Friday, August 14, 2015

"Laudato Si" - Pope Francis


Pope Francis some time ago released his much anticipated encyclical "Laudato Si" on Care of the Earth our Common Home.

He make the point in the encyclical that everything is connected. Everything is interrelated, and our concern for our planet, "Our Common Home", must move us to action because we have a moral obligation to care for creation. Pope Francis makes it clear that he is speaking to each one of us when he says, "I wish to address every person living on this planet."

Pope Francis acknowledges statements from Bishop's Conferences and various scientific bodies from around the world in assembling his argument that we need to take better care of our planet. He shows a superb sense of timing in the release of this document. The nations of the world are coming to the close of negotiations at the United Nations on a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Member states and civil society partners hope that goals agreed to for the next 15 years, will move us closer to ending poverty worldwide and putting all on the path to a sustainable future where economic development links to care for creation.

The UN General Assembly will vote on this program in September at the time the Pope is visiting the USA. He is expected to address the General Assembly at that time. The UN is overseeing negotiations on a new Climate Treaty that will be decided upon in Paris this December. The Pope will certainly be encouraging leaders of nations to come to a substantive agreement to reduce the use of fossil fuels in order to stave off the worst effects on climate change already overtaking the world, especially in regions where many poor people live.


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