In paragraph 27-31, Pope Francis begins to explore the issue of disappearing natural resources, especially clean water, He explores the consequences of lack of clean water in developing countries(deaths, spread of diseases, impacts on the agriculture, higher infant mortality etc,..)and the impact the mining industry and the market economy (among other things) may have on whatever access to clean water these countries may have.

Today's entry comes to use from  Reverend Jean-Daniel Williams, an Anglican and United Christian Chaplain at McGill University in Montreal, a PhD student of practical theology at the Université de Montréal, and the father of two lovely daughters who he hopes will grow up in a world of plentiful and shared clean water.

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Yet access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights. Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity.

Pope Francis, Laudato Si' 30

But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

John 4:14

There are two simple, paradoxical facts about water. Water is ordinary, and water is holy.

Water is ordinary. For so many of us it exists in such bounty, with such ease of access, that we seldom consider that for so many others it is scarce. But even for those for whom water is scarce and access difficult, water is a daily fact of life. It is indeed the universal—across geography, across time, across species, across even biological kingdoms—fact of life. As earthlings, we simply cannot conceive of life as we know it without this ordinary substance, this perfect molecular alignment of two hydrogen atoms with an oxygen atom. Perhaps life can exist without it, but it would be so different from our understanding of how life works, would we even recognize it? This week's discovery of water flowing on Mars is monumental in our search for the possibility of life beyond our planet. The ordinariness of water is a bit misleading, though. It can be tempting to think drinkable, fresh water is all around us because it always is near us. But that is because we can't live, for long, in the places where it is not. Our perception of water's abundance is skewed by our selection bias or sampling error of only looking around where we live, places we or our ancestors had settled in part because precisely because they had sufficient fresh water.

Water is also holy. It is holy water into which we dip our fingers and cross ourselves as we enter church. It is holy water by which we are baptised. Holy water which seals us together as a Christian family with one Lord, one faith, one Baptism (Ephesians 4:5). And what is holy water and water makes it holy? In some Christian traditions, a priest blesses water to make it holy. In my own United Church of Canada parish, we bless the waters of baptism as congregation, passing the vials of water through the pews, asking each person to hold it, perhaps say a prayer, and pass it along, so that when a new Christian is baptised into our family it is with water made holy through our collective faith. And while perhaps "lower-church" Protestants may not use the term "holy water" or expressly bless it, the holiness of the waters of baptism remains. It is molecularly ordinary H20, the same with which we wash our bodies, that becomes holy in its role in the sacrament of baptism so that it washes away even our sins.

Water is ordinary. Water is holy. This paradox is incarnational; it is sacramental. As Christians we claim an absolutely human first-century Galilean is absolutely God. And we approach that incarnated God through tangible acts. Sacraments, in the words of the Book of Common Prayer, are "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace," a bridge by which those things which seem so ordinary—perhaps water, perhaps bread or wine—represent and become profoundly holy. 

Of course, satisfying our bodily needs is spiritually insufficient. And so it was beside a well of ordinary water that Jesus taught, "Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14). But Jesus' metaphor is works precisely because the daily necessity of water is so clear. In his encyclical Laudato Si', Pope Francis writes, "access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights" (30).  

While I believe in the omnipotent power of God to do whatever God wills apart from human action, I find it deeply revealing that Jesus instituted sacraments that require the tangible presence of clean water, or nourishment of bread and wine. How dare we speak of our saviour being a spring of everlasting life if we do not share the springs of water equitably and protect their cleanliness for others. How dare we offer the holy meal of Christ's body and blood if we do not share the bounty of the earth equitably and grow it sustainably. 

The Holy Father wrote:

Fresh drinking water is an issue of primary importance, since it is indispensable for human life and for supporting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems… Water poverty especially affects Africa where large sectors of the population have no access to safe drinking water or experience droughts which impede agricultural production… One particularly serious problem is the quality of water available to the poor. Every day, unsafe water results in many deaths and the spread of water-related diseases, including those caused by microorganisms and chemical substances. Dysentery and cholera, linked to inadequate hygiene and water supplies, are a significant cause of suffering and of infant mortality. Underground water sources in many places are threatened by the pollution produced in certain mining, farming and industrial activities, especially in countries lacking adequate regulation or controls. It is not only a question of industrial waste. Detergents and chemical products, commonly used in many places of the world, continue to pour into our rivers, lakes and seas (Laudato Si' 28-29).

