summary of “Laudato Si”

On the care of common home

Encyclical letter by Pope Francis

Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, Carmel International Publishing House, 2015, 200pp., Rs. 65, CIPH No. 289.

Summarized by Bro. Felix Joseph SDB, Divyadaan, Nashik, Maharashtra, India.

“Laudato Si” is the encyclical letter of the Pope Francis which was released on the 18 June 2015. Pope Francis says, “Now, faced as we are with global environmental deterioration, I wish to address every person living in this planet”(pp. 8). This encyclical calls for a dialogue among all people about our common home. “To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God”(pp. 12). It is as an appeal to seek, concrete solution to the environmental crisis.

He begins this letter by presenting the present situation of the ecology and the root causes for it. This helps us to provide an approach to ecology which respects our unique place as human beings in this world and our relationship to our surroundings. In the light of this reflection the pope makes some proposals for dialogue and action which would involve each of us as individuals, and also affect international policy. Finally, he calls for a conviction that change is impossible without motivation and a process of education. He also offers some inspired guidelines for human development to be found in the treasure of Christian spiritual experience.

Chapter one elucidates about the present condition of our common home. Here Pope Francis speaks about the today’s world that is filled with speed and as a consequence throwaway culture, wasting mentality and polluting the environment are creeping into our home. These mentalities really spoiling our beautiful landscapes and fills it with rubbish. So, it is man’s duty to respond to this danger and to preserve the nature. But, at times instead of man’s intervene, nature itself is intervening to these problems in various parts of the world, which worries the him. Pope exhausts the disturbance that the man makes in the eco systems and the cycle of production. There prevails the extinction of species and the scarcity of water. Above all, these even the quality of the human life is also being declined. Natural resources which are common to everyone is today being owned by some corporate in the name of business. “There is an urgent need to respond to these problems.” He acknowledges the various initiatives that are taken in this regard by some organizations. But, also points out the failures in firm leadership and ideas that would enable us to look into the crisis deeply. He gives a call to reshape the common home with the words ‘It is never to late to mend.’

  Chapter two speaks about the creation of the world as a Gospel. Pope tries to see the creation itself a gospel. Though this encyclical is addressed to the people of good will, as a leader of the church he brings out the account of creation from the scripture. The world is not owned by the humans but by God. By highlighting the three fundamental relationship of human being towards God, neighbor and nature he makes the relationship of human beings with nature as spirituality. “Nature is a gift from God. It reveals His immense love. Man also a created being.” Together with the nature man journeys towards the end which is the second coming of the savior. The Holy Father makes the comment on the priority and the reverence that we show to some places. In the scripture and the tradition of the church the places connect the man and God. The exploitation of nature and the discrimination among human beings scatters the people. Pope stresses on the private ownership on the property which is preventing the growth of the poor. Jesus in his life on earth, he related with the nature which are explicitly seen in his parables. He himself became flesh as a created being.

In the chapter three pope pulls out the human roots that has lead to the crisis in the ecology. He appreciates the scientists and the engineers for their inventions and the development in the areas of medicine, engineering and communication. In this postmodern world the power is not responsibly used. “There needs a sound ethics.” Today’s world compels the man to use the technology and also creates the horizons for him. Politics and economy promotes the technology only for the profit shake not for the natural growth. This depletes the humans faith in better tomorrow. God gave man not only nature but also man to man. This implies the relationship of ‘Thou’ with the other person. Today man aspires mastery over the created things even on the man. In the present situation man has become so relative, to accept the things and even the other person is only for the convenience. The pope calls to embark the value of work and to inculcate the importance of employment. He portrays the importance of manual work that is given in the monastic life as the spirituality of work. “Employment is a vocation for everybody.” “Experimentation on the species is accepted only to the extend, that it serves for the good of the humanity.” The misuse of technology and the misguided anthropocentricism has become the root cause for the exploitation of ecology.

