The eagerly-awaited papal encyclical entitled ‘Laudato Si’: on the care of our common home’ was presented at a press conference on Thursday morning in the Vatican’s synod hall, which was packed with journalists, diplomats and religious leaders. The 192 page document, published in eight languages, was introduced by Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Justice and Peace council, together with a leading Orthodox theologian, an acclaimed German climate scientist, an American businesswoman and an Italian school teacher.
Philippa Hitchen tells us more about this unprecedented event:
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Pope Francis’ first encyclical focuses on the idea of ‘integral ecology’, connecting care of the natural world with justice for the poorest and most vulnerable people. Only by radically reshaping our relationships with God, with our neighbours and with the natural world, he says, can we hope to tackle the threats facing our planet today. Science, he insists, is the best tool by which we can listen to the cry of the earth, while dialogue and education are the two keys that can “help us to escape the spiral of self-destruction which currently engulfs us”.
If that seems like strong language, Professor John Schellnhuber, head of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, used a power point presentation to show just how just how urgent the environmental crisis has become. His charts and diagrams showed how dramatically the use of fossil fuels over the past century has damaged the fragile equilibrium of the planet, leading to rising temperatures and threatening the existence of people in the poorest parts of our world. Global warming of just a few degrees may not sound like much, he said, but just compare it to a rise in your own body temperature…..
“You all have a body temperature of slightly below 37°C….add 2°, and you get a fever, add 5° and you will be dead…this is how climate change operates on the earth’s system…”
We are already crossing “planetary guardrails” Professor Schellnhuber said, adding that the problem is not over-population in the poorest countries, but over-consumption by the few richest people who own most of the world’s wealth.
Also welcoming the new encyclical was Orthodox theologian, Metropolitan John Zizioulas, who noted the Ecumenical Patriarchate was the first to highlight the seriousness of the ecological crisis with its own encyclical back in 1989. Neither Catholic, nor Orthodox, nor Protestant theology manuals traditionally had much time for ecology, he said, yet our scriptures tell us that God became man to save not just humanity, but the whole of Creation. We must recognize and repent of our ecological sins, he urged, stressing that this is the major task facing all the divided Christian Churches today:“I believe the significance of the papal encyclical is not limited to the subject of ecology…
“I see in the papal encyclical…….an important ecumenical dimension…..in that it brings divided Christians before a common task that they must face together”
Reacting to some of the criticism levelled at the encyclical, even before its publication, Dr Carolyn Woo, head of Catholic Relief Services and former dean of the Business School at Notre Dame University, said big business must recognize its potential to become part of the solution and not part of the ecological problem….
“We can clearly see that the Pope’s message is based on solid science….. for business which is so big on analytics, it’s important to open our minds and our hearts…..we cannot dismiss this just because we don’t like the message of this evidence”
At the heart of the Pope’s reflections in the new document is the question: “What kind of world do we want to leave to our children” and those who come after us? Politicians, business people, church leaders and individuals now have an important tool to help answer that question and respond to the pressing challenges facing our common home.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) During his Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday morning, Pope Francis said Christians must understand that they cannot advance in the Christian life without the help of God. The Pope also noted that if we are to pray well, we must be prepared to forgive our brothers. The three themes of weakness, prayer, and forgiveness were at the heart of his homily.
The Holy Father began his reflection by emphasizing that we all bear a certain weakness, a weakness “we all bear after the wound of original sin.”
Without the help of the Lord we cannot go forward
We are weak, he repeated, “we slip into sin, we cannot go forward without the help of the Lord”:
“He who believes he is strong, who thinks he is capable of getting by on his own is naïve, and in the end remains a man defeated by so much weakness that he carries in himself: the weakness that brings us to ask for help from the Lord because ‘in our weakness we can do nothing without your help,’ [as] we have prayed. We cannot take a step in our Christian life without the help of the Lord, because we are weak. And he who is on the way should take care not to fall because he is weak.”
We are even weak in faith, he continued. “We all have faith,” he said, “We all want to go forward in the Christian life, but if we are not conscious of our weakness we will end up completely defeated.” There is a beautiful prayer that speaks to this: “O Lord, I know that in my weakness I can do nothing without your help.”