This not "merely" a political issue, or a capitalist issue. (And what does "merely political" even mean, as politics is the mechanism by which we in democracies make, or abdicate, moral stands?) Any attempt to pretend our care of creation's resources or compassion sharing of these resources with our siblings in the family of God is disconnected from our faith, as if Jesus' being our well-spring released us from sharing the very real springs of water our Heavenly Creator has given us, is a perversion and a sacrilege.  

Prophetically—not in the popular sense of foreseeing the future, but in the Biblical tradition of attentiveness to and challenging of the world's realities—the Holy Father notes, "In some places there is a growing tendency, despite its scarcity, to privatise this resource, turning it into a commodity subject to the laws of the market. Yet access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights," and warns, "Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity" (30).

Multinational corporate giant Nestlé has been widely criticised for sucking aquifers dry and selling water, filtered and bottled in tonnes of fossil-fuel-based plastics, it obtained for nearly free at astronomical profits. It is hardly alone. Most industrial wastes of water are more hidden from the public than the bottled water market. And corporations do not engage in such destructive greed for their own maniacal evil satisfaction, as tempting as it is to picture CEOs as cartoonish villains. They behave as part of a free-market system that commoditises things because in our politics we, collectively, by our actions or more frequently our inactions, allow them to, and because we as paying consumers ultimately enable them to. 

As the Holy Father says, "the problem of water is partly an educational and cultural issue" (30). I prefer not to think about it. I like turning out a faucet and drinking clean water. I like that taking a shower in my first-world, urban apartment requires no thought, no reflection on my consumption, my privilege, or my politics. But as Christians, as those who place our hope of eternal life in the hands of the God who is living water, it our call to echo the Holy Father's call in our words and actions, to ensure all—those near and far, those rich and poor—have access to the waters our Creator has given us. Clean water is becoming less ordinary; perhaps that will help us remember how holy it is.

Sec. 23-26 of Laudato Si: Our Relationship with the Climate-Ramana

In sec. 23 and 24 of Laudato Si, Pope Francis talks about global climate change and some of the scientific factors involved. In sec. 25 and 26, the discussion shifts to the implication of climate change on people and how we must overcome socioeconomic issues to make certain the dignity of human life is upheld.

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There are two ideas that really struck me as I read this section of Laudato Si. The first was yes, the pope is definitely a scientist! The second was the emphasis on human life and dignity that colors his discussion of global climate change.

Pope Francis' academic background includes science (chemistry, to be specific) and in LS 23 when he uses the language of 'appears' and 'majority' and 'significant' I can hear the scientist. Pope Francis is aware that global climate change is a difficult topic, one that some people accept as fact and others deny. As a scientist, this does not phase him. I find that society in general is often surprised at how much flexibility there is in science. Pope Francis does not back any particular theory for how climate change occurs, he simply says that their appears to be a change and that change is affecting people all over the world. While we need to care for the environment and be concerned about climate change, we need to look at it scientifically, that is, experimentally.  What I get from Pope Francis is not 'do this or else' but 'investigate, find the process that effects change'. Maybe protecting the rain forest is the way to go, maybe it's not. We won't know until we try.

Just as important as an experimental approach to solving the climatological issues of the world is supporting people through these changes. Whether you believe in global climate change or not, there are undeniably famines, disastrous storms, and other environmental events that are negatively impacting society, primarily society in less developed countries that do not have the infrastructure to assist people through these natural disasters. The environment is a gift given to us by God, this is evident in Pope Francis' introduction. This gift is to be used and cared for by humanity to support humanity. At least, that's my reading. We cannot be concerned with climate issues simply because we want to 'save the environment', but also because we want to increase the quality of life for those individuals who are starving to death due to famine, have lost their home due to flooding and storms, who can no longer farm their ancestral lands because of water table shifts. These people are at the heart of any environmental concern for Pope Francis. We are caretakers of the world and the environment, but we are also here to serve each other and to make certain that all people can have the basic necessities of food water and shelter.

-Ramana

September 15th entry by Dan Leckman: ....When our needs become our top priority...

