Canonization: Pope John Paul II’s biographer George Weigel on importance of canonization
(Vatican Radio) U.S. Catholic author George Weigel wrote a best-selling two-volume
biography of Pope John Paul II and was given unprecedented access to the Polish Pope
and the people who knew and worked with him when researching his work. He spoke
to Susy Hodges about why he believes this unprecedented double canonization is
“an inspired act” on the part of Pope Francis and what it means for the Church and
the world. Listen to the full interview with George Weigel, Distinguished Senior
Fellow at the Ethics and Policy Center in Washington DC and author of the Biography
‘Witness to Hope’: Weigel praises
the decision by Pope Francis to canonize both Popes on the same day saying they “represent
the two bookends” of the Second Vatican Council. He says John XXIII had the “inspiration
and courage” to summon the Council whilst John Paul II gave Vatican Two its “authoritative
interpretation” over the 26 years of his pontificate. For this reason, he believes
it is “entirely appropriate” that they should be canonized on the same day.
Contrary
to what many people, these two Popes “have much in common,” says Weigel. They are
both “radically converted disciples of Jesus Christ” and they both had “a confidence”
that the Catholic Church at the end of two millennia “still had important and indeed
wonderful things to propose to the world.”
Asked what he learnt for the first
time from his close access to Pope John Paul whilst researching his biography “Witness
to Hope,” Weigel says he learnt of the pivotal role of Karol Wojtyla’s father in his
early years and the decisive period of World War Two for the Polish Pope. Weigel
says he was also struck by John Paul’s “deep conviction” that “God is profligate in
making saints” and delighted in “raising holy men and women to sainthood.”