An Apostolic Exhortation – “Laudate Deum” was delivered on this day October 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi by Pope Francis.
The Vatican tells us that this Exhortation is six chapters and 73 paragraphs in length. The Vatican says it builds on and adds clarity to his previous text on this topic in 2015, again “sounding an alarm, and a call for co-responsibility, in the face of the climate emergency”.
From the Vatican News – Full story here [The footnotes in the Vatincan’s story of which there is an excerpt below refer to, and are found in the original document]
An excerpt …
“In particular, the Exhortation looks ahead to COP28, which will be held in Dubai between the end of November and beginning of December.
“Let us finally admit that it is a human and social problem on any number of levels. For this reason, it calls for involvement on the part of all.”
On the subject of protests by groups “negatively portrayed as radicalized”, Pope Francis affirms that “in reality they are filling a space left empty by society as a whole, which ought to exercise a healthy “pressure”, since every family ought to realize that the future of their children is at stake” (58).
“May those taking part in the Conference be strategists capable of considering the common good and the future of their children, more than the short-term interests of certain countries or businesses. In this way, may they demonstrate the nobility of politics and not its shame. To the powerful, I can only repeat this question: “What would induce anyone, at this stage, to hold on to power, only to be remembered for their inability to take action when it was urgent and necessary to do so?” (60).
A commitment that flows from the Christian faith
Finally, the Pope reminds his readers that the motivations for this commitment flow from the Christian faith, encouraging “my brothers and sisters of other religions to do the same” (61).
“The Judaeo-Christian vision of the cosmos defends the unique and central value of the human being amid the marvellous concert of all God’s creatures,” but “as part of the universe, all of us are linked by unseen bonds and together form a kind of universal family, a sublime communion which fills us with a sacred, affectionate and humble respect” (67).
“This is not a product of our own will; its origin lies elsewhere, in the depths of our being, since God has joined us so closely to the world around us” (68).
What is important, Pope Francis writes, is to remember that “there are no lasting changes without cultural changes, without a maturing of lifestyles and convictions within societies, and there are no cultural changes without personal changes” (70).
“Efforts by households to reduce pollution and waste, and to consume with prudence, are creating a new culture. The mere fact that personal, family and community habits are changing is … helping to bring about large processes of transformation rising from deep within society” (71).