In today's entry, Brother Daniel will be looking at paragraphs 20-22, where Pope Francis continues his analysis of "what is happening to our common home" by concentrating his attention on one of his main themes ("reviewing certain aspects of the ecological crisis" (LS 15)) but also discusses two of his sub themes: our throwaway culture, and the "intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet" (LS 16)

A good image for our sense of culture in the West

That we in the West are a culture of want and need is no secret to anyone. If we're really honest with ourselves, we'll go as far as seeing our culture as a culture of waste. However, when the Church and the activist community begins to speak of the throwaway culture, this makes many rather uncomfortable. But it's an uncomfortable reality we need to appropriate, because we don't limit ourselves to throwing away stuff that could be recycled (LS 22) or to generating millions "of tons of waste... every year, much of it non-biodegradable" (LS 20)...we also (as one blogger reminds us) "throw away our ozone layers, our oceans, our compassion for mankind in times of war, and any semblance of civic pride along with these careless actions." Seeing how many countries have dealt with the influx of Syrian refugees (treating them not as human beings, but as an object we don't wish to have) is a painful reminder of that. Dealing with painful or uncomfortable does however, seem to be one of this pope's specialties!! He is certainly rather effective at it, reminding us that it's by looking at the less pleasant aspects of our common narrative that  we can become even more aware of the gravity of our planet's situation, and will (hopefully)better learn how to respond to it. (LS 19)

 This is why Pope Francis  takes the time to explore how our throwaway culture (and the consumerist mentality  that has spawned  this culture) has been directly involved in creating this mess we find ourselves in: It's not enough to simply say 'we have an imperfect economic system that has prioritized technological development and economic growth at the expense of the health and well being of human beings, especially the most poor...and we need to change that for something more fair!'.  This is true, but we need go a little deeper people! I feel Francis does that by stating that this economic system " in fact proves incapable of seeing the mysterious network of relations between things and so sometimes solves one problem only to create others". (LS 20). 

This may seem obvious, but it points us back to one of the core messages of his encyclical: The world, the economic system within this world, many cultures within that system, seem to have forgotten how truly connected we really are. This simple,quasi utopian statement is both an invitation to be more aware of the deep spiritual bond between us, and a reminder to be conscious of how our actions impact the world we live in. If we treat our common home as "an immense pile of filth" (LS 21), then there's no limit to how neglectful we can be towards those with whom we share this home. Worse, we are faced with the reality that our actions are having more and more of negative impact on the (already) fragile ecosystem that sustains us. ( See paragraph 22 for a more detailed analysis of this particular problem).

There may not be a simple answer to this problem, but Francis does suggest again and again that a good starting point would be this feeling of connectedness that would make us more conscious of the needs of others, and more careful about our own actions. The challenge of course is that, while many people are walking around in our world with positive intentions and desires to live in such a connected way with creation,this will always be hard for us to do. Hard...but not impossible. This is the core of Francis' optimism, and it's something we would be wise to pay attention to!

Taking Care of our Home Demands Hard Choices: Reflection on Paragraphs 17-19 by Deacon Brian Cordeiro

  In the first chapter of this important document, Francis tackles not the scientific roots of our ecological crisis -that will come later- but a more reflective approach on those roots:  What does the crisis say about how we chose to live our lives? Are those choices we make in communion with creation, or are they contrary to them? Answering these questions can help us understand a little better what is actually happening to our common home. 

One theme that comes out of this reflection is that of  “rapidification” (LS 18).That our world lives in a culture that needs to get things quickly is not a revelation to anyone. What Francis suggests we lose sight of is, first, how contrary this need for 'instant gratification' is to the created world around us, and second, how it doesn't lead to to caring for the common good or 'to integral and sustainable human development' (LS 18) something that as we saw in Cathy's entry,  is important to Francis.  

 What is also key to this section, and to the whole document, is that while Francis is not afraid to look at the problems we face, he also joyfully looks at movements in our world that give us hope that we are slowly moving away from our bad habits, and towards a culture that is more sensitive towards  our environment. (19)

Today's entry is written by Deacon Brian Cordeiro. Brian  is a permanent deacon and Associate Director of Finance of the Archdiocese of Montreal. He is a Certified Public Accountant from Illinois and holds a Masters in Theology from Concordia University in Montreal. His passion is working for Christian unity, helping persecuted Christians and leading pilgrimages. He is the Vice-President of the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism, and is a  Board member of Aid to the Church in Need Canada.

source:Dreamstime

 The introduction of chapter 1 gives us an overall perspective of the challenges faced and the 
major areas to be addressed in taking care of our planet. It invites us to discuss 
concrete facts and solutions (LS 17). Solutions must necessarily look at societal 
problems like rampant poverty, injustices and imbalances in sharing resources. 
My reflection on these paragraphs will be under the following sections:

1. The ethics of choices

2. The relevance of the encyclical to our society and times

3. Stewardship of our home 

4. A personal call to conversion

1 The Ethics of Choices

Choices demand a fine balancing act, the need to select on the basis of 
which option is the better one. In this constant jugglery, we are called to balance 
profit against ethical practices, immediate gain versus future benefits, self-benefit 
against common good. As individuals, we are asked regularly to make decisions 
such as: Do I eat and exercise right to stay healthy? Do I recycle, do I get rid of 
dangerous waste responsibly? Governments, for their part, are called to balance 
their fiscal budgets and keep their people employed and in good health while
being respectful of the environment. We as individuals, corporations and 
governments, have to evaluate the impact of change on our home while making 
our choices (LS 18).

