The previous chapter should not be read as a cool and detached description of today’s problems, for “the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the people of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted, are the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the followers of Christ as well. Translate PDF. Nor can I reduce my life to relationships with a small group, even my own family; I cannot know myself apart from a broader network of relationships, including those that have preceded me and shaped my entire life. of a better world . Those Catholics who pride themselves in being mindful of tradition would do well to read this encyclical and learn from the pope. Let us turn at last to the injured man. This contributes to a general feeling of frustration, isolation and desperation”. The bigger risk does not come from specific objects, material realities or institutions, but from the way that they are used. 49. To Francis, politics is not about "how many people endorsed me?" Indeed, when we open our hearts to those who are different, this enables them, while continuing to be themselves, to develop in new ways. [17] BENEDICT XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate (29 June 2009), 22: AAS 101 (2009), 657. Closed groups and self-absorbed couples that define themselves in opposition to others tend to be expressions of selfishness and mere self-preservation. If the conviction that all human beings are brothers and sisters is not to remain an abstract idea but to find concrete embodiment, then numerous related issues emerge, forcing us to see things in a new light and to develop new responses. 79. [268] She does not claim to compete with earthly powers, but to offer herself as “a family among families, this is the Church, open to bearing witness in today’s world, open to faith hope and love for the Lord and for those whom he loves with a preferential love. 74. We can see this clearly as social and political inertia is turning many parts of our world into a desolate byway, even as domestic and international disputes and the robbing of opportunities are leaving great numbers of the marginalized stranded on the roadside. Indeed, “globalized society often has an elegant way of shifting its gaze. I would once more observe that “the financial crisis of 2007-08 provided an opportunity to develop a new economy, more attentive to ethical principles, and new ways of regulating speculative financial practices and virtual wealth. It is the territory of the “barbarian”, from whom we must defend ourselves at all costs. By his actions, the Good Samaritan showed that “the existence of each and every individual is deeply tied to that of others: life is not simply time that passes; life is a time for interactions”.[57]. There is no need, then, to oppose the interests of society, consensus and the reality of objective truth. Cerf, Paris, 1968, 12-13. There is a reason why Jesus told us: “When you give alms, do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret” (Mt 6:3-4). In recent years, the words “populism” and “populist” have invaded the communications media and everyday conversation. 235. “Those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen” (1 Jn 4:20). 14. There are times when we feel like him, badly hurt and left on side of the road. Those who enjoy a surplus of water yet choose to conserve it for the sake of the greater human family have attained a moral stature that allows them to look beyond themselves and the group to which they belong. [175] Charity, when accompanied by a commitment to the truth, is much more than personal feeling, and consequently need not “fall prey to contingent subjective emotions and opinions”. It makes us uneasy, since we have no time to waste on other people’s problems. [244] Message to the United Nations Conference to Negotiate a Legally Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (23 March 2017): AAS 109 (2017), 394-396. and then note the tall green vertical bar at the far left. We need to sink our roots deeper into the fertile soil and history of our native place, which is a gift of God. In other words, he challenges us to put aside all differences and, in the face of suffering, to draw near to others with no questions asked. All of us have in ourselves something of the wounded man, something of the robber, something of the passers-by, and something of the Good Samaritan. 250. Its misuse paves the way for hostility and discord; it undoes any successes and takes away the religious and civil rights of some citizens who are thus discriminated against”. [226] Meeting with the Children of the “Bethany Centre” and Representatives of other Charitable Centres of Albania, Tirana, Albania (21 September 2014): Insegnamenti II, 2 (2014), 288. At the same time, it warns us about the attitude of those who think only of themselves and fail to shoulder the inevitable responsibilities of life as it is. JAIME HOYOS-VÁSQUEZ, S.J., “Lógica de las relaciones sociales. [181] Catholic moral doctrine, following the teaching of Saint Thomas Aquinas, distinguishes between “elicited” and “commanded” acts; cf. Through sacrifice and patience, they can help to create a beautiful polyhedral reality in which everyone has a place. This is the finest help we can give to the poor, the best path to a life of dignity. Breakdown ensues: everything is “leveled down” by a superficial bartered consensus. [185] It will likewise inspire intense efforts to ensure that “everything be done to protect the status and dignity of the human person”. All three together are essential to building peace; each, moreover, prevents the other from being altered… Truth should not lead to revenge, but rather to reconciliation and forgiveness. 42. [63] No one can experience the true beauty of life without relating to others, without having real faces to love. 92). There is no end to the building of a country’s social peace; rather, it is “an open-ended endeavour, a never-ending task that demands the commitment of everyone and challenges us to work tirelessly to build the unity of the nation. 45. Jesus concludes the parable by saying: “Go and do likewise” (Lk 10:37). The mechanisms that form these images are the same that allowed the spread of racist ideas in their time”. The way many platforms work often ends up favouring encounter between persons who think alike, shielding them from debate. Then too, ignoring the culture of their people has led to the inability of many political leaders to devise an effective development plan that could be freely accepted and sustained over time. [183] Only a gaze transformed by charity can enable the dignity of others to be recognized and, as a consequence, the poor to be acknowledged and valued in their dignity, respected in their identity and culture, and thus truly integrated into society. [94] Saint John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991), 31: AAS 83 (1991), 831. [226] Each of us should realize that “even the harsh judgment I hold in my heart against my brother or my sister, the open wound that was never cured, the offense that was never forgiven, the rancour that is only going to hurt me, are all instances of a struggle that I carry within me, a little flame deep in my heart that needs to be extinguished before it turns into a great blaze”. 