\n\tAs Pope Francis visited the United States for the first time—addressing a joint session of Congress as well as the United Nations during his September
\n\t22-27 stay—his recent narrative on the global environment provided much grist for talking points and debate.<\/p>\n
\n\tEven before he spoke in the United States, however, the pope said he hoped his wide-ranging treatise on the interconnection of ecology, economics, climate,
\n\tand compassion might influence the U.N.\u2019s November 30-December 11 Paris conference on climate change.<\/p>\n
\n\tAnd to keep the topic on the active list for the world\u2019s 1.2 billion Catholics, on August 16 the pope designated September 1 as a new date on the Catholic
\n\tChurch calendar, World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, an event marked by Orthodox Christians\u2019 calendar for decades.<\/p>\n
\n\tReleased June 18, 2015, Laudato Si\u2019, \u201cCare for Our Common Home,\u201d <\/em>has been largely discussed on the merits of its assessments of climate change and \n\tIn that regard, the sprawling 184-page teaching tool\u2019s theme is straightforward: the planet\u2019s health is in peril, humankind is a primary cause, and \n\tWrites Pope Francis, \u201cDoomsday predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation, and \n\tHowever, commentary on the high-profile document has increasingly called attention to the encyclical\u2019s spiritual themes, notably the intertwined treatment \n\t\u201cA sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion, and concern for our fellow human beings,\u201d \n\tLaudato Si\u2019<\/em> \n\tAs the pope writes in one of his two poems that conclude Laudato Si<\/em>\u2019, God is to be asked to \u201cbring healing to our lives, that we may protect the \n\tAn immediate and ongoing result of the document—which had been anticipated months before its official publication—was a combination of booster shot and \n\tFor example, commenting on the encyclical, Rabbi Yonatan Neril, director of the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, told journalists that world \n\tCatholic sister Margaret Mayce agrees. Interviewed by National Catholic Reporter<\/em>, the Dominican nun praised Pope Francis\u2019 coalescing of economic, \n\tCuriously, Laudato Si<\/em>\u2019 will make both progressive and traditionalist Catholics and some others squirm a little, as it will both liberal and \n\tWell-known conservative Catholic columnist George Weigel, for example, downplayed the pope\u2019s environmental focus and argued that Laudato Si<\/em>\u2019 is \n\tCatholic Republican presidential hopefuls Jeb Bush and Rick Santorum both provided early sound-bite reactions. Bush said he does not take economic or \n\tInterestingly, Father Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest like the pope, argues that if any pope should be taken seriously on issues of science, it is Francis, \n\t\u201cHe never finished his doctorate in theology. He is what academics refer to as ABD, \u2018all but dissertation,\u2019\u201d points out Reese.<\/p>\n \n\tUnlike the two previous pontiffs—John Paul II and Benedict XVI—Francis \u201cnever wrote scholarly books. He was a wide-ranging consumer of theology, not the \n\t\u201cFor John Paul the philosopher and Benedict the theologian, ideas were paramount. But for Francis the scientist and pastor, facts really matter. For John \n\tTypically, encyclicals are written with bishops as the primary audience. Laudato Si\u2019,<\/em> however, in style and scope, is clearly aimed at a world \n\tFor example, writes Francis in his opening: \u201c\u2018Laudato Si\u2019, mi\u2019 Signore\u2019\u201d—\u2018Praise be to you, my Lord.\u2019 <\/em>In the words of this beautiful canticle, \n\tIt is common to find praise for the document similar to that from avowed \u201cthoroughgoing nonbeliever\u201d blogger Rob Tiller: \u201cThe prose is lucid and emphatic, \n\tPart of the \u201cethical vision\u201d embedded within Laudato Si<\/em>\u2019 is a call for families and individuals to take a hard look at consumption-driven \n\t\u201cWe are speaking of an attitude of the heart, one which approaches life with serene attentiveness, which is capable of being fully present to someone \n\tIn the same vein, Francis encourages families to reembrace or return to the practice of saying grace at meals: \u201cI ask all believers to return to this \n\tFrancis\u2019 call to simplicity echoes his often-repeated encouragement for families to make time for themselves and their communities, especially carving out \n\tWhile individuals can and must address environmental issues, governments and major institutions must do the heavy lifting, argues the encyclical.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cFrancis saves his harshest words for economic interests who \u2018accept every advance in technology with a view to profit, without concern for its potentially \n\t\u201cIn Francis\u2019 mind,\u201d concludes Reese and others, \u201cthis is the cause of our current economic and environmental crisis. What is needed is a broader vision \n\t\u201cNobody is suggesting a return to the Stone Age,\u201d the pope affirms, \u201cbut we do need to slow down and look at reality in a different way, to appropriate the As Pope Francis visited the United States for the first time—addressing a joint session of Congress as well as the United Nations during his September 22-27 stay—his recent narrative on the global environment provided much grist for talking points and debate. Even before he spoke in the United States, however, the pope said he hoped<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[309],"tags":[141],"class_list":["post-6330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-november-december-2015","tag-november-december-2015"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.charming-bohr.160-238-31-172.plesk.page\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.charming-bohr.160-238-31-172.plesk.page\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.charming-bohr.160-238-31-172.plesk.page\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charming-bohr.160-238-31-172.plesk.page\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charming-bohr.160-238-31-172.plesk.page\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.charming-bohr.160-238-31-172.plesk.page\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6330\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.charming-bohr.160-238-31-172.plesk.page\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charming-bohr.160-238-31-172.plesk.page\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.charming-bohr.160-238-31-172.plesk.page\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\tenvironmental degradation, and what can or should or must be done.<\/p>\n
