Rocco Palmo (born 1973) is a Catholic commentator and writer living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Education Palmo was raised in a large Italian family September 03, 2011 in South Philadelphia.Philadelphia Inquirer: "Covering Rome on Philadelphia time" by Julie Shaw July 10, 2012 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.National Catholic Reporter: "Catholic bloggers" by Heidi Schlumpf October 1, 2009 , he still lives in South Philadelphia.Washington Post: "Blogger Rocco Palmo covers the papal conclave — from South Philly basement" By Michelle Boorstein March 12, 2013
Career Palmo's blog "Whispers in the Loggia" (2004-2021) was focused primarily on Catholic ecclesiastical happenings in North America.St Louis Post Dispatch: "Blogger, 27, Drags Age-Old Church Into 21st Century" By Tim Townsend May 12, 2010 Palmo verified all his reports with three sources before publishing.The Oxford Handbook of Religion and the American News Media edited by Diane Watson retrieved December 28, 2014 Palmo was previously US correspondent for the London-based Catholic weekly The Tablet, and he is a former columnist for the online magazine Busted Halo.
National Public Radio profiled Palmo, stating that his blog: "...has become a must-read for many Catholics — even some inside the Vatican."National Public Radio: "Young Catholic Blogger Makes Waves" by Rachel Martin September 11, 2006 Archbishop Emeritus Robert James Carlson of St. Louis is quoted as saying he reads "Whispers in the Loggia" with some regularity.Archdiocese of St Louis: "Vatican Scoops are Rocco Palmo's Gift, Passion" May 13, 2010 Palmo is frequently cited by major publications including USA Today, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the New York Times.National Catholic Reporter: "Q & A: Rocco Palmo" September 30, 2010 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.Get Religion: "Whispering with Rocco Palmo" by Sarah Pulliam Bailey October 1, 2009 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.
A post on X by Palmo on April 14, 2025 about deportations during the second presidency of Donald Trump was reposted by Cardinal Robert Prevost, and was his most recent post on the platform prior to being named as Pope Leo XIV at the 2025 papal conclave.
References
External links Whispers in the Loggia Blog Interview and article on Palmo by Bill McGarvey Interview with Palmo by Father Robert Reed of CatholicTV GetReligion: "Whispering with Rocco Palmo" September 26, 2011