- Series of articles (blog post)
- 1200-3600 words each, embedded 3 video
- Level: all audiences
A series of posts by Fr. James Kurzynski on The Catholic Astronomer website regarding the encyclical Laudato Si’. The USCCB describes Laudato Si’ as follows:
On Care for Our Common Home (Laudato Si’) is the new appeal from Pope Francis addressed to “every person living on this planet” for an inclusive dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. Pope Francis calls the Church and the world to acknowledge the urgency of our environmental challenges and to join him in embarking on a new path. This encyclical is written with both hope and resolve, looking to our common future with candor and humility.
Each of Fr. Kurzynski’s posts in this series treats a different part of the encyclical.
Post #1: Let’s All Take a Deep Breath (click here) — Laudato Si’ is a significant contribution to Catholic Social Teaching as it pertains to stewardship of creation; see how the seven themes of CST create a consistent ethic of upholding human dignity at every stage of life. Fr. James Kurzynski delves into the meaning of this encyclical in this post.
Post #2: Introduction and Chapter – One A Plea for Action (click here) — In this post, Fr. Kurzynski says, we will wade into the document, looking at the Introduction and Chapter One. We will identify the vision Pope Francis gives for this Encyclical and then look at the practical, easy to identify problems our world faces in regard to ecology and how these poor choices adversely impact human dignity.
Post #3: Chapter Two – Pope Francis and the Last March of the Ents (click here) — The Laudato Si’ chapter on Theology and the Environment begs a “spirituality of creation,” in which we are called to participate in creation, care for creation, and view creation as gift.
Post #4: Chapters Three and Four – Unmasking Radical Anthropocentrism (click here) — This post reflects upon chapters three and four of Laudato Si’, in which Pope Francis addresses technology’s impact on nature and, lastly, explores a vision of “integral ecology” to move us away from radical anthropocentrism, developing a solidarity with all of creation.
Post #5: Chapter 5 – Politics, Religion, and Science at the Dinner Table? Yes, When Dinning With Pope Francis! (click here) — The constant struggle between Church and State has led many households to establish an unwritten rule of “dinner table etiquette”: Don’t talk about politics and religion. In recent days, this “spaghetti ethic” has been revisited by politicians in regard to Laudato Si’.
Final Post – Chapter Six: Broadening Our Language of Reverence (click here) — The last chapter of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si’ can be boiled down to one, central idea: What is our understanding of “reverence”? “To treat holy things in a holy manner” and the Hymn of Creation in Daniel chapter 3.
