Rise of the Roses

28th June 2015 - Interview with Bishop Phonsie Cullinan

On this weeks programme John interviews Fr (as he was then) Phonsie Cullinan in advance of his consecration as bishop of Waterford and Lismore. Bishop Phonsie had been a guest on the programme and a great supporter of SS102fm and the SS102fm wishes him the very best as he takes up his new ministry in Waterford & Lismore.

You can listen to the podcast of this weeks programme here.

Interview with Bishop Phonsie Cullinan

Bishop Cullinan was born in Lahinch, County Clare in 1959 to Christy and Rita and has four sisters and five brothers.  He was a priest of the diocese of Limerick.  His family moved to Limerick city where he attended the Salesians for early education, John F Kennedy National School and the Crescent College Comprehensive (SJ) for his secondary education.  From 1978-1981 he attended Mary Immaculate College of Education Limerick and qualified as a primary teacher (B.Ed) in 1981, and taught for six years in Castleconnell, County Limerick. He worked part-time during that time for four years with the Bunratty Castle Entertainers before going to Spain where he taught English for two years in a school in Valladolid.  

Bishop Cullinan studied at Saint Patrick’s College Maynooth from 1989-95 where he completed an STL (Licentiate in Theology).  He was ordained by Bishop Jeremiah Newman in 1994 in Saint John’s Cathedral, Limerick, and appointed Curate in Saint Munchin’s Parish Limerick city 1995-1996.  Father Cullinan’s next appointment was as chaplain to the Regional Hospital in Limerick from 1996 until 2001.  He studied for his doctorate in moral theology in the Alfonsianum in Rome 2001-2004.  Appointed chaplain to the Limerick Institute of Technology 2004-2011.   He was appointed Parish Priest of Rathkeale , County Limerick in 2011.

On April 12th 2015, Bishop Cullinan was consecrated bishop of Waterford & Lismore. The Diocese of Waterford & Lismore includes County Waterford, and part of Counties Tipperary and Cork.  There are 45 parishes, 85 Churches and a Catholic population of 152,107.  The patrons of the Diocese are Saint Otteran, Saint Carthage and Saint Declan.

You can listen to the interview with Bishop Phonsie extracted from the main programme podcast here.

Coverage of the episcopal ordination here.

Gospel - Mark 5: 21-43

The Healing of a Sick Woman by Bulgarian Artist Julia Stankova
(painting on wood panel; 2010).
Source

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’

While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Sunday Reflections
Centre for Liturgy
Ennis Blue
Word on Fire
Limerick Diocese weekly newsletter

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours: Psalter week 1; 13th Week in ordinary time

Saints of the Week:

29th June - Ss Peter & Paul (Apostles)
30th June - The First Martyrs of Rome
1st July - St Oliver Plunkett
2nd July - Saint Bernadine Realino
3rd July - St Thomas (Apostle)
4th July - St Elizabeth of Portugal 

Some web browsing.............

Sister Nirmala, successor to Mother Teresa, dead at 81

Millennial Catholic - Around the Web (Laudato Si edition)

Millennial Catholic - Millennial Catholics on Pope Francis’ Laudato Si (Praised Be)

French Anglican-Roman Catholic Committee launches its work on Daily Prayer

1,782 Years Old: Inside the Oldest Church in the World

Continuing reaction to the environmental encyclical:

• Salt + Light - Receiving Laudato Si': remember no encyclical is released in a vacuum
• The Mood of ‘Laudato Si’’: A Reply - America
• The New York Times - Climate Change and Moral Responsibility - Patriarch Bartolemew and Archbishop Justin Welby
• The New York Times - In the Footsteps of Other Popes, Francis Seeks Worldly Change
• The Washington Post - Want to live like Pope Francis? 7 ways you can care for the environment.
• Wired - The Pope's memo on climate change is a mind blower
• Vice News - Some People Don't Like What the Pope Has to Say About Free Markets

Pope Francis offered a glimpse of his outlook on different parts of the world when he observed that the young clerics [future papal nuncios] would eventually be sent to far-flung geographic locations:    

To Europe, needing to be awakened; to Africa, thirsty for reconciliation; to Latin America starving for nourishment and interiority; to North America, intent upon rediscovering the roots of an identity that does not define itself in terms of exclusion; in Asia and Oceania, challenged by the capacity of fermenting in diaspora and dialogue with the vastness of ancestral culture.