221. In the same way, we can choose the people with whom we wish to share our world. In this case, I have felt particularly encouraged by the Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, with whom I met in Abu Dhabi, where we declared that “God has created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and has called them to live together as brothers and sisters”. 8. [138] A similar point could be made with regard to the biblical category of the Kingdom of God. 73. [53] SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 1. [53] In the attempt to search for a ray of light in the midst of what we are experiencing, and before proposing a few lines of action, I now wish to devote a chapter to a parable told by Jesus Christ two thousand years ago. The same attitude is demanded if we are to recognize the rights of all people, even those born beyond our own borders. We need to ensure that our institutions are truly effective in the struggle against all these scourges”. Truth means recognizing the pain of women who are victims of violence and abuse… Every act of violence committed against a human being is a wound in humanity’s flesh; every violent death diminishes us as people… Violence leads to more violence, hatred to more hatred, death to more death. Let us not forget that “peoples that abandon their tradition and, either from a craze to mimic others or to foment violence, or from unpardonable negligence or apathy, allow others to rob their very soul, end up losing not only their spiritual identity but also their moral consistency and, in the end, their intellectual, economic and political independence”. The mutual sense of belonging is prior to the emergence of individual groups. 149. The development of a global community of fraternity based on the practice of social friendship on the part of peoples and nations calls for a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good. 267. 148. Employing a strategy of ridicule, suspicion and relentless criticism, in a variety of ways one denies the right of others to exist or to have an opinion. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (24 November 2013), 220-221: AAS 105 (2013), 1110-1111. As a result, “our response can only be the fruit of a common effort”[113] to develop a form of global governance with regard to movements of migration. The present Encyclical takes up and develops some of the great themes raised in the Document that we both signed. It will not be so among you” (Mt 20:25-26). Ultimately, "persons are no longer seen as a paramount value to be cared for . [35] In the encyclical, he calls for the development of a mid- to long-term "form of global governance" which would have the means to provide "effective assistance for integrating migrants in their receiving countries, while also promoting the development of their countries of origin through policies inspired by solidarity, yet not linking assistance to ideological strategies and practices alien or contrary to the cultures of the peoples being assisted. [175] Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate (29 June 2009), 2: AAS 101 (2009), 642. [160] In other words, a “healthy politics… capable of reforming and coordinating institutions, promoting best practices and overcoming undue pressure and bureaucratic inertia”. Its point of departure must be God’s way of seeing things. Any other decision would make us either one of the robbers or one of those who walked by without showing compassion for the sufferings of the man on the roadside. They have been bent and shaped to serve as tools for domination, as meaningless tags that can be used to justify any action. The broader objective should always be to allow them a dignified life through work”. The mere sum of individual interests is not capable of generating a better world for the whole human family. In God’s plan, each individual is called to promote his or her own development,[102] and this includes finding the best economic and technological means of multiplying goods and increasing wealth. [18] Address to the Civil Authorities, Tirana, Albania (21 September 2014): AAS 106 (2014), 773. They agree that opportunities should be available to everyone, but then go on to say that everything depends on the individual. If we want to encounter and help one another, we have to dialogue. [22], 25. Providentially, many groups and organizations within civil society help to compensate for the shortcomings of the international community, its lack of coordination in complex situations, its lack of attention to fundamental human rights and to the critical needs of certain groups. These considerations help us recognize the urgent need to combat all that threatens or violates fundamental human rights. Genuine social encounter calls for a dialogue that engages the culture shared by the majority of the population. Today too, outside the ancient town walls lies the abyss, the territory of the unknown, the wilderness. In this way, they deny that there is room for everybody. The nervous indifference that makes them pass to the other side of the road – whether innocently or not, whether the result of disdain or mere distraction – makes the priest and the Levite a sad reflection of the growing gulf between ourselves and the world around us. Rom 12:21) and by cultivating those virtues which foster reconciliation, solidarity and peace”. [145] They may be troublesome, and certain “theorists” may find it hard to classify them, yet we must find the courage to acknowledge that, without them, “democracy atrophies, turns into a mere word, a formality; it loses its representative character and becomes disembodied, since it leaves out the people in their daily struggle for dignity, in the building of their future”.[146]. Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. She stated that the encyclical addressed many social issues, but did not address problems which particularly concern women, such as "gender-based violence" and she said that the Catholic Church "does not accord women the same dignity and identical rights as men". The gap between realities and ideals is a leading motif of "Fratelli Tutti," and the third principle in "Evangelii Gaudium" (Nos. Although I have written it from the Christian convictions that inspire and sustain me, I have sought to make this reflection an invitation to dialogue among all people of good will. [139] PAUL RICOEUR, Histoire et Verité, ed. There is always the factor of “gratuitousness”: the ability to do some things simply because they are good in themselves, without concern for personal gain or recompense. [75] Message for the 2014 World Day of Peace (8 December 2013), 1: AAS 106 (2014), 22. And those who raise walls will end up as slaves within the very walls they have built. Dialogue between generations; dialogue among our people, for we are that people; readiness to give and receive, while remaining open to the truth. They result from a political manipulation of religions and from interpretations made by religious groups who, in the course of history, have taken advantage of the power of religious sentiment in the hearts of men and women… God, the Almighty, has no need to be defended by anyone and does not want his name to be used to terrorize people”. Fratelli Tutti sends out a clarion call to discover new ways of engaging in politics, society and religion that are grounded in a culture of encounter and friendship rather than fear and self-interest. "[43], Jesuit James Martin praises the encyclical, for he says the encyclical "ratifies a change in church teaching" because it declares the death penalty "inadmissible" and states that Catholics should work to abolish it. [273] Lectio Divina, Pontifical Lateran University, Rome (26 March 2019): L’Osservatore Romano, 27 March 2019, p. 10. 