0818 15 August 2018 Monthly Year 2 Power in the Bible Net Neutrality and the Technology Environment .8 O Multitasking: Opportunity or Weakness? Ethical Discernment and Economic- OLUME 2, N 2, OLUME Financial Questions V The War in Syria 2018 Ecumenism and Global Governance: Pope Francis in Geneva Father Angelo Secchi, Jesuit and Scientist The Shape of Water, a film by Guillermo Del Toro CONTENTS 0818 BEATUS POPULUS, CUIUS DOMINUS DEUS EIUS Copyright, 2017, Union of Catholic Asian Editor-in-chief News ANTONIO SPADARO, SJ All rights reserved. Except for any fair Editorial Board dealing permitted under the Hong Kong Antonio Spadaro, SJ – Director Copyright Ordinance, no part of this Giancarlo Pani, SJ – Vice-Director publication may be reproduced by any Domenico Ronchitelli, SJ – Senior Editor means without prior permission. Inquiries Giovanni Cucci, SJ, Diego Fares, SJ should be made to the publisher. Francesco Occhetta, SJ, Giovanni Sale, SJ Title: La Civiltà Cattolica, English Edition Emeritus editor Virgilio Fantuzzi, SJ ISSN: 2207-2446 Giandomenico Mucci, SJ GianPaolo Salvini, SJ ISBN: 978-1-925612-54-7 (paperback) Contributing Editor ​978-1-925612-55-4 (ebook) Luke Hansen, SJ 978-1-925612-56-1 (kindle) Contributors Published by Federico Lombardi, SJ (Italy) Union of Catholic Asian News George Ruyssen, SJ (Belgium) Fernando De la Iglesia, SJ (Spain) P.O. Box 80488, Cheung Sha Wan, Drew Christiansen, SJ (USA) Kowloon, Hong Kong Andrea Vicini, SJ (USA) Phone: +852 2727 2018 David Neuhaus, SJ (Israel) Fax: +852 2772 7656 Camilo Ripamonti, SJ (Italy) www.ucanews.com Vladimir Pachkow, SJ (Russia) Publishers: Michael Kelly, SJ and Arturo Peraza, SJ (Venezuela) Robert Barber Bert Daelemans, SJ (Belgium) Production Manager: Thomas Reese, SJ (USA) Rangsan Panpairee Paul Soukup, SJ (USA) Grithanai Napasrapiwong Friedhelm Mennekes, SJ (Germany) Marcel Uwineza, SJ (Rwanda) Marc Rastoin, SJ (France) CONTENTS 0818 15 August 2018 Monthly Year 2 1 Power in the Bible Giancarlo Pani, SJ 13 Net Neutrality and the Technology Environment Paul A. Soukup, SJ 20 Multitasking: Opportunity or Weakness? Giovanni Cucci, SJ 35 Ethical Discernment and Economic-Financial Questions GianPaolo Salvini, SJ 46 The War in Syria Giovanni Sale, SJ 60 Ecumenism and Global Governance Pope Francis in Geneva Antonio Spadaro, SJ 69 Father Angelo Secchi, Jesuit and Scientist Cardinal Luis Ladaria, SJ 75 The Shape of Water, a film by Guillermo Del Toro Virgilio Fantuzzi, SJ ABSTRACTS ARTICLE 1 POWER IN THE BIBLE Giancarlo Pani, SJ The way the Bible refers to power is a topic of great interest, but also of many difficulties. In Hebrew there is no term meaning “power.” In the Greek of the Septuagint only contiguous references appear, like “authority” and “strength,” and there is also a treatise on “good governance.” Nevertheless, there are many reflections about “power,” as the biblical tradition is a lived experience that is clarified in the course of its narration. The power of God with a merciful and forgiving face is revealed in creation and in history. In society, power is marked by the relationship between authority and freedom: it comes from God (and whoever exercises it must be held accountable), but without God it leads to idolatry and to the divinization of humans. The Bible also warns us against the “power” of the spiritual person. ARTICLE 13 NET NEUTRALITY AND THE TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT Paul A. Soukup, SJ In the United States, the debate on the regulations of internet service providers (the theme is net neutrality) counterposes two concepts of digital services: the provider as a common carrier, which must treat all users in an identical way; and the provider as an information service which, by adding value to what it provides, can vary the rates and services for different customers. The concept of the media ecology of communication as an ecosystem helps to situate and explain the historical and technical background and the values that characterize this debate. Furthermore, the article shows that political issues like this – the government’s role in communication – arise from complex issues and different ways of understanding communication. ABSTRACTS ARTICLE 20 MULTITASKING: OPPORTUNITY OR WEAKNESS? Giovanni Cucci, SJ A significant feature of contemporary culture is the wealth of opportunity given to us by the speed and power of technology. This situation can be summarized by the term “multitasking.” It has brought obvious advantages and made things easier in ways that are apparent to all. Perhaps less evident are the costs of this new way of being. The article presents both sides of multitasking, focusing in particular on its possible repercussions on life decisions. Here we are dealing with a very important aspect for pastoral care and the ability to present a life project that leads to definitive choices. Mindfulness, namely the exercise of awareness, is offered as an aid to lead better lives with the options made available by multitasking. CHURCH LIFE 35 ETHICAL DISCERNMENT AND