Our prayer has no need of too many words
The Pope then turned his thought to “prayer.” Jesus, he said, taught us to pray, “but not as the pagans” who thought they would be heard because they used many words. Pope Francis recalled the mother of Samuel who asked the Lord for the grace to have a son, and prayed by simply moved her lips. The priest that was there, he said, saw her and was convinced she was drunk and scolded her:
“She only moved her lips because she could not speak… She asked for a son. She prayed in that way, in the sight of the Lord. It is the prayer [we should make]: because we know that He is good and knows all about us and knows the things we need, we should begin to say that word: ‘Father’; which is a human word, certainly, that gives us life, but in prayer we can only say it with the power of the Holy Spirit.”
“Let us begin the prayer with the power of the Spirit who prays in us,” the Pope said, “praying in that way, simply. With open hearts in the presence of God who is the Father, and who knows, knows the things we need before we say them.”
Forgiveness is a great strength, a grace from the Lord
Finally, Pope Francis turned his attention to forgiveness, emphasizing how Jesus taught his disciples that if they did not forgive the faults of others, the Father would not forgive them.
“We can only pray well, and call God ‘Father’ if our heart is at peace with others, with our brothers. ‘But father, this person did this to me, [and] this person did this to me, [and] that person did this…’ ‘Forgive. Forgive as He forgave you.’ And so the weakness that we have, with the help of God in prayer becomes strength because forgiveness is a great strength. One needs to be strong to forgive, but this strength is a grace that we must receive from the Lord because we are weak.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
LAUDATO SI’: ON THE CARE OF OUR COMMON HOME
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ first encyclical is focused on the idea of ‘ integral ecology ’, connecting care of the natural world with justice for the poorest and most vulnerable people. Only by radically reshaping our relationships with God, with our neighbours and with the natural world , he says, can we hope to tackle the threats facing our planet today. Science , he insists, is the best tool by which we can listen to the cry of the earth, while dialogue and education are the two keys that can “help us to escape the spiral of self-destruction which currently engulfs us”.
At the heart of the Pope’s reflections is the question: “What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?”. The answers he suggests call for profound changes to political, economic, cultural and social systems, as well as to our individual lifestyles.
Chapter 1 sets out six of the most serious challenges facing “our common home
” Pollution, waste and our throwaway mentality : “the earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth”
Climate change : “one of the principle challenges facing humanity in our day” but “many of those who possess more resources and economic or political power seem mostly to be concerned with masking the problems or concealing their symptoms”
Water : “access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right” yet entire populations, and especially children get sick and die because of contaminated water
Biodiversity : “Each year sees the disappearance of thousands of plant and animal species” and the consequences cannot be predicted as “all of us, as living creatures, are dependent on one another”. Often transnational economic interests obstruct this protection
Breakdown of society : Current models of development adversely affect the quality of life of most of humanity and “many cities are huge, inefficient structures, excessively wasteful of energy and water
Global inequality : Environmental problems affect the most vulnerable people, the greater part of the world’s population and the solution is not reducing the birth rate but counteracting “an extreme and selective consumerism”.
And Chapter 3 explores six of the deep root causes of these growing crises
Technology : While it can bring progress towards sustainable development, without “a sound ethics”, it gives “those with the knowledge, and especially the economic resources… an impressive dominance over the whole of humanity”
The technocratic mentality : “the economy accepts every advance in technology with a view to profit……yet by itself the market cannot guarantee integral human development and social inclusion”
Anthropocentrism : we fail to understand our place in the world and our relationship with nature. Interpersonal relations and protection of human life must be set above technical reasoning so environmental concern “is also incompatible with the justification of abortion”
Practical relativism : environmental degradation and social decay is the result of seeing “everything as irrelevant unless it serves one’s own immediate interests”
Employment : Integral ecology needs to take account of the value of labour so everyone must be able to have work and it’s “bad business for society” to stop investing in people to achieve short-term financial gains
Biological technologies : GMOs are a “complex environmental issue” which have helped to resolve problems but bring difficulties such as concentrating land “in the hands of a few owners”, threatening small producers, biodiversity and ecosystems
So where do the solutions lie? Here are six of the best
In “ The Gospel of Creation ”: Chapter 2 examines the Old and New Testaments to show how human life is grounded in our relationships with God, with our neighbours and with the created world. We must acknowledge our sins when we break these relationships and realize our “tremendous responsibility” towards all of God’s creation
In Integral Ecology : Chapter 4 explores this new paradigm of justice which means “the analysis of environmental problems cannot be separated from the analysis of human, family, work-related and urban contexts”, while solutions must be based on “a preferential option for the poorest of our brothers and sisters”
In Dialogue : Chapter 5, entitled ‘Lines of Approach and Action’ stresses the need for “honest and open debate, so that particular interests or ideologies will not prejudice the common good”. The Church does not presume to settle scientific questions or to replace politics, but it can promote dialogue on global and local governance, transparent decision-making, sustainable use of natural resources, as well as engaging in respectful dialogue with other people of faith and with the scientific world
In Education : Chapter 6 urges schools, families, the media and the churches to help reshape habits and behavior. Overcoming individualism, while changing our lifestyles and consumer choices, can bring much “pressure to bear on those who wield political, economic and social power” causing significant changes in society.
