Pope Francis Said
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Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, OCTOBER 18, 2020 constantly mentioning you in our prayers, TERHAD remembering before our God and Father PP 8460/11/2012(030939) your work of faith and labour of love and ISSN: 1394-3294 steadfastness of hope in Vol. 27 No. 41 THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thes. 1:1-3 Pope’s Nun lend Blessed Carlo Encyclical their Acutis is a echoes building to model for Asian Pope for young people realities refugees to put God first P3 & 10 P5 P16 Time is running out to fix economy, protect the Earth, help the poor ATICAN: The predomi- in taking action. nant global economic sys- “As the term ‘countdown’ suggests, we must act urgently,” Pope Francis said. “Each Vtem is “unsustainable,” one of us can play a valuable role if we all set particularly in its impact on the en- out today — not tomorrow, today.” vironment, Pope Francis said. “Science tells us, every day more precisely, “We are faced with the moral imperative that we need to act urgently — I am not exag- — and the practical urgency — to rethink gerating — this is what science tells us, if we many things” about the economy: “how we are to have any hope of avoiding radical and produce, how we consume, our culture of catastrophic climate change,” he said. “This waste, its short-term vision, the exploitation is a scientific fact.” of the poor, indifference toward them, the As he did in his 2015 encyclical letter, increase of inequality and its dependence on “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common harmful energy sources,” the Pope said Oct Home,” Pope Francis insisted in his TEDx 10 as part of the global TEDx Countdown on talk that concern for the environment must go climate change. hand in hand with concern for the people who live on the Earth, especially the poor, who are most impacted by climate change and natural disasters. People must make a choice “between what matters and what does not, a choice between continuing to ignore the suffering of the poorest and mistreating our common home, the Earth,” he said, or “commit ourselves at every level to transforming the way we act.” While science insists on the need to change to protect the planet, he said, “our conscience tells us that we cannot be indifferent to the A woman carries drinking water along railroad tracks in a poor section of Dhaka, Bangladesh, suffering of the poorest, to growing econom- Sept. 15, 2020. (CNS photo/Mohammad Ponir Hossain, Reuters) ic inequalities and social injustices.” Presenting a three-part action plan, the be rapid and capable of meeting present and Pope Francis asked his global audience to Pope said change must begin with “education future energy needs, but also must be atten- Pope Francis speaks in a recorded message begin “a journey of transformation and ac- for the care of our common home, develop- tive to its impact on the poor, on local popula- for the TED event, “Countdown,” in this still tion,” one “made not so much of words, but ing the understanding that environmental tions and on those who work in the sector of frame from a video released by the Vatican Oct. above all of concrete actions that cannot be 10, 2020. (CNS photo/Vatican Press Office) problems are linked to human needs — we energy production.” postponed.” must understand this from the very begin- Socially responsible investing and stock- The event, broadcast live on YouTube, fea- “It will be necessary to go step by step,” ning: Environmental problems are linked to holder activism, he said, can make compa- tured more than 50 speakers from around the he said, “to help the weak, to persuade the human needs.” nies see “the unavoidable need to commit world presenting “actionable and research- doubtful, to imagine new solutions and to So, he said, education must include both themselves to the integral care of the com- backed ideas, cutting-edge science, and mo- commit oneself to carrying them forward.” scientific data and ethics. mon home.” ments of wonder and inspiration,” according The Pope explained that the “integral ecol- Next, he said, priority should be given The Pope recommended divesting from to the programme description. ogy” he has called for — responding to the to water and food, ensuring access to safe stock in “companies that do not meet the cri- With scientists, climate activists, actors, cry of the poor and the cry of the Earth — drinking water and adequate food for all the teria of integral ecology and rewarding those singers, poets, politicians and comedians, the requires seeing how “everything in the world world’s people. that are making concrete efforts in this transi- programme looked at the state of the environ- is connected and that, as the pandemic has “The third proposal is that of energy transi- tion phase to put at the centre of their activi- ment, predictions about how little time is left reminded us, we are interdependent on one tion: a progressive replacement, but without ties criteria such as sustainability, social jus- to alleviate climate change and about the role another, and also dependent on our Mother delay, of fossil fuels with clean energy sourc- tice and the promotion of the common good.” of individuals, businesses and governments Earth.” es,” he said. “This transition must not only — By Cindy Wooden, CNS 2 FORUM / REFLECTION HERALD October 18, 2020 Broadening our understanding of the Parable of the Good Samaritan he coronavirus pandemic has brought ties for growth and not be used as excuses for indescribable hardship to people around Sunday Observer resignation. And we should not expect any rec- the world. It does not recognise class, ognition or gratitude, Francis adds. T By gender, race, religion, borders. It seemingly These “neighbours” need not be from our strikes at will and moves silently from person to Anil Netto social group. Many of the Jews at the time de- person. In many places, hospitals and govern- spised the Samaritans. Jesus, however, made a ment resources have been stretched to breaking [email protected] point of always crossing cultural and historical point. barriers in reaching out to people. If the coronavirus does not recognise barriers plight of migrants and refugees. It is as if they We cannot be indifferent to suffering. In- The inhabitants of Samaria were considered and spreads rapidly around the world, then our don’t count. stead, we should emerge from our comfortable ethnically mixed. They worshipped in a differ- response to it has to be up to the challenge. We But for Francis, the “boundaries gradually isolation and be changed by our contact with ent way, using what looked like pagan rites. cannot fight this pandemic in isolation. It calls expanded” in the understanding of the parable. human suffering. Sooner or or later, we will And so those in neighbouring lands viewed for a coordinated, cross-border response, cut- God’s compassion is for all living beings. “In come across someone who is suffering – and them as “impure, detestable, dangerous”. ting through all the barriers that divide us on a the oldest texts of the Bible, we find a reason God knows, there are so many like that in our The parable of the Good Samaritan may be social, political and historical basis. why our hearts should expand to embrace the world. seen as a pointed barb at racist attitudes to- The Bishop of Rome’s new encyclical let- foreigner. It derives from the enduring memory The decisions we make – whether to include wards foreigners. The roles are reversed. The ter Fratelli Tutti (Brothers and Sisters All) of the Jewish people that they themselves had or exclude certain people – will determine one helping is a Samaritan and the one in need talks about a new bond of “fraternity and so- once lived as foreigners in Egypt: whether our response and our projects are just is a Judean. cial friendship” – which would be just want we “When a stranger resides with you in your and inclusive. This should remind us that the people in need need to confront the pandemic. land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger We cannot look the other way or just walk may change over time. If we despise migrants, Today, we take a look at Chapter Two of the who resides with you shall be to you as the citi- by like the passers-by in the parable. Among refugees or foreigners, what happens if climate letter, a meditation on the Parable of the Good zen among you; you shall love the stranger as them were a priest and a Levite, religious peo- change strikes close to home and we ourselves Samaritan. yourself, for you were strangers in the land of ple, devoted to the worship of God. “It shows have to flee to other lands for refuge? How It is easy to look at the parable as a lesson Egypt” (Lev 19:33-34). that belief in God and the worship of God are would we like to be treated? in helping those in dire need, especially those Francis then moves on to the early Christian not enough to ensure that we are actually living Francis reflects inwards: “I sometimes won- around us. But the Bishop of Rome delves communities, where Christians were expected in a way pleasing to God. A believer may be der why, in light of this, it took so long for the deeper, for there are layered subtexts in the par- to welcome fellow Christians, “even though untrue to everything that his faith demands of Church unequivocally to condemn slavery and able.