ECONOMIC-FINANCIAL QUESTIONS GianPaolo Salvini, SJ A Vatican document has recently been published titled Considerations for an ethical discernment regarding some aspects of the present economic-financial system. It offers a panorama of the economic and financial world. The document recognizes the positive aspects of the fields of economics and finance, but also criticizes the negative ones and their distortions. The modern economy is positive as it has multiplied wealth, but this must be produced and distributed fairly. The financial world in particular, often without adequate rules, lends itself in its complexity to abuses in favor of the strongest, who have more power and greater knowledge. ABSTRACTS FOCUS 46 THE WAR IN SYRIA Giovanni Sale, SJ The Middle East peace negotiations have so far proved insufficient for solving the serious Syrian situation. On an operational level, it now seems clear that Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies have won the war, although these forces are still engaged on the ground eliminating the remaining anti-regime resistance. They have met with fierce opposition that Damascus, according to various intelligence sources, has tried to suppress even by resorting to the use of chemical weapons prohibited by international law. This article retraces the history of the relationship between Assad and the use of chemical weapons, an element that has somehow characterized the phases of this interminable war and determined its outcomes. CHURCH LIFE 60 ECUMENISM AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE POPE FRANCIS IN GENEVA Antonio Spadaro, SJ On Thursday, June 21, Pope Francis went to Geneva on his 23rd international journey, dedicated to celebrating the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the World Council of Churches. The Swiss city also hosts a large number of international institutions that represent global governance and the themes of peace, human rights and migration. After retracing the moments of the journey, this article illustrates its meaning: to appeal to the common commitment of Christians to proclaim the Gospel and its power of salvation in a divided and wounded world. Francis thus confirmed that harmony is not possible in today’s pluralistic society if we fail to embrace faith and continue to encounter each other only on a human level, excluding the transcendent. The Gospel, however, is a force for harmony and commitment to a better world. ABSTRACTS PROFILE 69 FATHER ANGELO SECCHI, JESUIT AND SCIENTIST Cardinal Luis Ladaria, SJ This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Jesuit priest Angelo Secchi (Reggio Emilia, June 28, 1818 - Rome, February 26, 1878). He was an astronomer, geodesist and founder of astronomical spectroscopy. From 1849 he directed the Observatory of the Roman College, renovating it extensively with the construction of the first astrophysical observatory in Europe; for this reason he is considered the founder of stellar and solar astrophysics. On February 26, 2018, in the Roman church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Campo Marzio, a solemn celebration was held in his memory. Presiding was Luis Ladaria, SJ, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who has since been made a cardinal. Here, we publish his homily. ART, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT 75 THE SHAPE OF WATER A FILM BY GUILLERMO DEL TORO Virgilio Fantuzzi, SJ ‘The Shape of Water,’ by Guillermo Del Toro, unites reality and imagination in a fairy-tale combination. The reality is the Cold War and 1962. In a secret government laboratory a love relationship develops between a mute custodian and a strange creature from the depths of the Amazon River, considered by U.S. authorities as a potential resource in the space race. In a 1950s monster film, the government agent who imprisoned the creature would have been seen as the hero; in this film the traditional approach is reversed: the weak win out over the strong, and the one who is different finds a way to be loved. LCC 0818: SEPTEMBER TABLE OF CONTENTS • ‘I am only a child’: A meditation on youth with Kings David and Solomon • The ‘Mythical’ Concept of People: Pope Francis reader of Annual Digital Dostoevsky Subscription $79 • Humanitarian Crises and Refugees: Religious perspectives and ethical principles Annual Print Subscription Asia: $160* • Jerusalem: Sacred and Open City Australia/NZ/Oceania: $200* USA/UK/Ireland/ • The Paradoxes of Vulnerability Europe: $220* • The Status of Korea: From Rest of the world: $260* Historical meetings and diplomatic exchanges Print + Digital Bundle Asia: * • Don Tonino Bello: A bishop $200 who became Gospel Australia/NZ/Oceania: $240* USA/UK/Ireland/ • ‘Benjamin Britten’s opera Europe: $260* ‘Billy Budd’ Rest of the world: $280* Prices in US Dollars * Rates include postage & handling For educational and bulk rates, please email [email protected] Power in the Bible Giancarlo Pani, SJ What does the Bible say about “power”? The subject is current and of great interest,1 but not at all simple.