Last month, the journalist and Pope Francis biographer Austen Ivereigh sent a detailed list of themes and questions to the Holy Father about the COVID-19 pandemic. Austen figured he wouldn’t hear back. Luckily for us, he was 100% wrong about that.

Not only did Pope Francis respond to Austen’s questions, but he sent a long, extremely thoughtful audio recording. His responses make up perhaps the most in-depth interview the Holy Father has ever directed toward the English-speaking world.

Austen Ivereigh is today's guest. He talks with host Mike Jordan Laskey about the interview’s backstory, the Holy Father’s most striking answers, plus how Pope Francis’ response to the pandemic has reflected the central values that have characterized his pontificate since the beginning.

Read the interview here: https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/time-great-uncertainty

Austen's piece on Pope Francis' remarkable Urbi et Orbi address:

https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/pope-plague

Keep up with Austen on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/austeni

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