In Ecological Conversion : Chapter 6 also highlights St Francis of Assisi as the model of “a more passionate concern for the protection of our world”, characterized by gratitude and generosity, creativity and enthusiasm
In Spirituality : Finally Chapter 6 and the two concluding prayers show how faith in God can shape and inspire our care for the environment. The Sacraments, the Trinity, the model of the Holy Family and our hope for eternal life can teach, motivate and strengthen us to protect the natural world that God has given us.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) “How ought we to order our lives together?” This is the basic question of political philosophy, and it is a question with global and even cosmic implications. The Encyclical letter of Pope Francis, Laudato si’ – “Praise be to You, Lord” – published on Thursday, calls on all persons of good will to consider the duty to care for creation as an integral part of our common life.
Prof. Patrick Deneen , who teaches political philosophy at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, USA, told Vatican Radio the new teaching document presents itself as one written with the intention of reaching beyond the confines of the institutional Church, and engaging people with different sets of basic presuppositions and commitments in the political, social and spiritual spheres. “I think it has a lot of relevance to those, who think about these kinds of issues – issues of environmentalism, nature, the human relationship to the natural world, in the same sort of genre as a political philosopher would think about them,” he said.
Click below to hear our extended conversation with Prof. patrick Deneen of Notre Dame University
Deneen went on to explain that the Encyclical presents a way of thinking, rather than a set of specific policy proposals. “The theme that runs through [the Encyclical] is, I think, a very Aristotelian theme – not surprisingly – a Thomistic and Aristotelian theme: how human beings live in and with and through nature, in ways that do not fall into what Pope Francis calls, again and again, the twin temptations of, on the one hand, viewing human beings as separate from nature in our capacity to dominate nature, [and] on the other side, a kind of anti-humanism which regards human beings as equally foreign to nature, but now as a kind of virus that has to – in some ways – be eliminated.”
To the extent the encyclical is concerned with questions of governance, Deneen said that the letter is concerned primarily with self-governance. “Pope Francis is here, in this Encyclical, calling for a kind of self-control and a self-mastery of our impulse to treat the world in a utilitarian fashion, to treat nature in a utilitarian fashion.” This way of thinking, Deneen explained, is one that encompasses different areas of human activity. “If you translate that teaching in regard to the human body, you could say this is the exact same teaching as we hear in regard to contraception and to abortion: that we shouldn’t treat the human body and natural processes in a utilitarian way, in which we master and dominate those processes.”
What are Deneen’s hopes for the Encyclical’s reception in public intellectual life? “Read the document first,” he said. “Try to think about it and challenge oneself,” he continued. “If one finds oneself resisting it, [he should ask], ‘Why am I resisting it, and in what ways do the areas in which I agree with the Church’s teaching actually call on me to have a consistent understanding of the Church’s teaching where this Encyclical is concerned?’ and I would say the same, vice versa, to those who are very excited about this Encyclical, and maybe less excited about some of the social teachings in the area of sexual morality.”
Deneen concluded, saying, “It seems to me that the social teaching of Catholicism is consistent, and ultimately is going to challenge people in ways that will cut across various kinds of partisan lines.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Among those at the presentation of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si’ was Dr. Carolyn Woo, CEO and President, Catholic Relief Services and former dean, Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame.
She was there to give insights for the world of business.
“The market alone cannot solve environmental problems,” said Dr. Woo. “Likewise, technology can bring great benefits, but also great costs as it allows those with knowledge and resources to dominate humanity and the entire world. So business must focus on the creative elements of technology, but always linked to humility and service.”
The full text of the presentation of Dr. Carolyn Woo is below
Dr. Carolyn Woo, CEO and President, Catholic Relief Services and
former dean, Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame
Laudato Si’ –Be Praised
Reflections for the Business Audience
Dr Woo notes that her presentation was prepared in close collaboration with Dr Anthony Annett, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Advisor, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Earth Institute, Columbia University; and Religions for Peace, who is therefore to be considered as the co-author of this contribution.
