Listen again to Austen Ivereigh on Pope Francis’ ideas for the future

Dr Austen Ivereigh gave a livestream presentation of ‘Let us Dream: The Path to a Better Future’ by Pope Francis on Saturday 30th January 2021. More than 900 people followed the presentation online. Austen, biographer of Pope Francis, assisted the Pope in producing the book. He has written two books about Pope Francis: The Great Reformer and Wounded Shepherd.

Pope Francis sees the pandemic as a time of reckoning, a time of trial to discover the qualities of our heart. The book is arranged in three parts challenging us to see, to choose and to act. He speaks of a parallel pandemic brought by the ‘virus of indifference’. We need to redesign the economy with a new humanism and an ‘eruption of fraternity’. A ‘change of era’ is being brought about by environmental collapse, the global pandemic and the return of populisms.

Women in leadership promote a ‘culture of care’. We need a politics rooted in the real needs of people, and a ‘sober, humble lifestyle’ which ensures ‘land, lodging and labour’ for all.

For Austen Ivereigh, Pope Francis is ‘the world’s spiritual director’ encouraging us to grasp the potential of the crisis.

For those who missed the ‘Let us Dream’ event, a video is now available below.

'Let us Dream' event with Austen Ivereigh