2 Relevance of the Encyclical to our Society

Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si comes at a most opportune time; for 
the Catholic Church and for society. Pope Francis, since becoming Pope in 
March 2013, has brought a great amount of openness to all forms of dialogue 
and possible change. For our society, the environment is currently a very 
relevant subject. Forty years ago when I was resident in India, I must confess 
that environmental concerns were not high on my list of priorities; taking care of 
starving millions was a greater priority. 

Today, the massive destruction that environmental changes have brought 
about are there for all to see. For many of us, these changes have come far too 
rapidly than we had expected. While reflecting on this encyclical and on the 
environment, we need to keep in mind that cultural and economic contexts are 
not the same across the planet. Thus others may have a context significantly 
different from mine and this impacts their choices. The poor have to struggle to 
make ends meet and to stave off starvation and this occupies the time, attention 
and resources of less developed countries. But, we cannot afford to ignore the 
impact on our home; it has to serve the many generations to follow.

Ethics comes with a cost. The Church, I believe, is in an advantageous 
position to dialogue on environment. It is not driven by profit and has values such 
as “common good” and “preference for the poor” which are recurring themes in 
the encyclical. The encyclical is of interest not only to Catholics but to all 
Christians, peoples of all religions and non-believers. In other words, it should be 
of interest to all residents of this world since we are all called to be ethical in 
taking care of our home. 

3 Stewardship of our Home 

The Scriptures are replete with references about good stewardship. A 
steward is one who takes care of the property of another and returns it in a better 
state than it was in when he initially received it. We are stewards of our time, 
talents and treasures. God is the ultimate owner and giver of all. As stewards we 
are to endeavour to use wisely what we have received and give glory to God by 
returning more than what we received. In this sense, we are called to be 
stewards of our environment. Let’s take care of this treasure wisely for God’s 
glory.

4 A Personal Call to Conversion 

The encyclical is a personal call to do my part in taking care of our planet. 
Whether it is to save power by choosing low watt lighting, using efficient 
appliances, keeping our homes slightly cooler in winter or converting grass 
clippings into mulch; the possibilities are endless. Obviously, all this demands 
personal energy, effort and cost on my part. But it is worth it; living ethically and 
responsibly requires it. I remember when I was studying at St. Xavier’s High 
School in Bombay, India in the 1960’s, recycling of newspapers was very 
advanced, and probably more that it was in the Western world at that time. Why? 
For economic reasons. By selling used papers, people could earn money. Thus 
economic reasons of earning a livelihood were driving processes that were good 
for the environment. I also remember that each year the Jesuits would carry out a 
competition among classes in our school to see who could sell the most papers. 
The money from such sales was used to help the poor. Thus one ethical choice; 
that of saving the environment led to another, taking care of my brother. This 
encyclical too calls for personal conversion and a change of hearts (LS 19). 

In conclusion, we can say that this section of  Chapter 1 of the encyclical is one that takes stock of where we are in our  care of the world. It initially discusses the impact of pollution on climate change, the challenges of availability and purity of fresh water and discusses societal 
conditions such as quality of life and inequalities that have become more and 
more rampant in our world. My wish for our readers is that this chapter will give 
you information on the nature and gravity of the problem so as to make you 
enthusiastic about playing your part in the solution. Our home belongs to all of 
us, both those of us who inhabit it now and those who will come after us. You 
and I are called to be involved actively in taking care of our home, being 
stewards of our planet. By doing this, we give glory to God, the generous giver of 
all our resources. 

Deacon Brian Cordeiro

September 8th entry by Cathy Wright (paragraphs 13-16)

Summary of paragraphs 13-16 of the introduction: 

Pope Francis’ call to protect our common home and to “ unite the whole human family together (and) seek a sustainable and integral development” certainly resonates for many in our world today.(LS13)  As Canadian environmental activist and author Naomi Klein recently stated in an article, such statements may seem new for the Church, but are more common, and regular for environmentalists. Today's entry by Cathy Wright will reflect a little on what does make this document unique for many environmentalists ( here's a clue: It's one word, and it starts with the letter H...and this is something that is also not new for the Church!!)