4-5. Indeed, “civic life, structured around an organized community, needs rules of coexistence, the wilful violation of which demands appropriate redress”. Yet the same rule clearly does not apply to a disabled person, to someone born in dire poverty, to those lacking a good education and with little access to adequate health care. Cain kills his brother Abel and then hears God ask: “Where is your brother Abel?” (Gen 4:9). There are social phenomena that create majorities, as well as megatrends and communitarian aspirations. That is how various ideologies operate: they destroy (or deconstruct) all differences so that they can reign unopposed. [13], The text of the encyclical was officially published by the Vatican on 4 October 2020,[14][15][16] the feast day of Francis of Assisi. This parable has to do with an age-old problem. From the various peace processes that have taken place in different parts of the world, “we have learned that these ways of making peace, of placing reason above revenge, of the delicate harmony between politics and law, cannot ignore the involvement of ordinary people. Our response to the arrival of migrating persons can be summarized by four words: welcome, protect, promote and integrate. 1. 177. The different religions, based on their respect for each human person as a creature called to be a child of God, contribute significantly to building fraternity and defending justice in society. The real question is this: will we abandon the injured man and run to take refuge from the violence, or will we pursue the thieves? Fratelli Tutti is a social encyclical, that is, it concerns the Church's social doctrine, which is a part of the Church's long-standing moral teaching. In the Old Testament, God often repeats the command to treat the most vulnerable—the widow, the orphan, the poor, the foreigner . And, at the same time, that by the coercive measures provided by the law, they be turned from their irrational fury to the calmness of men of sound mind, and from their evil deeds to some useful employment. [40] Migrants are not seen as entitled like others to participate in the life of society, and it is forgotten that they possess the same intrinsic dignity as any person. [87] Message for the 2016 World Day of Peace (8 December 2015), 6: AAS 108 (2016), 57-58. St Francis of Assisi used to say: "All brothers and sisters". In the affluent sectors of many poor countries, and at times in those who have recently emerged from poverty, there is a resistance to native ways of thinking and acting, and a tendency to look down on one’s own cultural identity, as if it were the sole cause of every ill. 52. [234] Message for the 2020 World Day of Peace (8 December 2019), 2: L’Osservatore Romano, 13 December 2019, p. 8. Never again war![242]. International peace and stability cannot be based on a false sense of security, on the threat of mutual destruction or total annihilation, or on simply maintaining a balance of power… In this context, the ultimate goal of the total elimination of nuclear weapons becomes both a challenge and a moral and humanitarian imperative… Growing interdependence and globalization mean that any response to the threat of nuclear weapons should be collective and concerted, based on mutual trust. An abomination that goes to the length of kidnapping persons for the sake of selling their organs. In this way, “what is thrown away are not only food and dispensable objects, but often human beings themselves”. [24] Message fro the 2020 World Day of Peace (8 December 2019), 1: L’Osservatore Romano, 13 December 2019, p. 8. For they have another way of looking at things; they see aspects of reality that are invisible to the centres of power where weighty decisions are made. Dr Tarcisius Mukuka. Such a covenant also demands the realization that some things may have to be renounced for the common good. 278. Omelie e discorsi di Buenos Aires 1999-2013, Rizzoli, Milan 2016, XVI; cf. [54][55], Pope Francis participated in a virtual observance of the International Day of Human Fraternity on 4 February 2021 along with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad al-Tayyeb,[56] a new celebration founded on 21 December 2020 by the United Nations and which may have been influenced by Fratelli tutti. 23. Work gives us a sense of shared responsibility for the development of the world, and ultimately, for our life as a people. 188. 7. [14] We have seen what happened with the elderly in certain places in our world as a result of the coronavirus. Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another, and to find common ground: all these things are summed up in the one word “dialogue”. Those who truly forgive do not forget. Free and heartfelt forgiveness is something noble, a reflection of God’s own infinite ability to forgive. 282. What happens when fraternity is not consciously cultivated, when there is a lack of political will to promote it through education in fraternity, through dialogue and through the recognition of the values of reciprocity and mutual enrichment? Neither the notion of “people” nor that of “neighbour” can be considered purely abstract or romantic, in such a way that social organization, science and civic institutions can be rejected or treated with contempt. Fratelli Tutti is Pope Francis' "cry from the heart" to all people of the earth to see beyond their differences—indeed to work with their differences—and begin to grow together to build a new and peaceful world. In some closed and monochrome economic approaches, for example, there seems to be no place for popular movements that unite the unemployed, temporary and informal workers and many others who do not easily find a place in existing structures. [173] Cf. Pròximament es publicarà a la revista Documents d'Església. Something else is required: an exchange of gifts for the common good. The mediator, on the other hand, is one who retains nothing for himself, but rather spends himself generously until he is consumed, knowing that the only gain is peace. Fratelli tutti A radical blueprint for post-Covid world.Fraternity and social friendship are the ways the Pontiff indicates to build a better, more just and peaceful world, with the contribution of all: people and institutions. [251] SAINT JOHN PAUL II, Address to the National Association of Magistrates (31 