US EditionJohn L. Allen Jr, 1965-2026
John L. Allen Jr. was known for pioneering balanced, in-depth coverage of the Catholic Church, influencing a generation of journalists with his respected approach.
- On Jan. 22, 2026, John L. Allen Jr., longtime Vatican journalist and editor-in-chief of Crux, died in Rome at age 61 after a protracted battle with cancer.
- The Boston Globe initially hosted Crux as a 'vertical', and John L. Allen Jr. kept it independent with donor funding after the Globe closed the project, while Elise Ann Allen, Crux senior Vatican correspondent and co-owner, is expected to continue ownership.
- From the end of the 20th century until his death, he published 11 books, most recently 'Catholics and Contempt', and was a frequent CNN commentator during papal transitions.
- He is mourned around the world, especially at the Vatican, and is survived by his wife, Elise Allen, widow and Crux co-owner, and their two pugs.
- He championed an approach to Church coverage that balanced neither devotional nor dismissive views, insisting on fidelity to facts and mentoring Vatican journalism leaders Inés San Martín, Christopher White, and Claire Giangravà.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Longtime Vatican reporter John Allen dies at 61 after cancer battle
John L. Allen Jr., a veteran Vatican journalist and editor-in-chief of Crux, died Jan. 22 in Rome at age 61 after a three-year battle with stomach… The post Longtime Vatican reporter John Allen dies at 61 after cancer battle appeared first on CatholicVote org.
Rest in peace, John Allen, Jr.
Longtime Vatican journalist and Crux editor John Allen died Thursday after protracted suffering with cancer.He is mourned by those who knew and respected him around the world, and especially at the Vatican.John Allen. Pillar file photo, public domain.I did not know John well. I had a couple of lunches with him, and we once spoke together on a panel on the life of Luigi Guissani, at which I was impressed by his breadth of knowledge and historical…
catholicworldreport.com
Catholic News AgencyJohn Allen Jr., author and longtime Vatican reporter, dies at 61
John Allen Jr. | Credit: John Allen/CC BY-SA 3.0 Jan 22, 2026 / 12:30 pm (CNA). John Allen Jr., the prolific author and longtime Vatican reporter hailed for his insightful coverage of the Holy See across multiple pontificates, died on Jan. 22 a... [...]
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Bias Distribution
- 78% of the sources lean Right
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