Continue reading.

 CDF reaches negative judgment on Medjugorje, Italian journalists report

Negative judgment on Medjugorje could split Church, says noted Italian writer

Salt + Light - Behind Vatican Walls: Synod 2015 Lineamenta

Writing, Death and Monastic Wisdom: A Conversation with Kathleen Norris - America

Sea of Galilee Church torched; suspects held and released - Terra Sancta News

Limerick Diocese heads to Lourdes

June 21st to 26th each year is the annual dates of the Limerick Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. As anyone who has been on the pilgrimage will tell you be it as a worker, youth, pilgrim or the VIP's who are the invalid's it is a wonderful experience of prayer, community and craic!

Check out the daily updates from Lourdes on the diocesan Facebook page and also check out the live stream from the Sanctuaries at Lourdes.

Some web browsing...........

Salt + Light - On Medjugorje

Vatican News - Pope: oil and weapons weigh more than human lives

Democrats Shouldn’t Endorse Suicide - Doctor-assisted suicide isn’t liberalism. It’s nihilism.

Shannon church renovations uproot pope’s tree

It’s time to reset our pastoral strategy: Ordain married men

When an Entire Country Becomes Infested With Demons, Catholics Exorcize

They Just Exorcised the Entire Country of Mexico

Moscow on Catholic unified Pascha date: More info, please.

Russian Orthodox spokesman: common date for Easter celebration acceptable-- if Orthodox calendar is used

Benedict XVI's summer plans – rare public events and a visit to Castel Gandolfo

Russian Orthodox Church Facing Ukraine Split

Huffington Post - Pope Francis' Leaked Encyclical Draft Attributes Climate Change To Human Activity

The Church and Civil Marriage

Holy Land’s bishops condemn arson attack on historic church

“Let us walk together toward the Lord…” How the Bishop of Rome is tracing new paths of unity for the Churches

Laudato Si - analysis & reaction (III)

The basic question for people - "Why Pope Francis' encyclical matters"

Salt + Light have a roundup of coverage including their own daily news programme Behind Vatican Walls: Laudato Si’

Millenial has a running series of articles over at their website including Read Pope Francis’ Twitter Version of Laudato Si

Focus - Summary of Laudato Si, Pope Francis' Encyclical on the Environment

NCR - World weighs in on 'Laudato Si''  - NCR will be tracking reception worldwide to Pope Francis' environmental encyclical, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home." Check back at this post throughout the day as it is updated with the latest reactions.

CNA - "'Laudato si' is not only an example of the Magisterium's social teaching: it also represents the birth of a new literary genre among papal documents. Normally in the modern epoch, Popes have included in encyclicals doctrinal themes. But 'Laudato si' is not a doctrinal text -- it is rather a pastoral letter based on the classical Latin American method: see, judge, act." Continue reading here.

Crux coverage:
What to do? The pope’s practical tips for helping the environment
John Allen looks at how Pope’s eco-manifesto looks like a game-changer in the US
Both praise, skepticism greet Pope Francis’ eco-encyclical

RNS - Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical is even more radical than it appears

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The ad intra arguments of the so called "right" and "left" wing elements of the church have also started. Take a look at NCR which calls out how those on the right wing who have problems accepting what has been defined as being part of Catholic Social teaching -  Laudato Si' - Magistra No.

"There is something a little endearing about watching some conservative Catholic wrestle with the fact that they are dissenting from papal teaching. They are a bit clumsy at it. Perhaps, here at NCR, we could offer a symposium or something. What has become abundantly clear in the last twenty-four hours is that these conservatives are dissenting, and not just from one item in a long papal document, but from the very foundations of Catholic Social Teaching......."

New Republic discusses "The Last Time Conservatives Dismissed a Major Encyclical, It Ended Terribly for Them"

On the other side of the debate Fr John Zuhlsdorf who blogs at Fr Z's Blog is tracking the responses and difficulties of those viewed as being more conservative and poses "A few mischievous thoughts" including,

"If Pope Francis is truly interested in the environment, he should, without delay, ditch the cars he is driven around in and use the sedia gestatoria.  It’s for the planet! Furthermore, to save the planet by reducing fossil fuel use (and planet killing Air Conditioning), Francis should immediately cancel World Youth Day........ 

