Church with depth and sophistication. His work caught the attention of the paper's editors, leading to a full-time position and eventually a move to Rome as the publication's Vatican correspondent in 2000.

Why it matters

Allen's early career at the National Catholic Reporter provides insight into how he developed the skills and connections that made him a leading expert on the Vatican. His ability to tackle complex, sensitive topics within the Catholic Church at a young age demonstrated his potential and foreshadowed his future success as a renowned journalist covering the inner workings of the Vatican.

The details

As a freelance contributor, Allen impressed the National Catholic Reporter's editors with his first story about censorship of Catholic high school newspapers. He went on to cover a range of important issues, including the fear and divisions infiltrating Catholic academic circles and the controversial rewriting of liturgical texts by a small group of men. Allen's curiosity, facility for handling complex material, and willingness to report internationally all contributed to his rapid rise at the publication. In 2000, he was tapped to become the paper's Vatican correspondent, a role he would hold for many years and cement his reputation as a leading expert on the Catholic Church.

  • In 1996, Allen pitched and wrote his first story for the National Catholic Reporter.
  • In August 1998, Allen wrote a column headlined "Worried reform is dead? Not this weekend, Baby!" exploring tensions within the Catholic Church.
  • In September 1998, Allen broke a story about a small group of men rewriting the language of the liturgy used in the United States, undercutting years of research and work by international experts.
  • In October 1998, Allen was sent to Salzburg, Austria to cover a national assembly of Catholics that voted for major reforms within the Church.
  • On July 28, 2000, the National Catholic Reporter announced that Allen would be moving to Rome as the publication's Vatican correspondent.

The players

John Allen Jr.

A journalist who started as a freelancer at the National Catholic Reporter in Kansas City, Missouri in the late 1990s and went on to become a renowned expert on the Vatican.

Michael Farrell

The editor of the National Catholic Reporter who hired Allen as a full-time staff member and later announced his move to Rome as the publication's Vatican correspondent.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger

The head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, whose actions contributed to a climate of fear and division in Catholic academic circles during the late 1990s.

Cardinal Francis George

The Archbishop of Chicago who made the remark that "liberal Catholicism is an exhausted project", which Allen reported on in his column.

Michael Waldstein

A conservative Austrian intellectual who was the only Scripture scholar among the 11 men who rewrote the language of the liturgy used in the United States, as reported by Allen.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“If there's something in life more pleasurable than a doughnut, I'd like to hear about it. One deep-fat-fried mouthful is usually enough to convince me of the design argument for the existence of a Supreme Being. … As Homer Simpson said, 'Doughnuts have made me the man I am today.'”

— John Allen Jr. (The Truth Is Out There)

“liberal Catholicism is an exhausted project.”

— Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago (National Catholic Reporter)

What’s next

The National Catholic Reporter's editors were impressed by Allen's work and potential, leading them to hire him as a full-time staff member in 1997. His move to Rome as the publication's Vatican correspondent in 2000 marked the beginning of his rise to become a leading expert on the Catholic Church.

The takeaway

John Allen Jr.'s early career at the National Catholic Reporter demonstrated his exceptional talent as a journalist, even at a young age. His ability to tackle complex, sensitive topics within the Catholic Church and report on them with depth and sophistication foreshadowed his future success as a renowned expert on the Vatican.