Originally published at The Catholic Thing

I have been repeatedly struck by the truism that moments of institutional crisis demand genuinely great leaders. Movements, forces, trends are all very well, but in the end you need these towering figures like an Augustine who can encapsulate the essence of Christian theology and philosophy in a single body of work, a Benedict who can found an entire way of life, a Charlemagne who can reboot civilization, a Pope Leo who can face down a brutal warmonger . .
 

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