\n\teveryone needs to become aware and involved now.<\/p>\n
\n\tfilth. The pace of consumption, waste, and environmental change has so stretched the planet\u2019s capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it
\n\tis, can only precipitate catastrophes, such as those which even now periodically occur in different areas of the world. The effects of the present
\n\timbalance can only be reduced by our decisive action, here and now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tof natural resources and one another.<\/p>\n
\n\tdeclares Francis. \u201cIt is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking,
\n\tunconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake
\n\tof the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\ts impact—now and in the future—is a topic of much conjecture. As a matter of church doctrine, Catholics, of course, are obliged to take encyclicals
\n\tseriously. That form is one of the church\u2019s most authoritative for doctrinal formulation. Even if a Catholic disagrees with elements or specifics, he or
\n\tshe is not to ignore the treatise\u2019s moral imperative to address environmental distress.<\/p>\n
\n\tworld and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tendorsement for disparate environmentalist groups, whether religiously affiliated or not.<\/p>\n
\n\treligions must take leadership roles on environmental questions because the latter involve moral and social elements as much as scientific, governmental,
\n\tand economic ones.<\/p>\n
\n\tenvironmental, social, moral, and institutional aspects of the climate change conversation. Mayce is the nongovernmental organization representative for
\n\tthe Dominican Leadership Conference at the U.N.<\/p>\n
\n\tconservative politicians. While Catholic doctrine affirms the right to private property and the importance of the individual, it also underscores that
\n\tthese are not \u201cabsolute or inviolable,\u201d because the riches of creation are meant for all, the pope emphasizes.<\/p>\n
\n\tpreeminently pro-life.<\/p>\n
\n\tpolitical counsel from the pope. Santorum suggested Francis avoid such topics as the environment.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cwhose initial training prior to entering the seminary was as a chemist.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tproponent of a particular view,\u201d Reese notes, adding:<\/p>\n
\n\tPaul and Benedict, if reality does not reflect the ideal, then reality must change, whereas for Francis, if facts and theory clash, he, like a good
\n\tscientist, is willing to question the theory.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\taudience. And one of the aspects that could contribute to a lasting impact is not only on the cogency of the topic, but its readability. The language is at
\n\ttimes blunt, at times poetic, but consistently clear. One need not be a theologian, Scripture scholar, political analyst, canon lawyer or church historian
\n\tto decipher it.<\/p>\n
\n\tSaint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace
\n\tus. \u2018Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and
\n\therbs.\u2019 This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has
\n\tendowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\twith an animating passion. Francis leaves no doubt that he agrees with the scientific consensus that man-made greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are
\n\tresponsible for much of the global warming crisis. He states that there is an urgent need to reduce such emissions and develop renewable energy. If he
\naccomplished nothing more than calling more attention to this issue and inspiring high-level discussion and action, that would be a lot. But\tLaudato Si\u2019<\/em> does more than that, persuasively articulating a powerful ethical vision that calls for reforming both societies and our selves.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tlifestyles, to simplify their lives, to seek joy and comfort from nature and service and even rest. He underscores that every individual can do something
\n\tto help—use nonpolluting soap, take public transportation, recycle paper, put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat.<\/p>\n
\n\twithout thinking of what comes next, which accepts each moment as a gift from God to be lived to the full. Jesus taught us this attitude when he invited us
\n\tto contemplate the lilies of the field and the birds of the air,\u201d writes Francis.<\/p>\n
\n\tbeautiful and meaningful custom. That moment of blessing, however brief, reminds us of our dependence on God for life; it strengthens our feeling of
\n\tgratitude for the gifts of creation; it acknowledges those who by their labors provide us with these goods; and it reaffirms our solidarity with those in
\n\tgreatest need.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\ta day for rest.<\/p>\n
\n\tnegative impact on human beings,\u2019\u201d writes analyst Reese. \u201cThey show \u2018no interest in more balanced levels of production, a better distribution of wealth,
\n\tconcern for the environment and the rights of future generations. Their behavior shows that for them maximizing profits is enough.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\twhere \u2018technology is directed primarily to resolving people\u2019s concrete problems, truly helping them live with more dignity and less suffering. Technology
\n\tmust serve humanity, not the market.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tpositive and sustainable progress which has been made, but also to recover the values and the great goals swept away by our unrestrained delusions of
\n\tgrandeur.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"