Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life

“Fraternal coexistence calls for patient and honest dialogue, protected by justice and by respect for law. This task is not easy; it demands hard work and a commitment on the part of all to set aside rivalries and contrapositions and instead to speak with one another from our deepest identity as fellow children of the one God and Creator….”

—Pope Francis, Baghdad, Iraq, March 5, 2021

Eight years ago, the world was surprised as a Jesuit from Argentina was elected pope and chose the name Francis because he was a saint for the “poor… creation… and peace.” Pope Francis has challenged all to share “the joy of the Gospel,” to reject a “throwaway culture,” to “care for our common home,” and to build a world of “greater fraternity and solidarity.” Pope Francis has been a powerful voice for faith, hope, and love during a global pandemic and a courageous witness for peace and justice on his moving pilgrimage to Iraq and around the world.

Georgetown’s Dahlgren Dialogues, co-sponsored by the Office of Mission and Ministry and the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, are a series of substantive conversations with experienced leaders in the context of prayerful reflection on current topics at the intersection of faith and public life.​ The Initiative’s Francis Factor dialogues focus on Pope Francis’ mission and message, his priorities and leadership, his impact, and the challenges he offers to U.S. Catholics. In this special Dahlgren Dialogue, the Initiative brought together two cardinals and close collaborators with Pope Francis, an academic leader and scholar who focuses on Latino/a and Latin American theologies, and a respected journalist just returned from Iraq who has covered Pope Francis from the beginning of his papacy.