And, again, if everyone is going to be required by the elite liberal set to accept the Pope’s musings on the environment and markets as nearly infallible teaching, then perhaps we should give them all copies of … say… Mortalium animos… Humanae vitae… Ordinatio sacerdotalis… Summorum Pontificum… and hold them to their own standards."

Spiritual Friendships reflects on Awe and Wonder: A Preliminary Comment on Laudato Si’

Laudato Si’ is shaping up to be the most controversial papal encyclical since Humanae Vitae. On the surface, the dissent from these two encyclicals seems very different: the rebellion against Humanae Vitae came from the political “left,” while the present rebellion comes from the “right.” If, however, we dig beneath the shallow political categories, we find that the two rebellions are “ultimately due to the same evil: the notion that there are no indisputable truths to guide our lives, and hence human freedom is limitless” (LS, 6).

The “left” has focused more on sexual freedom, and the “right” on economic freedom. The fundamental question for both, however, is: can we discover a rational order in nature, put there by God, an order to which we are called to conform our lives? Or do we see in nature—including our own human nature—only raw materials to be exploited for ends that we choose for ourselves?

The Vatican's presentation of Pope Francis' new encyclical said the intent behind the document goes beyond political debates, aiming for something more essential: the well-being of all creation.

21st June 2015 - NET Ministries - 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

On this weeks programme John and the SS102fm team are joined by Eliza Jane Phillis from NET Ministries Ireland to tell us about their work and outreach. We have our usual reflection on the Sunday gospel and some other liturgical odds and ends.

You can listen to the podcast of this weeks programme HERE.

NET Ministries Ireland

On this weeks programme we have an interview with Eliza Jane Phillis about NET Ministries Ireland. Eliza is originally from Prince Edward Island, Canada but has been living in Ireland for the past five years volunteering with NET. She currently work in their main office up in Ballybofey, Co. Donegal coordinating all of the sponsorship fundraising efforts, managing the office, and most importantly supervising the team based in Athenry, Co. Galway. Before joining staff, she spent two years on team starting on the Road Team and then as part of the first local team based in Delvin, Co. Westmeath. 

NET stands for National Evangelisation Teams. They are Catholic Missionaries who share Jesus' gospel message with young people in a team format. NET Ministries Ireland encourage young people to love Jesus and embrace the life of the Church. NET Ireland recruits and trains teams to evangelise to over 20,000 youth every year in churches, schools, parishes, and dioceses across Ireland.
​
You can find out more about NET Ministries at their website, Facebook page and Youtube page.

You can listen to Eliza's interview excerpted from the programme HERE.

Gospel - Mark 4:35-41

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Sunday Reflections
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy
Ennis Blue - here and here

In this weeks newsletter, LDPC provides a link to a visio divina on the above painting of the Calming of the Sea by Rembrandt for reflection as part of reflection on this weeks gospel.

Just a note to Limerick readers, after the recording of the programme we realised that this weekend in Limerick diocese as part of the national celebrations the readings for the Sunday Mass are different to those we used on the recording of this weeks programme as Ireland marks 1400 years since the death of the saint.

Also just to point out a correction to a previous blog post. On June 9th we had initially posted a blog post about St Columban or Columbanus and incorrectly noted that June 9th was his feast date. Actually June 9th is the feast day of St Columba or Colmcille of Iona who is a secondary patron saint of Ireland. The post has been taken down and will appear again later in the year on the correct date of November 23rd. Apologies for the confusion.

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours: Psalter week 4 - 12th week in Ordinary time

Saints of the Week

June 22nd - St John Fisher and St Thomas Moore
June 23rd - Saint Joseph Cafasso
June 24th - Nativity of St John the Baptist (Solemnity)
June 25th - Blessed John the Spaniard
June 26th - St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
June 27th - St Cyril of Alexandria

Feet of A Dancer - Charlie McGettigan

On Saturday with Miriam this week, she had an interview with Charlie McGettigan, the singer-songwriter who won the Eurovision with Rock and Roll Kids. His young son died as a J1 visa student 17 years ago in quite a similar horrible accident to the tragedy which struck in California this week and he was talking about that with the American Ambassador who came on to talk about how wonderful J1 students are and how sorry America is about our loss in Ireland. 

Charlie sang one of his songs, Feet of a Dancer, as tribute to those who have been injured and who have lost their lives and their families.