March 2000), 4: AAS 92 (2000), 633. [282] Address to Civil Authorities, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina (6 June 2015): L’Osservatore Romano, 7 June 2015, p. 7. [32] Homily in Skopje, North Macedonia (7 May 2019): L’Osservatore Romano, 8 May 2019, p. 12. [82] Investments in assistance to the vulnerable could prove unprofitable; they might make things less efficient. Without encountering and relating to differences, it is hard to achieve a clear and complete understanding even of ourselves and of our native land. Racism is a virus that quickly mutates and, instead of disappearing, goes into hiding, and lurks in waiting. "[22], In the encyclical, Pope Francis strives to ensure the situation of women globally is taken more into account; he also stated: "The organization of societies worldwide is still far from reflecting clearly that women possess the same dignity and identical rights as men. The poor are beyond the scope of their interest. There is a growing conviction that, together with specialized scientific advances, we are in need of greater interdisciplinary communication. In the words of Saint John XXIII, “it no longer makes sense to maintain that war is a fit instrument with which to repair the violation of justice”. There are also attempts to discredit politics, to replace it with economics or to twist it to one ideology or another. La rilevanza pubblica della - fraternità - 4. [149] Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 175: AAS 107 (2015), 916-917. True charity is capable of incorporating all these elements in its concern for others. 47. How wonderful would it be, even as we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the needs of the brothers and sisters who orbit around us”. Integrating differences is a much more difficult and slow process, yet it is the guarantee of a genuine and lasting peace. Individuals who possess this quality help make other people’s lives more bearable, especially by sharing the weight of their problems, needs and fears. “‘People’ is not a logical category, nor is it a mystical category, if by that we mean that everything the people does is good, or that the people is an ‘angelic’ reality. [1] Admonitions, 6, 1. [189] When a specific policy sows hatred and fear towards other nations in the name of its own country’s welfare, there is need to be concerned, to react in time and immediately to correct the course. Our relationships, if healthy and authentic, open us to others who expand and enrich us. Pope Francis' third Encyclical Letter, Fratelli Tutti, was published on the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4 October 2020. Let us admit that, for all the progress we have made, we are still “illiterate” when it comes to accompanying, caring for and supporting the most frail and vulnerable members of our developed societies. There are powerful countries and large businesses that profit from this isolation and prefer to negotiate with each country separately. [217] Homily, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia (10 September 2017): AAS 109 (2017), 1086. Charity’s openness to truth thus protects it from “a fideism that deprives it of its human and universal breadth”.[179]. Le Seuil, Paris, 1967, 113-127. A Paper delivered by. Great changes are not produced behind desks or in offices. 71. [77], Inadequate understandings of universal love. [203] This does not result in an ethical rigidity nor does it lead to the imposition of any one moral system, since fundamental and universally valid moral principles can be embodied in different practical rules. 270. No. They will certainly not need a proactive state; they need only claim their freedom. The monks realized that the values they sought to cultivate had to be accompanied by a readiness to move beyond themselves in openness to others. [128] Cf. Unscrupulous traffickers, frequently linked to drug cartels or arms cartels, exploit the weakness of migrants, who too often experience violence, trafficking, psychological and physical abuse and untold sufferings on their journey”. At the same time, though, the local has to be eagerly embraced, for it possesses something that the global does not: it is capable of being a leaven, of bringing enrichment, of sparking mechanisms of subsidiarity. 5. In this way, it does not deny its proper identity, but is open to being mobilized, challenged, broadened and enriched by others, and thus to further growth and development. The arrival of those who are different, coming from other ways of life and cultures, can be a gift, for “the stories of migrants are always stories of an encounter between individuals and between cultures. 159. “Popular” leaders, those capable of interpreting the feelings and cultural dynamics of a people, and significant trends in society, do exist. [199] Message for the 2014 World Communications Day (24 January 2014): AAS 106 (2014), 113. [238] The seventy-five years since the establishment of the United Nations and the experience of the first twenty years of this millennium have shown that the full application of international norms proves truly effective, and that failure to comply with them is detrimental. It is a patient effort to seek truth and justice, to honour the memory of victims and to open the way, step by step, to a shared hope stronger than the desire for vengeance”. [45], José Horacio Gómez, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, says the encyclical proposes a challenge "to overcome the individualism in our culture and to serve our neighbors in love". [229] All of us know that “when we, as individuals and communities, learn to look beyond ourselves and our particular interests, then understanding and mutual commitment bear fruit… in a setting where conflicts, tensions and even groups once considered inimical can attain a multifaceted unity that gives rise to new life”.[230]. Other persons come to be viewed simply as obstacles to our own serene existence; we end up treating them as annoyances and we become increasingly aggressive. Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae (25 March 1995), 56: AAS 87 (1995), 463-464. For “the whole is greater than the part, but it is also greater than the sum of its parts”. O God, Trinity of love, from the profound communion of your divine life, pour out upon us a torrent of fraternal love. [201] Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 123: AAS 107 (2015), 896. Let us hear the true stories of these victims of violence, look at reality through their eyes, and listen with an open heart to the stories they tell. Yet we also need to look to the local, which keeps our feet on the ground. Alongside these basic needs that remain unmet, trafficking in persons represents another source of shame for humanity, one that international politics, moving beyond fine speeches and good intentions, must no longer tolerate. Such is the magnitude of these situations, and their toll in innocent lives, that we must avoid every temptation to fall into a declarationist nominalism that would assuage our consciences. In the process, we come to experience others as our “own flesh” (Is 58:7). What we call “truth” is not only the reporting of facts and events, such as we find in the daily papers. It makes us believe that everything consists in giving free rein to our own ambitions, as if by pursuing ever greater ambitions and creating safety nets we would somehow be serving the common good. [279] Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Querida Amazonia (2 February 2020), 106. The flood of information at our fingertips does not make for greater wisdom. Life without fraternal gratuitousness becomes a form of frenetic commerce, in which we are constantly weighing up what we give and what we get back in return. 