 

In this section, Pope Francis takes the time to celebrate “all those striving in countless ways to guarantee the protection of the home which we share”...especially for the world’s poorest whose lives have been impacted by climate change. (LS 13) He also states that because the ecological challenge affects us all, there should be a global conversation about this crisis that involves everyone. (LS 14). He does recognize that this has happened already, but also that we have with very little to show for it. This is why a new kind of solidarity is required where people of faith can work hand in hand with others to respond to the climate change (LS14)

To approach this task, Pope Francis lays out the scope of his entire encyclical in paragraphs 15 and 16. A brief survey of that scope will show us see that his main goal is to “provide a concrete foundation for the ethical and spiritual itinerary that follows... (which will help)render our commitment to the environment more coherent.” This is not just pretty ideas: His encyclical will also contain proposals that could encourage both dialogue and action from all people and even (here’s where his usual optimism really kicks in!!) affect international policy, all the while, ensuring that the Christian spiritual experience can have an influence on this process. (LS 15) He follows up this optimism with an overview of themes that will be revisited throughout the whole document ( themes like " the intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet;...the critique of new paradigms and forms of power derived from technology etc...) (LS16) He reminds us that his words are not the final words on these themes.Instead, they should be considered as an honest attempt to explore our current narrative  and to earnestly improve upon it.

Today's actual blog entry comes to you from a Canadian expat working in the US!! :Catherine Wright, B.Sc, B.Ed., M.Div., PhD (in short, she's a smart cookie!)

Former science and math teacher & high school chaplain, Catherine is a Catholic ecotheologian, wife, and mother who is now working as an Assistant Professor of theology and ethics at Wingate University, NC. Enjoy reading and commenting!

                                                                           

(source: Catholic voices)

Laudato Si recognizes the ecological crisis for what it is: the immense, wanton destruction of
Earth and human ecologies due to distorted and atrophied human economics, behaviors,
emotions, patterns of thinking, spiritual lives and ways of understanding the world around us.

Paragraph’s 13-16 are crucial to this document and contain much to ruminate on: they temper the urgent tone of the document with realistic hopefulness ( something that is almost foreign to many ecological groups, and that has inspired many of them about this document!!); they name the maladies countering faithful and lifesaving action; they unequivocally establish the authority of this pastoral ‘grassroots’ document within the long tradition of Catholic social teaching, and artfully delineate the foundational themes of the document for readers to follow.

What I appreciate in paragraph 13 is how Pope Francis’ is able to celebrate with great hope
God’s saving activity in the world but not to the detriment of humanity’s efforts at building our
common home. This balance counters two extremes: overly other-worldly visions of salvations
(and thus passivity or paralyzing helplessness) as well as unfounded optimism and complete
reliance on human technicians for salvation (which breeds a type of laid back optimism that
maintains the status quo or worse accelerates current destructive trends). Pope Francis uses the
distinctive phrase “sustainable and integral development” to describe the goal of the efforts of so
many. He uses it early in the document and often, which signals its central place in the vision
Pope Francis unfurls. This phrase also demonstrates how much the Earth-centered language has
been cultivated in the wisdom offered by preceding saints, Patriarchs, and papal antecedents (see
3-12). But in a remarkable way, this document is not satisfied with the legacy of the giants
preceding us (whose shoulders we stand on); each and every planetary citizen is called to
participate in this cooperative endeavor (paragraph 14) for much is at stake.

