Vatican Radio follows SS102fm to a story.........

Of interest on Vatican Radio this morning is an interview with Cathal Barry of the Irish Catholic newspaper about the study guide written by Fr Eamon Conway and himself to help people work through the papal encyclical "Laudato Si". We kindly refer you to SS102fm interview with Fr Eamonn Conway here.

12th July 2015 - Laudato Si: A discussion with Professor Eamonn Conway

On this weeks programme John and Shane are joined by Professor Eamonn Conway of Mary Immaculate College in Limerick to discuss the recent papal encyclical Laudato Si.

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

Laudato Si - On Care for our common home 

On this weeks programme John, Ann and Shane are joined by Fr Eamonn Conway who is a Professor of Theology at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick to discuss the latest papal encyclical Laudato Si.

The discussion on the encyclical in this weeks programme is excerpted from the main programme and available HERE.

We have posted a lot of coverage on the encyclical over the last number of weeks which is available under the tag "Laudato Si" which you are invited to check out to see the various commentaries and analysis of the encyclical.

“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.

Fr Eamonn has co-authored a study to the encyclical which is available from the Irish Catholic newspaper. You can order it online HERE.

You can find a Vatican summary of the encyclical HERE.

NCR has also produced an extremely short reading guide HERE.

Gospel - Mark 6:7-13

"He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them."

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Sunday Reflections

Centre for Liturgy

English Dominicans

Word on Fire

Liturgical Odds & Ends

Liturgy of the Hours - psalter week 3; 15th week in ordinary time

July 13th - St Henry

July 14th - St. Kateri Tekakwitha

July 15th - St Bonaventure

July 16th - Our Lady of Mount Carmel

July 17th - Servant of God Francis Garcés and Companions

July 18th - Saint Aemilian of Dorostorium

Laudato Si - Videos exploring the encyclical from iCatholic

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.

Laudato Si - analaysis & reaction (II)

 

 

 

 



10 quotes from Laudato Si - iCatholic

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

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

“World’s faithful are asking us to establish common date for celebration of Easter”

2067: the end of British Christianity

Medjugorje Decision Will Take ‘Months,’ Says Vatican Spokesman

Meet the Fantastically Bejeweled Skeletons of Catholicism’s Forgotten Martyrs - In his new book, art historian and author Paul Koudounaris elucidates the macabre splendor and tragic history of Europe’s catacomb saints

There is a certain view out there that the Catholic channel at Patheos is a tad "right" wing. Max Lindemann pens "An Open Letter to A Liberal Reader" in response.

Pope Francis' message to priests: “Don’t scare off God’s people"

The Irish Times - Faith and the God of surprises
The Irish Time - Vincent Twomey: Sentiment trumped reason in marriage referendum

America - Irish Referendum on Same Sex Marriage is Challenge for Whole Church

NCR - Slide Into Secularism; What the Marriage Referendum Says About Ireland

NCR - Is This the Death of the Catholic Church in Ireland?

QUIZ: Can You Identify These Liturgical Objects?

Catholic Herald - The women whose voices the pro-choice lobby doesn’t want to hear

Atheists share with Christians the plight of being persecuted worldwide for their convictions. They must unite to demand the freedom to follow their beliefs – whatever they may be - Catholics must stick up for atheists

Rome Reports: Seven questions about the ecology encyclical you were afraid to ask - Updated

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!

Some web browsing......

Pope offers 'Stone Age’ tips to youth living in the digital world (Catholic Herald)

Recent research in the USA seemed to indicated a rush for the doors out of the Catholic Church, Elizabeth Scalia asks the question - Dear Catholic why do YOU remain a catholic? Some of the responses can be seen here, here and here.

Raking a grave

Reflecting on Corpus Christi, perhaps it is a time for a theology of encounter (NCR).

Jericho Tree - Why we all need to think deeply about chastity

Former rock journalist promotes joy of chastity

Summer reading with Pope Francis

Has Pope Francis issued a warning against the seers of Medjugorje? -  Don’t live your lives according to what seers tell you

The Tablet marks 175th anniversary with Dublin Mass

Helen Mirren's advice to live like a nun

How Can You Have an Ignatian Summer?

Same-sex marriage: “The outcome of the referendum is the result of a cultural revolution” - Archbishop Diarmuid Martin

Summer is often a time for people to have a clear out of our homes; Kathleen Basi reflects on hoarding and purging and also on Things you might find going through old boxes of letters.

Two Sundays ago was the Trinity Sunday when we try to get our heads around the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Ben Myers is a lecturer and posted some basic rules for remembering the theology about the Trinity - Doctrine of the Trinity: 21 grammatical rules.

PrayTell reflects on a Sanctuary that is bi.

The Russian Orthodox Church is outraged by the appearance of icons of Stalin

South Sudan faces falling into the abyss and the western world which encouraged it on its path to independence in 2011 looks on in apathy - Help for the world’s ‘broken places and South Sudan swirls toward chaos

Every generation has an opportunity to change the world. Right now, college campuses around the country are home to a moral movement that seeks to reverse centuries of historic wrongs. This movement is led by students forced to live with the legacy of sexism, with the threat, and sometimes the experience, of sexual assault. It is led by students whose lives have been marred by racism and bigotry. It is led by people who want to secure equal rights for gays, lesbians and other historically marginalized groups.These students are driven by noble impulses to do justice and identify oppression.....But when you witness how this movement is actually being felt on campus, you can’t help noticing that it sometimes slides into a form of zealotry - continue reading The Campus Crusaders

Another view on it - I'm a liberal professor, and my liberal students terrify me

The number of surgical abortions in the United States has declined 12% since 2010, according to the Associated Press, which cited statistics from the 45 states that keep data on abortions. The president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America attributed the decline to “better access to birth control and sex education,” while Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life said that “there’s an entire generation of women who saw a sonogram as their first baby picture. There’s an increased awareness of the humanity of the baby.” - read here