From Rome Reports: George Weigel’s, “The Next Pope”

Despite the current good health of Pope Francis and having a living pope emeritus, George Weigel weighs in on the Church’s priorities for the next pope in his most-recent book, “The Next Pope: The Office of Peter and a Church in Mission.”

The papal expert and author says some of the main points the Church must address are the abuse scandal, financial reform and evangelization.

GEORGE WEIGEL
Author, “The Next Pope”
“The mega issue for next pope is how does he invite back, into the adventure of Christian faith, those who have lost confidence in the Gospel? How does he encourage those who have full confidence in the Gospel, who believe that Jesus Christ is the answer to the question that is everything in life and they want to invite others to know the Lord as well.”

Weigel said this reflects the mission of the Church, which should also eliminate “Catholic light,” or a luckwarm faith.

He asserts another world-wide problem is the abuse crisis. The author credited the work already being done, like creating safe environments, but says it is nowhere near finished.

GEORGE WEIGEL
Author, “The Next Pope”
“The next pope must insist that they entire world Church learn those lessons, put them into practice. Many of those lessons will be learned here in the United States.”

Finally, the Holy See’s financial situation. Weigel says the next pope should occupy himself with radical reforms to reverse the possible bankruptcy the Church could face.

GEORGE WEIGEL
Author, “The Next Pope”
“This is due to corruption, incompetence is certainly another. A culture of nepotism in the broad sense of the term in the Vatican is certainly a third and all of these components have been compounded by the world financial distress caused by the coronavirus pandemic.”

While nobody knows when a conclave will be summoned to elect a new pope, George Weigel asserts the next successor of Peter has his work cut out for him. We’ll see if the next cardinal to be elected also agrees with these points.

Melissa Butz

And from America Magazine? A Different Viewpoint

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/07/15/george-weigel-imagines-next-pope?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4469&pnespid=lLJtrPRGAVCNP6eyHorAXpbop0SelUlnoxXCNnEM

America Magazine

March 12, 2017: George Weigel, Renowned Author, Visits The Papal Artifacts’ Collection

The Diocese of Duluth, and the home parish of the Curator of Papal Artifacts, Father Richard Kunst, were treated to a rare opportunity to spend an evening with George Weigel.

He is the Distinguished Senior Fellow of The Ethics and Public Policy Center, and is the most comprehensive biographer of Saint Pope John Paul II, a Catholic theologian and one of America’s leading intellectuals.

We are honored to share this event with you and will add a YouTube of his presentation as soon as it is made available. For now, please enjoy these initial photos of him examining some of Father Kunst’s Collection.

Below is an interview he did in which he discusses his latest book, a memoir of his twelve years of friendship with Pope John Paul II, Lessons in Hope.