Update - Lament for Berkeley by Joseph O'Connor

20th June - Feast of the Irish Martyrs

From Catholicireland.net:

The canonisation of Oliver Plunkett in 1975 brought an awareness of the other men and women who died for the Catholic faith in the 16th and 17th centuries. On 22nd September 1992 Pope John Paul II proclaimed a representative group from Ireland as martyrs and beatified them. Patrick Duffy documents their stories.

What is a martyr? 
Originally, it’s a Greek word meaning “witness”. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter, speaking to those in Jerusalem at Pentecost, claimed he and all the apostles were “martyrs” i.e. witnesses, in this case to Jesus’s resurrection. Later the word came to mean a person who followed the example of Christ and gave up their lives rather than deny their faith.

The canonisation of English and Irish Martyrs
Henry VIII’s rejection of the Pope’s authority in 1534 led to the setting up of a state Church in England and in Ireland. In 1560 the Act of Supremacy made Queen Elizabeth the supreme head of the Church in England and Ireland. So it became a treasonable offence to refuse to acknowledge the English monarch as head of the Church and many Catholics were put to death for their faith in both countries.

Forty English martyrs were canonised in 1970 and Oliver Plunkett was canonised in 1975. In 1992 a representative seventeen Irish martyrs, chosen from a list of almost three hundred who died for their faith in the 16th and 17th centuries, were beatified by Pope John Paul II. The amount of information we know about these seventeen varies. About some, such as Archbishop Dermot O’Hurley of Cashel, we know quite a lot; about others, such as the Wexford sailors, we know little more than their names and the fact of their death.

Here are their names in the chronological order of their deaths:

1. Bishop Patrick O’Healy and Father Cornelius O’Rourke, Franciscans: tortured and hanged at Kilmallock 22nd August 1579

2. The Wexford Martyrs: Matthew Lambert and sailors – Robert Tyler, Edward Cheevers and Patrick Cavanagh: died in Wexford 1581

3. Bishop Dermot O’Hurley: tortured and hanged at Hoggen Green (now College Green), Dublin, 20th June 1584

4. Margaret Ball: lay woman, died in prison 1584

5. Maurice Kenraghty (or MacEnraghty): secular priest, hanged at Clonmel on 20th April 1585

6. Dominic Collins: Jesuit brother, hanged in Youghal 1602

7. Bishop Conor O’Devany and Father Patrick O’Loughran: Franciscans, hanged 6th February 1612

8. Francis Taylor of Swords, lay man, Lord Mayor of Dublin: died in prison 1621

9. Father Peter Higgins, Dominican, Prior of Naas: hanged at Hoggen Green, Dublin 23rd March 1642

10. Bishop Terence Albert O’Brien, Dominican: hanged and beheaded at Gallow’s Green, Limerick 30th October 1651

11. John Kearney, Franciscan, hanged 11th March 1653

12. William Tirry, Augustinian, hanged 2nd May 1654

13. Others

Read about each of the martyrs HERE.

Laudato Si - analaysis & reaction (II)

 

 

 

 



"We were never their age" - Young People, Faith and Culture - Making connections in our digital age

 

"We were never their age"

Young People, Faith and Culture - Making connections in our digital age

Come and hear Dr Richard Hendrick and Dr Finola Cunnane offer insight and encouragement for all working with and encouraging our young people.

Wednesday evening 24th June 7pm

”Living with a DREAM” Finola Cunnane
"From Harry Potter to Frozen; Using the Hero's journey as a tool for working with young people" Richard Hendricks

Thursday 25th June 11am -5pm

Mindfulness as a tool for Stress Management Richard Hendricks.
Silence – Friend or foe of modern culture? Finola Cunnane

A light lunch will be provided

“We were never their age” Insights in today’s lived culture? Finola Cunnane
Recovering the Power of Story in Life and Liturgy Richard Hendricks

Booking Form and further details HERE

10 quotes from Laudato Si - iCatholic

Maranatha Prayer Ministry Events - 28th June 2015

 

You can find out more about Maranatha Prayer Ministry at their Facebook page

Laudato Si - the reaction and analysis - UPDATED

Irish Conference of Bishops - Laudato Si coverage

Time - Exclusive: Patriarch Bartholomew on Pope Francis’ Climate Encyclical
USCCB - Environment/Environmental Justice Program

NCR - Laudato Si arrives - Michael Sean Williams
NCR's coverage of the encyclical which has various articles constantly being posted here.