In the fourth chapter, pope calls for an integral ecology through which the care of the common home is achieved. Today, economic policies are not concerned about the effects that they create on the nature. Culture plays a vital role in the preservation of the environment. Culture is the identity of the people. In the present world culture is manipulated by the capitalists and the migration. These indigenous are not included in the forum of decision making. The people who are united by culture have a great regard for their land and to know to preserve it. Today, there is a need for a social and economic ecology. In the cities there prevails the problem of unstable neighbourhood relationship and transportation. On the other hand, in the rural and slum areas there exists the severe poverty. “Home is the basic need for everyone.” The governments are not effective in ensuring this basic need for the citizens.

There is a need for decent living and sanitary functions. Our respect towards nature begins from the respect that we show towards our own body which is also a nature by itself. Human beings need to care for their own body and to accept the gender differences. Integral ecology promotes the common good. Respect for the other person and the freedom for the groups is to ensure the stability and security. There is a scenario of “intergenerational solidarity” approach today. The world is a gift for us. We received freely and it is our duty to pass on this to the generation to come. The utilitarian view and selfishness have barricaded the world. This gives way for the precipitale catastrophe for the next generation. There is an urgent need to concentrate on the intergenerational solidarity with the newness of ethical stance. 

After briefing the present situation of the environment and the damage that is constantly happening to ecology, pope proposes some lines of action to be carried out which would enable us to preserve the common home for the next generation. He calls for the “dialogue among international, nationals and the locals in the area of environment.” He appreciates the decisions that are made in the world summit over the years and also points out the failure in its implications. The economic and politics go hand in hand. He suggests that in the policies that are being made must always have the poor in mind. Developed countries can render the support for the developing countries in the alternative methods. Alternatives are needed in the technological world. Honesty and willingness should be there in the forum of decision making. The respond towards the crisis calls for “rethinking in a new integral approach.”  we should have a healthy politics to cope up with the postmodern world. He stresses the importance on the open debate and dialogue among different sciences and religious groups. As believers to uphold the cordial virtues in its fullest is needed. Today’s ecological crisis demands for the preservation of common good.

At last pope appeals to us to see the ecology as spirituality and wants to have a good education with regard to this. Human beings duty toward the world is to “Till and Keep it.” Man has tilled the world enough and more and never achieved to keep it. Change and the awareness are the first things to be convinced. Let us give a new start to reshape the world. The awareness on the nature should be given to the younger ones through education. Personal and community conversion towards the ecology will lead to various attitudes like generous care and tenderness. Joy and peace would be established, only if there is, change in our lifestyle, fraternity with the other and the solidarity with our brother sun and sister moon. This can be gained by daily little practices of charity towards the other and the nature. The Holy Father exhausts the sacramental signs in the nature like water in the Baptism, human body as the temple of the Holy Spirit and so on. He reflects on the seventh day of Sabbath as a rest day not only for the man but, also for the other creatures as followed in the Jewish tradition. Creation is done by the Trinitarian God. Father is the source of creation, Son manifests the things and the Holy Spirit is present in all things. Every created beings reveals the quality of the Trinitarian God. Relationship with the God, the other and the creatures hold the Trinitarian dimension. This is the spirituality of global solidarity.

In conclusion Pope Francis projects, Mother Mary, who cared for Jesus is looking this poor crucified world and St. Joseph the just man becomes the model for our present world to be honest, to live and serve in humility. Let us look at these great figures as a model in generosity in protecting and caring for the world. Let us admire the beauty of the universe and to take charge of this home with the hope for the heavenly home. The Lord who came to this world is present among us in this world. “All things came into being in Him, through Him and for Him”(Col 1:16). “For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Col 1:19-20). Praise be to him. In the end the pope pens the song of St. Francis of Assisi for the people of good will and another song for the believers.

At the outset, the encyclical brings out the depletion in the ecology and urges the need to respond to it. This is very relevant in today. The beauty of this encyclical is that the Pope does not give solutions for the ecological problems. But, he calls for a dialogue, what has happened is happened, let us look forward and give a new stat to preserve our common home for our children. This letter really provokes the believers to have a concern on the nature. Pope without affecting anybody positively invites the people for conversion. This is really applicable. This is a wonderful encyclical that has to read by everyone.