1. [61] SAINT JOHN PAUL II, Message to the Handicapped, Angelus in Osnabrück, Germany (16 November 1980): Insegnamenti III, 2 (1980), 1232. The Samaritans lived in a region where pagan rites were practised. [44], 41. [20], Pope Francis reflects upon the parable of the Good Samaritan, which is the theological core of the encyclical. My relationship with those whom I respect has to take account of the fact that they do not live only for me, nor do I live only for them. The marketplace, by itself, cannot resolve every problem, however much we are asked to believe this dogma of neoliberal faith. My criticism of the technocratic paradigm involves more than simply thinking that if we control its excesses everything will be fine. 219. It should be acknowledged that “among the most important causes of the crises of the modern world are a desensitized human conscience, a distancing from religious values and the prevailing individualism accompanied by materialistic philosophies that deify the human person and introduce worldly and material values in place of supreme and transcendental principles”. It also gives rise to healthy and enriching exchanges. The world is itself crying out in rebellion. I consider this part of our natural instinct of self-defence. Seen from the standpoint not only of the legitimacy of private property and the rights of its citizens, but also of the first principle of the common destination of goods, we can then say that each country also belongs to the foreigner, inasmuch as a territory’s goods must not be denied to a needy person coming from elsewhere. This is a far cry from the false universalism of those who constantly travel abroad because they cannot tolerate or love their own people. GLOBALIZATION AND PROGRESS WITHOUT A SHARED ROADMAP. Be inspired to embrace the themes dear to the heart of the beloved saint with these quotes on fraternity and social friendship. Courage and generosity are needed in order freely to establish shared goals and to ensure the worldwide observance of certain essential norms. Their only desire is to avoid problems; it does not matter that, through their fault, another person could die. Underlying this is a conception of the human person as detached from all social and anthropological contexts, as if the person were a “monad” (monás), increasingly unconcerned with others… Unless the rights of each individual are harmoniously ordered to the greater good, those rights will end up being considered limitless and consequently will become a source of conflicts and violence”.[85]. Digital relationships, which do not demand the slow and gradual cultivation of friendships, stable interaction or the building of a consensus that matures over time, have the appearance of sociability. [269] Address to the Catholic Community, Rakovski, Bulgaria (6 May 2019): L’Osservatore Romano, 8 May 2019, p. 9. 86] Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 229: AAS 107 (2015), 937. It is the third encyclical since Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio took the name Francis on his election to the papacy in . I have only to think of what our world would be like without the patient dialogue of the many generous persons who keep families and communities together. I shall offer a personal reading of Fratelli Tutti, the latest encyclical from Pope Francis. To be part of a people is to be part of a shared identity arising from social and cultural bonds. [197] Public discussion, if it truly makes room for everyone and does not manipulate or conceal information, is a constant stimulus to a better grasp of the truth, or at least its more effective expression. Nowadays, it is easy to be tempted to turn the page, to say that all these things happened long ago and we should look to the future. In his new encyclical "FRATELLI TUTTI", Pope Francis calls for a more fraternal society that does not just continue as before after the Corona crisis. 213. I am speaking of Blessed Charles de Foucauld. In moments of crisis, decisions become urgent. In the depths of every heart, love creates bonds and expands existence, for it draws people out of themselves and towards others. Or when, at other times, they seek popularity by appealing to the basest and most selfish inclinations of certain sectors of the population. [199] We need constantly to ensure that present-day forms of communication are in fact guiding us to generous encounter with others, to honest pursuit of the whole truth, to service, to closeness to the underprivileged and to the promotion of the common good. Fratelli Tutti follows his 2019 signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi. Fear and resentment can easily lead to viewing punishment in a vindictive and even cruel way, rather than as part of a process of healing and reintegration into society. October . My intention is not so much to give a close exegesis but rather to suggest the underlying logic behind the contribution which I take to be an exercise of discernment: read the signs of the times. 7; Saint Augustine, Contra Julianum, 4, 18: PL 44, 748: “How many pleasures do misers forego, either to increase their treasures or for fear of seeing them diminish!”. The Acts of the Apostles notes that the disciples, albeit persecuted by some of the authorities, “had favour with all the people” (2:47; cf. 35. [114], 133. 151. Introduction. Some liberal approaches ignore this factor of human weakness; they envisage a world that follows a determined order and is capable by itself of ensuring a bright future and providing solutions for every problem. To this end, there is a need to ensure the uncontested rule of law and tireless recourse to negotiation, mediation and arbitration, as proposed by the Charter of the United Nations, which constitutes truly a fundamental juridical norm”. [255] Address to Delegates of the International Association of Penal Law (23 October 2014): AAS 106 (2014), 840-841. [237] Cf. For this reason, it is important that catechesis and preaching speak more directly and clearly about the social meaning of existence, the fraternal dimension of spirituality, our conviction of the inalienable dignity of each person, and our reasons for loving and accepting all our brothers and sisters. The same methodology as in his encyclical Laudato Si, is used, "see, judge, act". How sad it is when we find, behind allegedly altruistic works, the other being reduced to passivity”. This short essay explores the implications for labour law arising from the ethical perspective found