Paragraph 14 is a plea for a more inclusive conversation concerning a better future,
something demanded by those who are most invested in getting this right – young people. He
recognizes the “world wide ecological movement” (and if you want a fabulous look at the
evolution of this movement see Paul Hawken’s Blessed Unrest) and the “obstructionist attitudes”
of people (even believers!) that are inhibiting the effects of the work being done by these many
Earth centered organizations: denial; indifference; nonchalant resignation; blind confidence in
technology. This declaration is a glimpse of Pope Francis’ fortitude. As the encyclical unfolds,
he wades purposefully – and prophetically -- into the turbulent waters of modern patterns of
thinking and challenges seemingly unquestionable ‘truths’ (e.g., the principle of maximization of
profits (195); “deified markets” (55); unlimited material progress made possible by technological
innovation (78); international policies privileging the wealthy and “compulsively” consumptive
developed countries (203)). In paragraph 14 however, Pope Francis establishes that his critiques,
observations, and action paths are not theoretical nor purely his own ideas; the authority of his
statements come from the living experiences of people of faith throughout the world via pastoral
letters, statements, and other documents crafted by bishops shepherding their faithful – beginning
with the Bishops of South Africa that he names here. These include the Bishops of South Africa,
Latin American and Caribbean Bishops, Bishops of the Philippians, Bolivian Bishops, German
Bishops, the Bishops of Patagonia-Comahue, Bishops of Japan, Bishops of Brazil, Dominican
Bishops, the New Zealand Bishops, Bishops of Paraguay, the Confederation of Asian Bishops,
Portuguese Bishops, Mexican Bishops, US and Canadian Catholic Bishops, and Australian
Bishops. Each group represents countless individual believers and the parishes they reside. This
purposeful privileging of the non-European (and mostly non-North American) ‘grassroot’ voices
alongside the acknowledgement of this Encyclical’s authoritative place in Catholic Social
teaching (paragraph 15) is a powerful manifestation of ecclesial servant leadership. Alleluia! But
it also serves another purpose; the weight of the personal, professional, and vocational
experiences of congregations often at the margins, calls into question the legitimacy of the
smaller number of voices -- economists, academics, transnational corporations, wealthy and
powerful elites -- who benefit from the status quo and flex their power to obstruct change that
could transform the lives of so many in the present and future.

As a teacher, I hold a special place in my heart for paragraph 15 and 16; paragraph 15 is an
eloquent table of contents for the encyclical and Pope Francis’ vision of the path to ecological
conversion in light of the urgency of our historical moment. A must read! However, in paragraph
16 Pope Francis offers a thematic overview which acts as the threads that hold the tapestry of
this encyclical together. Over and over in the pages of Laudato Si, empirical scientific data and
insights of the Christian tradition are offered to heighten readers’ awareness of the intimate
relationship between the poor and Earth; the inter-connectivity of all Earth’s life systems; the role
of technology in destructive power dynamics; the need for new ways to honestly deliberation on
what “economy” and “progress” means and the need for more responsible and just international
business policies; the proper value of each creature; and the need to re-imaging how to live and
love in the twenty-first century. These threads of brilliant hues are deftly woven together and if
readers carefully follow each intertwining thread, much wisdom will be revealed.

These paragraphs prime the pump; readers are given the tools to meaningfully engage with the
materials in subsequent paragraphs. But alas, one concern remains for this reader: the failure to
use inclusive language (albeit is more infrequent than other encyclicals). Paragraph 13 holds one
example: “The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of
having created us.” Perhaps the recognition of the proper value of all creatures and the
interconnectivity of all of creation can be the springboards to the incorporation of inclusive
language in all encyclicals, theological documents and liturgical practice. This will add a depth
of meaning to the term “universal solidarity” (14) for how can we love our brothers and sisters of
other species when the consistent and exclusive use of the male pronoun silences the experiences
of our human sisters as modes of revelation. The literary exclusivity of God as male
unfortunately leads to the understanding that males are god and blocks so many from
experiencing true table fellowship and solidarity within our human faith communities.

Environmentalist Stephen Scharper wrote that he was always struck by a particular pithy
comment made by Gustavo Gutiérrez: “Unless you know the names of a poor person, you are not
in solidarity with them.” Scharper applies this to our Earth community: “unless you know the
names of certain species, learn how to communicate with them, spend time with ecosystems,
with rivers, discern the patterns of animals that move across your life course, your ravines, you
are not in solidarity.” (For Earth’s Sake, 2013). Perhaps exclusive language – prophetically
naming She Who Is (See the text with this same title by Elizabeth Johnson, 2002) -- when
referring to our generous and prolific Creator God will move our human family towards
universal solidarity, the cornerstone of ecological conversion.

