Next Pope: The Office of Peter and a Church in Mission

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The Catholic Church is approaching a significant transition. The next pope will likely have been a teenager or younger during the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), lacking the formative experiences that shaped Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. This upcoming leader will be a transitional figure in a new way, prompting reflection on the lessons learned from these three conciliar popes. Drawing from personal discussions with them and his extensive experience with Catholics worldwide, George Weigel explores the major challenges facing the Church and its 1.3 billion followers in the twenty-first century. These challenges will demand attention from the next pontificate as the Church navigates uncharted territory. Weigel poses critical questions about the Holy Spirit's call to this Church-in-transition and the qualities needed in the next leader from the Chair of Saint Peter. He outlines what future Catholic leaders, particularly the next pope, must embrace to respond faithfully to the Holy Spirit's call for renewed evangelical witness, missionary fervor, and Christ-centered reform amid institutional failures, mission confusion, counter-witness, and the secularist challenge to biblical faith.