Author George Weigel visits Britain in March this year. On Wednesday 3 March at 7pm he will deliver a lecture in Westminster Cathedral on The Achievement of John Paul II. Admission is free. After the lecture he will sign copies of his book Witness to Hope: the Biography of Pope John Paul II.

The size of Pope John Paul II's achievements in the 22 years of his papacy is phenomenal. Weigel lists the Pope's achievements under eight headings: his revitalisation of the institution of the papacy; his development of the full implications of Vatican II; his role in the peaceful defeat of totalitarian regimes; his clarification of the moral challenges facing free societies; his placement of ecumenism at the heart of Catholicism; his dedication to progress in the Church's relations with Judaism; his commitment to dialogue with Islam; and his success in using the modern transport and communications to reach individuals everywhere in the world.

The man behind these enormous achievements is a complex and unique figure: an intellectual with a warm appreciation of popular piety; a mystic who is also an avid sportsman; a celibate who celebrates human sexuality and has many women friends; a Pole with a deep sensitivity towards Jews and Judaism; a man of profound interiority with an exceptional public presence.

Yet despite the enormous scope of John Paul II's papacy, behind it all there is a consistent theme. That is the Pope's call to every person in the modern world to hear the call of Christ. Every human individual has a unique dignity. Each person is also a subject, not an object, engaged in a cosmic struggle between the culture of life and the culture of death. This is a struggle in which Christ's powerful presence is the consistent factor that delivers hope to all.

Weigel had close access to the Pope during the writing of the book. The author reveals that the idea for the book was born during a freewheeling conversation with the Pope over roast chicken and good local wine. This close relationship continued throughout the project, with Pope and biographer sharing many conversations and pieces of correspondence.

George Weigel is one of America's leading commentators on issues of religion and public life. He is the author or editor of 14 books, including Catholicism and the Renewal of American Democracy (Paulist, 1989), The Final Revolution: The Resistance Church and the Collapse of Communism (Oxford, 1992), and Soul of the World: Notes on the Future of Public Catholicism (Eerdmans, 1994). In addition, Weigel has contributed essays, columns, and reviews to the major journals and newspapers in the United States, and has appeared on numerous network television, cable television, and radio discussion programmes.

His latest work, Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II, was published to international acclaim in the autumn of 1999, in English, French, Italian, and Spanish editions. Polish and Portuguese editions were published in the first half of 2000 and Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, Romanian, Ukrainian, and Russian editions are being prepared. Mr Weigel is currently working on a documentary film based on the book.