By H.E. Sir Ben Batabe Assorow and Edward Pentin
A burial Mass was held on Monday, January 26, 2026, for John L. Allen Jr., who passed away four days earlier at the age of 61 after a long battle with cancer. An American journalist of extraordinary distinction, Allen was a formidable and exemplary Vatican correspondent whose professional excellence was matched by his personal kindness and generosity.
The Mass, presided over by Fr. John Paul Wack and concelebrated by about ten priests, took place at the Basilica of Sant’ Eugenio on Via delle Belle Arti in Rome. It was well attended by friends, fellow journalists, and members of the diplomatic corps, including the United States Ambassador to the Holy See, H.E. Brian Francis Burch II, and the Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, Dr. Paolo Ruffini.
Widely respected across the Church for his coverage of Vatican affairs, Allen blazed a trail in reporting on Rome events. He was deeply committed to informing the wider public about Vatican and papal developments at a time when religious-affairs journalism was suffering from diminishing resources and increasing superficiality.
Before founding the Church news agency Crux in 2014, Allen served for 17 years as Rome correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter (1997–2014). During that period, he earned a reputation for fair, accurate, and balanced reporting, complemented by incisive analysis and his characteristic good humour.
His professionalism, however, was not the product of distant observation alone. It was grounded in old-fashioned “shoe-leather” journalism: interviewing countless bishops and cardinals, cultivating Vatican sources, and attending an extraordinary number of conferences and seminars—often when few other journalists did so.
Allen relished his work and frequently expressed gratitude for it. He often remarked that the Vatican was the best journalistic beat imaginable because it encompassed so many dimensions central to human existence, making it an endlessly fascinating subject.
Naturally jocular, John had a gift for injecting appropriate light-heartedness into reporting on often weighty matters. He also possessed a rare ability to distil complex Vatican issues into accessible language, making him a trusted and sought-after voice in secular media.
Perhaps his most enduring legacy was his commitment to what popes have consistently taught about journalism: reporting the truth with charity. He cautioned against attributing malice where incompetence might suffice and avoided sensationalism, often noting that in an institution with such a long history as the Church, little is truly “unprecedented”.
His widow, Elise, captured this spirit beautifully in her tribute, describing her husband as someone who was always “willing to give people the benefit of the doubt and chose to interpret their words and actions through the kindest and most generous lens possible”. It is a quality sorely needed in today’s public discourse.
Throughout his career, Allen was widely praised by fellow journalists and media figures. He was described variously as “the most authoritative writer on Vatican affairs in the English language” and “the best Anglophone Vatican reporter ever”.
He was also the author of several books, including two biographies of Pope Benedict XVI and a profile of Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
A Personal Tribute
On a personal note, John Allen and I were friends for many years. Over the past two decades, whenever I visited Rome on official assignments, John would take me to a restaurant where we would discuss both personal and professional matters. He often relied on me as a source of information on the Church and broader issues in Africa.
Last year, John informed me that he was battling cancer. When I arrived in Rome late last year as Ghana’s Ambassador to the Holy See, I tried several times to reach him and eventually spoke with him briefly just before Christmas. He shared his home address when I expressed the desire to visit.
On January 22, I sent him a message asking whether it would be convenient to visit him that day or the following week. Tragically, according to his wife, John passed away just minutes after I sent that message. I missed the opportunity to see him before the sad news of his passing broke the following morning.
John is now resting in the bosom of the Good Lord. May the Almighty comfort his beloved wife, Elise.
Dear John, rest in eternal peace until we meet again on the day of the Resurrection.
Sir Benedict Batabe Assorow is Ghana’s Ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican). He is a veteran Catholic communicator and a former Managing Editor of The Catholic Standard, Ghana.
Edward Pentin is a seasoned journalist and Vatican analyst with decades of experience covering the Pope, the Holy See, and global Catholic affairs. He began his career at Vatican Radio and has since served as a Rome correspondent for several international media outlets. His work has appeared in The Catholic Herald, The Holy Land Review, and other respected publications. He is currently Senior Contributor to the National Catholic Register and EWTN News Vatican Analyst and is a co-founder of the College of Cardinals Report.