Crux - If ‘Laudato Si’ is an earthquake, it had plenty of early tremors
Crux - Pope Francis: Heed ‘the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’
Millenial - 7 Surprising Ways that Pope Francis’ Encyclical is Calling You to Change
The Anchoress - Laudato Si: All of our Sin, All of our Hatred on Trial
NCR - Pope Francis' Letter to World: Learn to Give, And Not Simply to Give Up

America - Laudato si': A 'Map'
America - coverage of the encyclical
America - History is Made as Pope Francis’ Encyclical is Presented in the Vatican

Vatican Radio - Metropolitan John Zizioulas: Laudato Si' give Orthodox "great joy"
Ennis Blue
Wall Street Journal - Pope Delivers Strong Message on Climate Change in Encyclical ‘Laudato Si’’
The Guardian coverage - The Guardian view on Laudato Si’: Pope Francis calls for a cultural revolution
BBC - Pope Francis blames 'human selfishness' for global warming

UPDATE:
Irish Independent - The Pope was right to issue stark message on climate change
Salt + Light - Awe and Wonder: A Preliminary Comment on Laudato Si’
Phil has been tracking analysis and comments as well as her own reading of the new encyclical over at Ennis Blue

Laudato Si - On care for our common home

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

LAUDATO SI' 

OF THE HOLY FATHER

FRANCIS

ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME

“Laudato si’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint 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 us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”.

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 endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail” (Rom 8:22). We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters.

More than fifty years ago, with the world teetering on the brink of nuclear crisis, Pope Saint John XXIII wrote an Encyclical which not only rejected war but offered a proposal for peace. He addressed his message Pacem in Terris to the entire “Catholic world” and indeed “to all men and women of good will”. Now, faced as we are with global environmental deterioration, I wish to address every person living on this planet. In my Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, I wrote to all the members of the Church with the aim of encouraging ongoing missionary renewal. In this Encyclical, I would like to enter into dialogue with all people about our common home....

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You can read full version of the encyclical HTML and PDF.

The Vatican has produced a quick 12-page guide available here courtesy of Rocco over at Whispers.

The on-demand press conference from the Pope Paul VI Hall in the Vatican this morning is available here.

Time - Patriarch Bartholomew on Pope Francis’ Climate Encyclical

Pope Francis Environmental Encyclical - Laudato Si - UPDATED

One blog post bringing together the links and resources already posted in advance of the publication of Laudato Sii. It will be updated over the next couple of days.

17th June 2015

Laudato Eve... Almost.
Concern for the poor is not Communism, Pope says in homily


16th June 2015

• As we prepare for the "official" publication of the encyclical, quotations from various previous papal encyclicals.
• Independent Catholic News - Count down to the Encyclical
• Crux - The pope’s eco-encyclical is likely to stir a hornet’s nest
• Crux - Why Pope Francis will never be a radical ‘Green’
• The Guardian - Explosive intervention by Pope Francis set to transform climate change debate
• The Guardian - Pope Francis warns of destruction of Earth's ecosystem in leaked encyclical
• The Catholic Herald - The world must act to stop climate change, says Pope Francis in leaked draft of encyclical

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The ongoing drama of the leak of the draft by Sandro Magister:

• Holy See Press Office suspends credentials of journalist who leaked encyclical
• The Deacons Bench - Holy See pulls press credentials for prominent Vatican journalist over encyclical leak
• The Irish Times - Italian magazine leaks draft of Pope’s environment encyclical
• Crux - Why we wrote about the encyclical

15th June 2015

• Ignatian Solidarity has a list of resources, reflections and prayer resources ahead of 18th June and encourages people to use the #Hope4Pope
• Pope Francis’ Encyclical on Ecology: What to Expect and What Not
• Salt + Light - The Ecology Encyclical: Care for Our Common Home
• NCR - Climate encyclical expected to send strong moral message to the world
• Encyclical on environment intended for all, Pope says
• Catholic Herald - Catholic, Orthodox Christian and atheist to present Pope’s encyclical 

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• Draft of Pope Francis’ /Laudato Si/ Encyclical Leaked Today
• Version of encyclical leaks; Vatican calls for respect of embargo
• Draft of pope's environment encyclical leaked by magazine
• The Washington Post - Draft of the pope’s encyclical blames climate change on human activity

14th June 2015

Get ready for the newest summer blockbuster. No, it’s not Jurassic World — it’s even bigger, crazier, and more action packed: a religious document issued by the pope. The new encyclical is set to address climate change and humanity’s moral obligation to fight it. But unlike any encyclical ever issued before, this one has an epic (unofficial) movie trailer. (Continue reading HERE and the trailer is below!)

