George Weigel Presents at NAC

George Weigel, a beloved friend of the College presented his new book The End and the Beginning: Saint John Paul II — The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy (Doubleday Religion).

He spoke in detail to seminarians, priests and friends at the North American College about the tense relationship between Communism and the Church in the 20th Century.

His presentation focused on the first theme of the book, the Victory of Freedom.  Weigel gave us a perspective, showing how communism always viewed the Catholic Church as an enemy.  As more of the archives of former states of the Soviet bloc become available, it has become clearer to scholars how communist governments sought to influence the Church and undermine the Church, and destroy the Church.  A theme that was emphasized in the presentation multiple times: “It was all war, all the time.”  Mentioning the role that Saint John Paul II had in standing up to communism, Weigel listed examples from some practical changes in governmental procedures that sought to safeguard the integrity of Vatican documents to his first and second visits to Poland.

In a question and answer session that followed the presentation, Mr. Weigel was asked to apply the lessons of the past to current situation of the Church and the world.  He made some observations concerning the increasing secularization that we are experiencing on the global scene as well as some comments about the particular situation of the Church in China.

The College hosted a reception and book signing afterward.

George Weigel is a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.  He is a theologian and one of America’s leading Catholic thinkers.