1. The encyclical draws its name from St. Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures reminding us that earth is our common home and that our bodies are made of her elements, we breathe her air and draw nourishment from her gifts.
2. The framing question asked by Pope Francis in his encyclical is a simple one: “what kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up”? This question surely resonates with everyone in the world. It resonates with me as a mother. And it resonates with me as one who draws on business as a partner to eliminate poverty and as an educator of business practitioners. It is from the perspective of business that I speak today.
3. The questions Pope Francis poses to the readers, “What is the purpose of our life in this world? Why are we here? What is the goal of our work and all our efforts?” are not different from the mission and vision statements that businesses formulate to define their purpose and to gain legitimacy from society, commitment from employees and support by customers.
4. The message of this encyclical to the business world is a profoundly hopeful one as it sees the potential of business as a force for good whose actions can serve to mitigate and stop the cumulative, compounding, irreversible catastrophic effects of climate change driven by human actions.
5. The encyclical affirms that business is a noble vocation, geared toward improving the world. As the pope says, “it can be a source of prosperity….especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good”. Pope Francis also calls for an economy that favours “productive diversity and business creativity”. He specifically mentions the important role played by small businesses, the importance of diversified production, the need to restrain monopolistic elements that constrain economic freedom, and the need for good governance and the rule of law. So there is a positive role for business, but business must put the common good first.
6. Lest there is the temptation to dismiss the encyclical as ungrounded in evidence, note the extensive work and consultation by the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences, and Pope Francis’ urging that “science is the best tool by which we can listen to the cry of the earth.”
7. One of the principal themes in this great encyclical is that all life on this planet is connected, bound together. Human life is grounded in three fundamental and intertwined relationships : with God, our neighbour and the earth. When one of these relationships is damaged, then the others are damaged too. So there is a connection between how we treat the planet and how we treat the poor. As Pope Francis puts it, we do not have two separate crises, social and economic, but “one complex crisis which is both social and environmental”.
8. Yet we have not treated our common home well—this is a key message of the encyclical. When it comes to the earth, we should think of ourselves as stewards rather than owners—tenants of God, as it were. The encyclical refers to the concept of the “global commons,” i.e. the tangible and intangible assets that belong to all of human kind across all generations for human flourishing. Examples of these include water, air, biodiversity, culture, genetic materials. The encyclical speaks of the loss of biodiversity that forever changes our eco-system and reminds us that diverse species are not just exploitable resources by humans; they have an inherent value in and of themselves: “……each creature has its own purpose. None is superfluous.” And the pope has rightly noted that business interests have too often been unkind to these ecosystems.
9. The correct response, according to Pope Francis, is a true “ecological conversion” involving business as a part of the solution.
10. What does that mean in practice? Gleaning from the encyclical, it means adopting the virtues of solidarity and sustainability, oriented toward the common good and the true development of all peoples. This has a number of practical dimensions.
11. First, over-reliance on market forces or technology deployment overlooks integral human development and social inclusion and “masks the deepest problems of the global system.” Markets can support human flourishing, but we must avoid excessive reliance on its “invisible force” or be swayed by “magical conceptions” of it. The market alone cannot solve environmental problems. Likewise, technology can bring great benefits, but also great costs as it allows those with knowledge and resources to dominate humanity and the entire world. So business must focus on the creative elements of technology, but always linked to humility and service.
12. Second, we are also reminded that job creation is possibly the greatest responsibility entrusted to business—it is a sacred trust, and must always be prioritized. The right to work is fundamental—it not only provides income security and a decent standard of living, but also dignity, meaning, and fulfilment. This is an idea that business should warmly embrace.
13. Third, Pope Francis speaks forcefully of the dangers of short-term thinking and a selfish mindset. He denounces what he calls a “misguided anthropocentrism”—which leads people to elevate selfishness and short-termism to a virtue. If something doesn’t serve your immediate self-interest, it is deemed irrelevant. And short-term profit is seen as the only yardstick of success. But this is ultimately self-defeating. As the pope says, “to stop investing in people, in order to gain short-term financial gain, is bad business for society”. And I would add: “bad business for business too”!
14. This is especially problematic when it comes to the financial sector. Pope Francis is emphatic on this point: he condemns what he calls the “absolute power of the financial system”, and notices that “finance overwhelms” the real economy. Given our experience of the global financial crisis, I think the vast majority of economists would agree with this assessment. And business should agree too—they also suffer from the uncertainty and lack of confidence brought about by financial instability.
