On The Mark Swartzberg Show, Rome correspondent Ashley Noronha joined Mark to discuss a new fleet of vehicles at the Vatican, advances in Catholic medical research, an international peace summit, and Italian devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The Vatican Welcomes the Topolino

Mark began by asking Ashley about Fiat’s donation of 30 electric Topolino vehicles to the Vatican. The name means “little mouse” in Italian and is also the Italian name for Mickey Mouse.

The compact electric vehicle is classified as a light quadricycle rather than a traditional car. It can travel approximately 47 miles on one charge and reach a top speed of about 28 miles per hour. Ashley explained that these features make it well suited for Vatican City, which covers only about 109 acres.

The donation also supports the Vatican’s goal of transitioning its vehicle fleet to electric models by 2030. As Ashley noted, the Topolino has another practical advantage in Italy: its small size makes parking considerably easier.

Medical Research That Respects Human Dignity

The conversation then turned to Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, often called “the Pope’s Hospital”. Founded in 1869 and entrusted to the Holy See in 1924, the hospital now treats children from more than 80 countries.

Ashley reported that Bambino Gesù has opened a new gene therapy laboratory dedicated to developing treatments for children with rare genetic diseases. The facility will allow researchers to study genetic disorders and pursue therapies that could improve or even correct certain medical conditions.

Mark emphasized the importance of conducting this work within a Catholic moral framework. Scientific progress can bring tremendous benefits, but it must never reduce the human person to an experiment or attempt to redesign humanity according to arbitrary preferences.

Ashley connected the hospital’s work to a central principle of Catholic social teaching: science must serve the person. Technology should be directed toward healing disease, relieving suffering, and defending the dignity of every human life.

Seeking Peace in the Age of AI

That same concern for human dignity is also shaping a summit at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence. More than 200 participants, including Nobel laureates, former heads of state, technology leaders, and experts in artificial intelligence, gathered to discuss peace and emerging technologies.

The participants are working toward the “Rome Declaration for a Disarmed and Disarming Peace,” which will address artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, autonomous weapons systems, and the ethical governance of new technology.

Honoring Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Ashley also described Italy’s celebrations for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood, the Festa de’ Noantri honors a cedar statue of Mary traditionally said to have been recovered from the Tiber River by fishermen in the 16th century.

Ashley planned to celebrate in Scalea, Calabria, where Our Lady of Mount Carmel is recognized as the town’s protector. Some women express their devotion by carrying heavy votive crowns while walking barefoot through the town’s steep streets.