in Pope Francis' encyclical Fratelli Tutti. What we need in fact are states and civil institutions that are present and active, that look beyond the free and efficient working of certain economic, political or ideological systems, and are primarily concerned with individuals and the common good. 30. [252] Pope Nicholas I urged that efforts be made “to free from the punishment of death not only each of the innocent, but all the guilty as well”. For this reason, I think not only of the need to remember the atrocities, but also all those who, amid such great inhumanity and corruption, retained their dignity and, with gestures small or large, chose the part of solidarity, forgiveness and fraternity. [10] Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus vivit (25 March 2019), 181. Those capable only of being “associates” create closed worlds. A society is noble and decent not least for its support of the pursuit of truth and its adherence to the most basic of truths. I will give everyone the possibility of sharing this planet with me, despite all our differences. Sincere and humble worship of God “bears fruit not in discrimination, hatred and violence, but in respect for the sacredness of life, respect for the dignity and freedom of others, and loving commitment to the welfare of all”. [64], 88. This way of treating others can take different forms: an act of kindness, a concern not to offend by word or deed, a readiness to alleviate their burdens. 178. Concupiscence, however, can be overcome with the help of God. [137] In a genuinely developed society, work is an essential dimension of social life, for it is not only a means of earning one’s daily bread, but also of personal growth, the building of healthy relationships, self-expression and the exchange of gifts. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Those who do so become stars shining in the midst of darkness. Authentic reconciliation does not flee from conflict, but is achieved in conflict, resolving it through dialogue and open, honest and patient negotiation. The word “culture” points to something deeply embedded within a people, its most cherished convictions and its way of life. I would also insist that “to give to each his own – to cite the classic definition of justice – means that no human individual or group can consider itself absolute, entitled to bypass the dignity and the rights of other individuals or their social groupings. On the contrary, there is no life when we claim to be self-sufficient and live as islands: in these attitudes, death prevails”. What are the great ideals and the concretely practicable ways for those who want to build a more just and fraternal world in daily relatio… 215. “Life, for all its confrontations, is the art of encounter”. For we ourselves were once foolish” (Tit 3:2-3). All of these encircle our world like a vital force”. If only this immense sorrow may not prove useless, but enable us to take a step forward towards a new style of life. Some societies accept this principle in part. 110. [96] Saint John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Laborem Exercens (14 September 1981), 19: AAS 73 (1981), 626. Sooner or later, ignoring the existence and rights of others will erupt in some form of violence, often when least expected. [163] PORTUGUESE BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE, Pastoral Letter Responsabilidade Solidária pelo Bem Comum (15 September 2003), 20; cf. Essays des Philosophen zur Geschichte, Religion, Kunst und Gesellschaft, ed. [116], 134. Only by cultivating this way of relating to one another will we make possible a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all. Too many women are being insulted. 1, concl. Others may continue to view politics or the economy as an arena for their own power plays. In the preparation of Laudato Si’, I had a source of inspiration in my brother Bartholomew, the Orthodox Patriarch, who has spoken forcefully of our need to care for creation. [79] Address to Young People, Tokyo, Japan (25 November 2019): L’Osservatore Romano, 25-26 November 2019, 10. Only a healthy politics, involving the most diverse sectors and skills, is capable of overseeing this process. Building social friendship does not only call for rapprochement between groups who took different sides at some troubled period of history, but also for a renewed encounter with the most impoverished and vulnerable sectors of society. 166. [58], On 21 October 2021, the Fratelli tutti foundation was created. [111] Cf. ID., Address to the Roman Curia (21 December 1984), 4: AAS 76 (1984), 506. Our local experience needs to develop “in contrast to” and “in harmony with” the experiences of others living in diverse cultural contexts.[128]. 3 /5. They should be ready to listen to other points of view and to make room for everyone. Once those fundamental values are acknowledged and adopted through dialogue and consensus, we realize that they rise above consensus; they transcend our concrete situations and remain non-negotiable. Whatever comes from there cannot be trusted, for it is unknown, unfamiliar, not part of the village. Attempts can be made to justify or excuse it when it tends to serve one’s own economic or ideological interests, but sooner or later it turns against those very interests. AN ABSENCE OF HUMAN DIGNITY ON THE BORDERS, 37. [210] EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE OF THE CONGO, Message au Peuple de Dieu et aux femmes et aux hommes de bonne volonté (9 May 2018). Address to the “Centesimus Annus pro Pontifice” Foundation (25 May 2013): Insegnamenti I, 1 (2013), 238. [40] Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit (25 March 2019), 92. 125. My own country also shares responsibility for his or her development, although it can fulfil that responsibility in a variety of ways. "[30] The Pope also urges people to "be Good Samaritans who bear the pain of other people's troubles rather than fomenting greater hatred and resentment". 64. Together, we can seek the truth in dialogue, in relaxed conversation or in passionate debate. But monologues engage no one, and their content is frequently self-serving and contradictory. There is no need for me to stress the benefits of dialogue. In this craven exchange of charges and counter-charges, debate degenerates into a permanent state of disagreement and confrontation. Theirs is not a culture meant to benefit the powerful, those driven to create for themselves a kind of earthly paradise. [270] Homily, Santiago de Cuba (22 September 2015): AAS 107 (2015), 1005. The story of the Good Samaritan is constantly being repeated. These documents prepared by the Vatican provide a helpful introduction to Pope Francis' third encyclical, Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship. This means that “everyone has a fundamental role to play in a single great creative project: to write a new page of history, a page full of hope, peace and reconciliation”. A central message of Fratelli Tutti is the fundamental familial unity of all humankind. These words echoed the ancient warning: “I will require a reckoning for human life. Amen. Mt 25:40.45). In this case, the Samaritan became a neighbour to the wounded Judean. At the same time, a recent argument over the decision to use the atomic bomb in Japan seventy-five years ago has . In his third encyclical, Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis reflects on a topic of great importance: human solidarity and friendship. "Love… impels us towards universal communion," writes Pope Francis (FT 95). He openly condemned the use of force to gain power over others: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. [44], Thomas Petri, dean of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception, considers that the 2018 change of the Catechism and Fratelli tutti which both declare capital punishment "inadmissible" means that the death penalty is in itself admissible since the Pope did not qualify death penalty as "intrinsically evil". SOCIAL COMMISSION OF THE BISHOPS OF FRANCE, Declaration Réhabiliter la Politique (17 February 1999). 