This story was originally published byGrist.
Theres a real undercurrent of heartbreak.
Its not hard to see why.
Photo: Jose Sena Goulao (Getty Images)
Theresponseto Laudate Deum has been no better.
No wonder Francis is frustrated.
He has represented, to many Catholics and non-Catholics alike, a refreshing direction for the Church.
He remains an ardent critic of unbridled capitalism and consumerism.
And he has emphasized consideration of the poor and established new processes forlistening to and consideringIndigenous perspectives.
That said, his positions dont align neatly with those of any specific political party.
Making that call in an encyclical was no small thing.
It indicates how important this issue is for him, Aguto said.
This is not a secondary aspect of the Catholic faith; its an integral aspect.
The missive also reveals the Holy Fathers personal investment in the issue, Aguto noted.
You feel Pope Francis direct voice in this.
It just gives us that extra motivation and excitement and hope.
Filipino bishops have, for example, called for Catholic institutionsdivestmentfrom coal and transitioned their own parishes tosolar.
Yet she hadnt heard anything about Laudate Deum before Grist asked her about it.
We havent even mentioned it.
One clue comes from the ways American Catholicism mirrors American politics.
One in four people in the United States identify as Catholic.
The point is to undermine Francis authority, said Fortenberry.
As with most people, its not denial that impedes action, but the demands of daily life.
In whose hands does all this power lie, or will it eventually end up?
It is extremely risky for a small part of humanity to have it, Francis wrote.
This article originally appeared inGristathttps://grist.org/international/the-pope-leads-1-4-billion-catholics-getting-them-to-care-about-the-climate-is-harder-than-he-thought/.
Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.
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