Engaging Others: Ramana Konantz and paragraphs 7-12 of Laudato Si

A quick summary

In paragraphs 7-12, there are two important themes Bartholomew mentions that Francis will continue to develop: Firstly, Our “contribution...to the disfigurement and destruction of creation.” He considers this to be part of our  sins against creation, against ourselves, and against God.(LS 8) Secondly, he draws our attention to the “ethical, spiritual roots of the environmental problems”. This focus, he believes, will help us deal with (more than just) the symptoms, and will inspire us to be transformed, to “replace our greed with generosity...our wastefulness with sharing ” etc... Such a spiritual focus can only free us to love creation more completely and be more engaged with the interaction between humans and the divine which takes place “in the slightest detail...of the garment of God’s creation” ( LS 9)

  In paragraphs 10-12, Pope Francis turns to the figure he believes can inspire our Church to transform Her relation to creation: St Francis, the example “par excellence  of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically.” (LS 10) Through his self giving, his mysticism, simplicity and harmony with all creation, “he shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.” He also helps us go to the heart of what it is to be human by transcending the more secular, scientific language we use around creation, and focus more on the communion we have with it. (LS11) Pope Francis believes this attitude is essential to any efforts to move past the current relationship we have to the land (master, exploiters, consumers). Of course this shift will not be easy, but the challenge will be there for us to see the world  not as  “a problem to be solved, (but)... a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise.” (LS12)

Today's entry will come from Ramana Konantz, the other founder of this blog. Ramana is a Lecturer of Art at Colorado Mesa University as well as the Director for RCIA at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. She's a true academic in that she actually gets excited about doing research!

-Br. Dan Leckman

If there is one thing that Pope Francis will be remembered for years and years from now, it will be the effect he had on people outside of the Roman Catholic Church. The number of times a friend or acquaintance will make some comment to me about how 'silly' Catholics are and then follow up with "But not that Pope Francis, he's pretty cool!" astounds me. In this letter (because that's what an encyclical is, though it's pretty long for correspondence) Pope Francis is reminding Catholics, and others, that the world is a gift that was given not just to a few, but to all. Francis is explicit about this when he reminds Catholics that we are a bit behind the curve here: "Outside the Catholic Church, other Churches and Christian communities-and other religions as well-have expressed deep concern and offered valuable reflections on issues which all of us find disturbing." (LS7) Francis is aware that steps have been taken across the world to care better for the gift of creation and reminds us of the fact that Catholics are not alone!

Pope Francis' joy in God's creation is such that he cannot conceive of a limited creation. He cannot talk about creation without including all of God's children, whether they recognize God or not. This is especially important because both Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew (of the Eastern Orthodox Church) know that we must initiate "a change of humanity; otherwise we would be dealing merely with symptoms." (LS9) The Catholic Church cannot care for creation in isolation, it must build bridges with other groups, reminding all of humanity that creation, the world, is something we all participate in, something we must all care for.

This fact, that Catholics must work with the wider interfaith, ecumenical, and cultural world, is equally important as Pope Francis' call to care for the environment. We don't have to do this alone and we don't have to reinvent the wheel. There are groups out there already doing things to help the environment. Pope Francis calls us into dialogue with everyone because humanity is part of God's creation.

And as Catholics, we are called to love all of God's creation: "Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise." (LS12)

-Ramana

September 1st: Engaging the narrative: Brother Dan and paragraphs 1-6 of the introduction of Laudato Si.

Br. Dan Leckman is one of the founders of A Voice in the Wilderness and is a Jesuit brother working as a spiritual director in Canada. He's starting us off with the first six paragraphs of Laudato Si which primarily comprise Pope Francis explaining the reason for writing this encyclical, as well as the history of previous popes speaking about the environment.
-Ramana

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It’s with a lot of excitement that I join the Francises in praising God's presence in creation through my writing the first entry for our page on the same day that many Christians will be celebrating a "world day of prayer for the care of creation“ The excitement is to be expected: The response by many in our world to Laudato Si  has been nothing short of exuberant. The general public seem elated by the potential this document has to galvanize a whole generation into being more conscious, socially active, and caring in their interactions with creation. Adding to the excitement, many Christians are starting to understand that we should be doing more than just walking around quoting pretty lines from the document and saying things like ‘isn’t it great to be Catholic with this Pope around!?’  Of course it is, but that’s not the point.

The point, while addressed to “every person living on this planet” (LS 3), is especially important for all Christians:  Through this Pope, Jesus is inviting Christians to transform themselves, and to live lives that are in communion, not in conflict, with all of creation. Are we willing to answer this invitation, or are made uncomfortable by it? Judging  some of the reactions to this encyclical around the world, it would seem that latter reaction is not uncommon among Catholics: This is illustrated by the many who  dismiss the Pope’s  call to  ‘care for our common home’ as a hippie socialist attitude that doesn’t correspond with how they (comfortably) live their faith; It’s illustrated by the drop in popularity this Pope has suffered among American Catholics because of his attacks on capitalism(and consequently, on our ‘privileged’ Western lifestyle) both in this encyclical and in his papacy in general; It is also illustrated by some Catholic bloggers who have expressed their frustration at feeling scolded by the Pope through this encyclical or other addresses of his. For such people, trying to understand and decipher this Pontiff is so exhausting that they refuse to commit themselves to studying this encyclical or, if they  do so, it is in a somewhat superficial way.