0 views, 3 likes, 8 loves, 31 comments, 5 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Comision Arquidiocesana de Catequesis: Taller organizado por la Comisión. Saint John Paul II stated clearly and firmly that the death penalty is inadequate from a moral standpoint and no longer necessary from that of penal justice. Immigrants are seen as usurpers who have nothing to offer. Too many female lives are at risk. The people have the right to know what happened”. 100. [9][10] Francis's trip to Assisi was his first outside Rome since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic,[11][12] and his fourth visit to the city as pope. [188] Address to Participants in the World Meeting of Popular Movements (28 October 2014): AAS 106 (2014), 853. In some areas of our cities, there is still a lively sense of neighbourhood. The option for the poor should lead us to friendship with the poor”.[221]. One detail about the passers-by does stand out: they were religious, devoted to the worship of God: a priest and a Levite. The word “neighbour”, in the society of Jesus’ time, usually meant those nearest us. 55. [43] Address to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See (13 January 2014): AAS 106 (2014), 84. 4. Unless this basic principle is upheld, there will be no future either for fraternity or for the survival of humanity. 11. Pope Francis, in presenting to the world the new Encyclical Letter Fratelli tutti sulla fraternità e l'amicizia sociale, Sunday 4 October 2020, said: , " I offered it to God on the tomb of Saint Francis, who inspired me [to write] it, as in the previous Laudato si'.The signs of the times clearly show that human fraternity and . Yet this call to love could be misunderstood. Our love for others, for who they are, moves us to seek the best for their lives. War can easily be chosen by invoking all sorts of allegedly humanitarian, defensive or precautionary excuses, and even resorting to the manipulation of information. What is needed is a model of social, political and economic participation “that can include popular movements and invigorate local, national and international governing structures with that torrent of moral energy that springs from including the excluded in the building of a common destiny”, while also ensuring that “these experiences of solidarity which grow up from below, from the subsoil of the planet – can come together, be more coordinated, keep on meeting one another”. [271] SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions Nostra Aetate, 2. 224. From this skewed perspective, it would be pointless “to favour an investment in efforts to help the slow, the weak or the less talented to find opportunities in life”. Here, all our distinctions, labels and masks fall away: it is the moment of truth. Indeed, “without equal opportunities, different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode. It derives from the enduring memory of the Jewish people that they themselves had once lived as foreigners in Egypt: “You shall not wrong or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Ex 22:21). Neoliberalism simply reproduces itself by resorting to the magic theories of “spillover” or “trickle” – without using the name – as the only solution to societal problems. We may often find ourselves succumbing to the mentality of the violent, the blindly ambitious, those who spread mistrust and lies. "Fratelli tutti" eran las palabras que escribía San Francisco de Asís para dirigirse a todos los hermanos. Links: Tutti Fratelli gaat scheep tijdens een repetitie van De Störm. Goodness, together with love, justice and solidarity, are not achieved once and for all; they have to be realized each day. In no uncertain terms, the document condemns the use of the death penalty: "There can be no stepping back from this position. If at times the poor and the dispossessed react with attitudes that appear antisocial, we should realize that in many cases those reactions are born of a history of scorn and social exclusion. For “there is no poverty worse than that which takes away work and the dignity of work”. [156] Among these normative instruments, preference should be given to multilateral agreements between states, because, more than bilateral agreements, they guarantee the promotion of a truly universal common good and the protection of weaker states. [29] Humana Communitas. [21] A perversion that exceeds all limits when it subjugates women and then forces them to abort. [231] As I think of it, I cannot help but repeat this prayer: “Lord, remember us in your mercy. [26], The encyclical calls for more human fraternity and solidarity, and is a plea to reject wars. [9] BENEDICT XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate (29 June 2009), 19: AAS 101 (2009), 655. [89] Homily, Havana, Cuba (20 September 2015): L’Osservatore Romano, 21-22 September 2015, 8. Instead, we should feel indignant, challenged to emerge from our comfortable isolation and to be changed by our contact with human suffering. While rejecting certain visible forms of violence, another more insidious kind of violence can take root: the violence of those who despise people who are different, especially when their demands in any way compromise their own particular interests. That is not the way to mature in the encounter with truth. Even the most rigorous scientific studies can propose different courses of action. 75. “Robbers” usually find secret allies in those who “pass by and look the other way”. We can start from below and, case by case, act at the most concrete and local levels, and then expand to the farthest reaches of our countries and our world, with the same care and concern that the Samaritan showed for each of the wounded man’s injuries. For Christians, the words of Jesus have an even deeper meaning. Cardinal Tagle explains that in Fratelli tutti, the image of charity is that of universal love, because "that's how God loves. Join us for a two hour live conference hosted by the contributors to Where Peter Is for a first look at Pope Francis's upcoming encyclical on human fraternity, Fratelli Tutti.. We will be having two live panel discussions, covering major themes of Francis' pontificate and his approach to human fraternity: economic justice and interreligious dialogue. [206] Nor does it come from ignoring social demands or quelling disturbances, since it is not “a consensus on paper or a transient peace for a contented minority”. We are all involved in the construction . [110] General Audience (3 April 2019): L’Osservatore Romano, 4 April 2019, p. 8. [134] At the same time, it follows that “welfare projects, which meet certain urgent needs, should be considered merely temporary responses”.