VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Francis published a follow-up to his encyclical on climate change Wednesday (Oct. 4), just as Catholic prelates, faithful and theologians gather at the Vatican for a historic meeting to discuss the future of the church.In the 12-page document, the pope blasts the selfishness and greed of the wealthy few and urged world leaders meeting later this year at COP28 to put “petty interests” aside and come together for the good of the environment before it’s too late.
The pope stressed that for any kind of effective process to take hold, it needs to be “drastic, intense and count on the commitment of all.”
The new document, “Laudate Deum,” Latin for “Praise the Lord,” builds on the concepts of Francis’ 2015 encyclical, “Laudato Si’,” which promoted the care of creation and underlined the interconnectedness of humanity and the world. The publication of the new document coincides with the feast of the pope’s namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century friar famous for his concern for the poor and the environment.
The publication also occurs on the first day of the Synod on Synodality, a historic summit of Catholic faithful at the Vatican who are poised to discuss some of the most hot-button issues in the church, from female ordination to the welcoming of LGBTQ Catholics.
Concerns over climate change were raised in the local parish discussi …
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