Personally, I love that he uses this encyclical to address us in the first place, and not just express important ideas that will end up lying dormant for decades due to lack of exposure! And while it’s true that many are uncomfortable around his words, I feel the need to emphasize what these words  really are: Not scoldings. Challenges. Challenges to renew our bond with creation. Challenges to remember  that we share earth and her resources with all creatures of creation big and small, and that not one of these creatures is superior, or has more value than others.  This is why it’s so perfectly fitting that the very first quote in this encyclical, and the very title of it, comes from Saint Francis’ Canticle of Brother son, and sister moon “ Praise be to you, my Lord (Laudato Si, mi Signore), through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains (embraces)  and governs us…”  (LS 1) With this powerful language that reminds us how much the earth has provided us, Francis is going to encourage us to ponder  a simple question: We know what the earth is to us, but what are we to the earth?

There are many positive ways we could answer this question. We could speak of how we individually, or communally have done great things to improve our relations to the earth by recycling, composting, or eating food that was more organic. However, it’s the global picture that Francis is looking at: how has humanity as a whole responded to the gifts that we have received from God, and from creation? The picture that comes out of this reflection is a sobering one that is made even more sobering by this analogy of the earth as sister and mother to us.  This is a poignant image that illustrates how  the earth shares life with us as a sister, with whom we are equals in how we use life. At the same time, the earth remains our Mother who gives and sustains that life. Pope Francis highlights how we have taken that sense of equality to an extreme, by proclaiming  ourselves masters over creation. As a result of this egregious and violent act, we destroy that equality by acting like the rulers of our Mother and Sister. What’s worse, is that we’ve become indifferent towards the wonderful gifts we’ve been given, and have even distanced ourselves from our true identity as co-created beings that exist in harmony with the rest of creation. When we consider that ‘nothing in this world is indifferent to us’ (LS 2) our own indifference becomes nothing short of sinful.

While this may seem like harsh language to some, as Francis illustrates in paragraphs 4-6, he is merely continuing a long tradition in the Church: Using papal documents to take a good long hard look at the world, honestly naming the problems and challenges found in it, and proposing some prayers, spiritual practices, or social actions that could lead to a healthy Catholic response to this problem. Our ecological crisis is no different: Many popes have highlighted the human impact on our ecological system,and the consequences of our (collective) actions on human life (LS 5). And this is for me the core of the Pope’s message here: Quoting Blessed Pope Paul Vi, he reminds that any scientific advances and economic growth that is not in communion with creation will eventually “turn against humanity”.  It’s a message Francis comes back to in one form or another rather often,no matter how uncomfortable this may make us.  But this is only one aspect the narrative that Francis explores, and with the help of our many collaborators (including those of you reading and commenting on our entries!) we will continue to unpack it as the weeks go by.

What are we doing?

When Pope Francis released his encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si, he explained that this document was not just for Catholics but for everyone. This unusual move on the part of Pope Francis has inspired us to start this blog. We want to demonstrate just what it means for a document to be for ‘everyone’! Instead of being a blog where Catholic theologians examine Catholic teachings, we want to create an environment of dialogue where we can bring together the diversity of voices that Pope Francis is trying to reach.

To achieve this, Br. Dan and I are asking a variety of individuals from all sorts of backgrounds to read a section of Laudato Si and write a short reflection or response to that section. These responses can be analytical, prayerful, critical, poetic, or really, anything the contributor desires! Our hope is that by seeing and reading the responses of others to Laudato Si, we will have more and new perspectives in which to understand the Holy Father's words.

To this end, A Voice in the Wilderness was created. Every week, there will be two posts. Each post will indicate what paragraphs of Laudato Si the author is working with (we're using the numbering found on the vatican.va website). There will be a brief introduction of the contributing author by Br. Dan or myself, and then the reflection.

We invite comments, though at the moment comments are being moderated, so it may take a bit for the comments to show up!

Please join us in diverse conversation and dialogue, and God Bless!

Br. Dan Leckman, S.J.

Ramana Konantz,  M.T.S