[135]. A realistic and inclusive social covenant must also be a “cultural covenant”, one that respects and acknowledges the different worldviews, cultures and lifestyles that coexist in society. [223] Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991), 14: AAS 83 (1991), 810. [121] From the standpoint of integral development, this presupposes “giving poorer nations an effective voice in shared decision-making”[122] and the capacity to “facilitate access to the international market on the part of countries suffering from poverty and underdevelopment”.[123]. [242] Saint Augustine, who forged a concept of “just war” that we no longer uphold in our own day, also said that “it is a higher glory still to stay war itself with a word, than to slay men with the sword, and to procure or maintain peace by peace, not by war” (Epistola 229, 2: PL 33, 1020). [117] Address to Authorities, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (6 June 2015): L’Osservatore Romano, 7 June 2015, p. 7. This constitutes a genuine scandal. People hit someone with their car and then flee the scene. Instances of racism continue to shame us, for they show that our supposed social progress is not as real or definitive as we think. [72] Summa Theologiae II-II, q. [144] In that sense, such movements are “social poets” that, in their own way, work, propose, promote and liberate. 8-17; M. ZALBA, S.J., Theologiae Moralis Summa. Once more we are being reminded that “each new generation must take up the struggles and attainments of past generations, while setting its sights even higher. 287. [211] Address at the National Reconciliation Encunter, Villavicencio, Colombia (8 September 2017): AAS 109 (2017), 1063-1064, 1066. [155] This means reinforcing the “normative instruments for the peaceful resolution of controversies... so as to strengthen their scope and binding force”. 286. Let us seek out others and embrace the world as it is, without fear of pain or a sense of inadequacy, because there we will discover all the goodness that God has planted in human hearts. The human person, with his or her inalienable rights, is by nature open to relationship. It is not possible to settle for what was achieved in the past and complacently enjoy it, as if we could somehow disregard the fact that many of our brothers and sisters still endure situations that cry out for our attention”.[8]. In this regard, I have made it clear that “I have no intention of proposing an irresponsible populism”. It makes us realize that “the scandal of poverty cannot be addressed by promoting strategies of containment that only tranquilize the poor and render them tame and inoffensive. As Jesus told his disciples: “Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give” (Mt 10:8). As persons, they need to consider that “the modern world, with its technical advances, tends increasingly to functionalize the satisfaction of human desires, now classified and subdivided among different services. In the case of Fratelli tutti, focus was placed particularly on the Church's teaching on the death penalty. Some parts of our human family, it appears, can be readily sacrificed for the sake of others considered worthy of a carefree existence. 242. Encounter cannot take place only between the holders of economic, political or academic power. Aeneid 1, 462: “Sunt lacrimae rerum et mentem mortalia tangunt”. This culture unifies the world, but divides persons and nations, for “as society becomes ever more globalized, it makes us neighbours, but does not make us brothers”. Significantly, many small communities living in desert areas developed a remarkable system of welcoming pilgrims as an exercise of the sacred duty of hospitality. 2. To the St Ignatius Christian Life Community in Lusaka via Zoom. Sadly, some “are attracted by Western culture, sometimes with unrealistic expectations that expose them to grave disappointments. Perhaps we were trained in this kind of fear and mistrust. Some texts are very clear in this regard: we are told to admonish our opponents “with gentleness” (2 Tim 2:25) and encouraged “to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone. A “local narcissism” instead frets over a limited number of ideas, customs and forms of security; incapable of admiring the vast potential and beauty offered by the larger world, it lacks an authentic and generous spirit of solidarity. Let us keep in mind that “not even a murderer loses his personal dignity, and God himself pledges to guarantee this”. Fragmentation is also felt by the communities they leave behind, which lose their most vigorous and enterprising elements, and by families, especially when one or both of the parents migrates, leaving the children in the country of origin”. This command is universal in scope, embracing everyone on the basis of our shared humanity, since the heavenly Father “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good” (Mt 5:45). We are reminded of the well-known verse of the poet Virgil that evokes the “tears of things”, the misfortunes of life and history.[33]. [188] Often, as we carry on our semantic or ideological disputes, we allow our brothers and sisters to die of hunger and thirst, without shelter or access to health care. [41] No one will ever openly deny that they are human beings, yet in practice, by our decisions and the way we treat them, we can show that we consider them less worthy, less important, less human. If everything is connected, it is hard to imagine that this global disaster is unrelated to our way of approaching reality, our claim to be absolute masters of our own lives and of all that exists. [262] SAINT JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991), 44: AAS 83 (1991), 849. Yet he was able to put all that aside when confronted with someone in need. [124] We need to have a global outlook to save ourselves from petty provincialism. And today this trust has ceased to exist”. Talk About: Law and Religion posts a series of theological and philosophical reflections on Fratelli tutti. [22], Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández participated in the encyclical's redaction. This charity, which is the spiritual heart of politics, is always a preferential love shown to those in greatest need; it undergirds everything we do on their behalf. No one is useless and no one is expendable. The word “neighbour” loses all meaning; there can only be “associates”, partners in the pursuit of particular interests.[80]. Pope Francis adds: "All of us have a responsibility for the wounded" and "We should not expect everything from those who govern us, for that would be childish.