15. Fourth, in line with what Pope Francis says in this encyclical, businesses are realizing that they need to account for all costs involved in production, not just “a fraction of the costs involved”. He notes that both politics and business have been slow to respond to environmental challenges, but I think this is changing. Working against the pressures of short term profits, a movement in the business sector has emerged over the last decades for the adoption of the triple bottom line which adds the advancement of people and care for the planet as equally important objectives to challenge the primacy of short term profits. Various stock indices, regulatory bodies, consultancies, measurement approaches and reporting protocols have sprung up to provide incentives, targets, guidelines and expertise for implementing the triple bottom line. Correspondingly, we now have means to estimate the cost of an organization’s carbon emission and provide incentives for its reduction. More businesses need to be actively engaged in the kinds of “environmental impact assessments” called for by the encyclical. The Pope’s message adds urgency for widespread, deep and focused adoption of these practices.
16. Fifth, the encyclical is asking business to embrace the idea of sustainable development—to act on our concern for the environment and for future generations. He is critical of using economic growth as the sole yardstick of economic success. As he puts it, there can be no “infinite or unlimited growth.” Here, the scientists and economists would agree, as this kind of unbounded growth runs into important “planetary boundaries”—not only climate change, but also issues like ocean acidification, chemical pollution, ozone depletion, land use constraints, depletion of water resources, and loss of biodiversity. By embracing sustainability, business can help pay the “ecological debt” that Pope Francis claims exists between developed and developing countries.
17. Sixth, business should not shy away from any of this. Investing in sustainability is another “win-win” opportunity for business. As Pope Francis says, “efforts to promote a sustainable use of natural resources are not a waste of money, but rather an investment capable of providing other economic benefits in the medium term”. He goes on to say that “more diversified and innovative forms of production which impact less on the environment can prove very profitable”. This is not just conjecture—it is borne out by solid analysis and research. Numerous studies have provided estimates of astronomical costs associated with coastal disasters as water level rises, drought and storms that devastate agricultural production, or loss in productivity due to growing days of extreme heat and health crises due to pollution.
18. Seventh, a human-centered approach based on the principles of inclusive development can create better economic growth and better economic conditions—growth that benefits the many, not just the few; growth that strengthens local communities and builds resilience; growth that increases substantive freedoms and aids human flourishing. This is not just a dream or empty ideal but serve as operational goals of the global community including the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (to be released in September 2015) and the World Bank’s top priorities for the elimination of extreme poverty and reduction of income inequality.
19. Eighth, in addition, business can play a role to assist customers to become responsible consumers. Design and production that minimizes waste by utilizing renewable energy sources, improving efficiencies, enabling recycling, reclamation and re-use provides new opportunities for businesses as these enable consumers to do their part.
20. Today, more and more consumers and investors are holding business to a higher standard. They want business to be ethical and to practice sustainability. And it is the job of business to listen to the people they serve. But Pope Francis also makes a point about authenticity, warning against reducing this important responsibility to mere “marketing and image-enhancing measures”. The virtues of sustainability need to be incorporated into core business practice and measurable outcomes.
21. Let me make one final point. This encyclical certainly affirms the important role that business will need to play, but Pope Francis is clear that we need partnerships between public and private sectors—as he puts it, “politics and economics in dialogue for human fulfilment.” Since both public and private sectors have the same goal, and are integrated into the same interconnected web of life, they need to work together in harmony. Sometimes that means business being more accepting of stronger forms of regulation, especially in the financial sector. It also means business getting fully on board with the new Sustainable Development Goals and the need to take action to combat climate change.
22. At the end of the day, business is a human enterprise and must strive for true human development and the common good. In the years ahead, the challenges will be large. How can we develop the technologies so that we can move to a zero-carbon economy? How can we boost living standards of the developing world in a sustainable way and give all people the ability to live the lives God intended them to live? How can we make sure all have access to nutrition, energy, healthcare and education? These are huge challenges, but we must face up to them. The answer lies with all working together—governments, international institutions, businesses, NGOS, and religions. It lies in forthright and honest debate and dialogue. But it begins in the call to ecological conversation outlined so clearly in this great encyclical.
23. “What kind of world do we want to leave to our children?” If we stay focused on that question, we are on the right path.
(from Vatican Radio)…