Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home

The following are media reactions chosen by the fall 2015 REL 345, Issues in Christian Ethics, class regarding Laudato Si.

• Martin, James. "Top 10 Things You Need to Know about Pope Francis' Laudato Si" YouTube. June 18, 2015.
  • James Martin, S.J., presents ten things to know about the highly-anticipated environmental encyclical. This video is an introduction to what Laudato Si focuses on.
     

• Yardley, Jim, and Laurie Goodstein. "Pope Francis, in Sweeping Encyclical, Calls for Swift Action on Climate Change." The New York Times. June 18, 2015. 

  • A New York Times article which highlights the crisis from climate change and questions if humans are at fault. This includes the Pope's observations of the reckless pursuit of profits and excessive faith in technology which has caused the most vulnerable victims, the world's poor, suffering.
     

•   Bailey, Sarah. "10 Key Excerpts from Pope Francis’s Encyclical on the Environment." Washington Post. June 18, 2015.

  • A Washington Post article on some key passages from the encyclical on the environment. These statements were selected that can lead to further discussions. These include the ideas that technology leads to the destruction of nature. As well as the idea that gender differences matter.
     

• Reese, Thomas. "A Readers' Guide to 'Laudato Si" National Catholic Reporter. June 26, 2015.
  • The National Catholic Reporter created a readers' guide with study questions to help in reading the encyclical. This guide breaks up into chapters which give a brief summary and questions. This is designed for any one from any religious background to understand by asking real world questions.
    
    

• Misleh, Dan. "Pope Francis' 'Laudato Si'' Is a Game Changer." U.S. Catholic. September 21, 2015.

  • A U.S. Catholic, Faith in Real Life, article on how Pope Francis has brought Catholicism into the digital age. It focuses on technology being able to spread information faster which means it is seen by more people thus more action can be done. It encourages working together in building our common home.
     

• Ialenti, Vincent. "Excited About the Pope's Visit? Read 'Laudato Si" NPR. September 26, 2015.

  • This NPR segment brings a group of legal scholars, anthropologists, theologians, business people, political scientists and other thinkers from around the world come to discuss Laudato Si together. It shows how the encyclical can be interrupted from different view points.

• Grossman, Cathy. "Pope Francis' Decree on Climate Change Faces Deep Political Divides." USA Today. June 16, 2015.

  • A USA Today article about U.S. Catholics being divided along political lines when it comes to the cause and urgency of climate change. While Catholics might be united, Democrats and Republicans might be less willing to work together to help the common good.
     

• Dias, Elizabeth. "John Kerry Praises Pope Francis' Climate Change Encyclical." Time. June 18, 2015.
  • A Time article about the Secretary of State, John Kerry, calling the encyclical a powerful statement on the threat of climate change. He praises the Pope for being able to create a movement both politically and morally that many nations can follow.
     

• DiLeo, Dan. "Peace: An Unexpected Reaction to 'Laudato Si" National Catholic Reporter. June 18, 2015.

  • A National Catholic Reporter article on one readers review of Laudato Si and the issue of human-forced climate change. He believes both Catholics and non Catholics have to realize climate change is real and by listening to the encyclical will hopefully motivate communities to work together and fight against global warming.
     

• Jackson, Chris. "Why I'm Disregarding Laudato Si and You Should Too." The Remnant Newspaper. June 19, 2015.

  • A Remnant Newspaper article on one Catholic's view on why he sees the encyclical as an embarrassment. The author does not believe in global warming stating he has not seen any change around him. He also disagrees with the idea that the world is connected.
     

• Heuvel, Katrina. "Pope Francis vs. Wall Street." Washington Post. June 23, 2015.
  • A Washington Post article on Pope Francis seeking a change: economic policy grounded in moral values. Some people from Wall Street are against the encyclical stating that the economy is just as fragile as the environment. They believe the Pope should stick to theology.
     

• Bruenig, Elizabeth. "Is Pope Francis Too Gloomy? Or Are Conservatives Just in Denial About Our Planet?" New Republic. June 23, 2015.

  • A New Republic article on how some people are finding the encyclical too similar to political disagreement about climate change. With the Pope demanding change one might wonder how can anyone think of the future without thinking of the environmental crisis.
     

• Miner, Brad. "A Discouraging Word in." The Catholic Thing. June 30, 2015.
  • A The Catholic Thing article where the author does not believe the language of Laudato Si lines up with the scientific idea of global warming. He also discourages that policy makers should base economic decisions off the encyclical.