• BBC - Is Pope Francis a communist?
• Rocco Palmo - Whispers in the Loggia -  "Nature Never Forgives" – For Eco-cyclical, The Final Countdown - Rocco gives some back ground to the forth coming encyclical as well as showing how the linkages are being made between Pope Francis forth coming message and his predecessors.
• CNA - Caring for creation is a duty for all, Pope says ahead of encyclical launch
• Crux - John Allen - Environmental manifesto may confirm Pope Francis as ‘Benedict 2.0’
• An alternative view being proposed to Pope Francis ahead of the publication of his encyclical this week (Catholic Herald) - A mad, bad and dangerous doctrine - Neo-Malthusian thinking risks even more poverty and environmental damage

10th June 2015

• Crux - Vatican announces plans for release of pope’s eco-encyclical
• Crux - Climate encyclical expected to send strong moral message to the world
• National Catholic Reporter coverage of the environmental encyclical

UPDATE: 

• Crux's analysis and coverage of the encyclical.
• From the Jesuit Post: Laudato Sii — Pope Francis’s Ecology Encyclical Is Almost Here! which has a number of suggestions for digesting the encyclical when it is published:

1. Remember it’s not only about climate change.2. Climate change “propaganda” – According to whom?3. The Church is not walking into another “Galileo Affair”4. Regardless of our preferences, the encyclical has something to say to everyone.5. Collective action on the environment is inherently Catholic.6. Read it, absorb it, and talk about it!

9th June 2015

• John Allen over at Crux gives an excellent article on Getting ahead of the spin on the pope’s environmental encyclical
• Salt + Light discusses What is an encyclical? Is this Pope Francis’ first encyclical? Why is an encyclical on the environment necessary at this moment in history?
• Preview of encyclical? Pope sends encouragement to UN conference on climate change
• National Catholic Reporter responds to some of the over the top right wing political reaction in the USA to a document that is not yet published! - The Crazed Politics of Religion
• Patriarch Bartholomew urges the world to "Protect the Oceans" on World Ocean Day

2nd June 2015

As the publication date of Pope Francis encyclical on the environment approaches, it is interesting to note that the initial outlines of the new encyclical were given at an address by Cardinal Peter Turkson at the Pontifical University in Maynooth back in March 2015:

• Vatican Radio - Cardinal Turkson: together for stewardship of creation
• Irish Bishops Conference - Cardinal Peter Turkson delivers the Trócaire 2015 Lenten Lecture, Saint Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth
• Crux - Cardinal previews Francis’ encyclical on the environment
• iCatholic - you can watch the video of the talk here

Analysis of the yet unpublished encyclical continues

• What makes environment encyclical unusual? The pope sees 2015 as an ideal time for the Church to weigh in on ecology, but critics are lining up.
• Pope’s environmental encyclical to be titled ‘Laudato Sii’ (Praised Be You)
• Greenbacks and the green economy: Ecology is good business

26th May 2015

Papal authority and Climate change - as we head into the summer and the approaching publication date of Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment and climate change there is a lot of disquiet and opposition growing in certain quarters of the church - before we even see a word of the encyclical! 

• Millennial writer Daniel DiLeo has a new article at US Catholic

Other articles which have caught our eye in relation to it:

• The Jesuit Post - Pope Francis’s Ecology Encyclical – What Can We Expect?
• Thinking Faith - Donal Dorr - ‘The fragile world’: Church teaching on ecology before and by Pope Francis
• Crux - Pro-life anxiety over Pope Francis’ looming ecological manifesto
• Catholic Herald - There’s no need to fear Pope Francis’s environment encyclical
• NCR - Conservative corners have tepid take on Pope Francis' environment encyclical
• The Guardian - How will the world react to Pope Francis's encyclical on climate change?
• NCR - The Rollout of the Encyclical on the Environment