C&SI - Laudate Deum - New papal exhortation on the climate crisis - 15 Oct 2023 (S03E47b) ) (Podcast excerpt)

On this weeks podcast Jane Mellet from Trocaire joins Shane and John to  help us go through the new papal exhortation "Laudate Deum, to all people of good will on the climate crisis". It is a document intended to follow up on his 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home and sets out Pope Francis challenge to the world (not just Catholics) around the climate crisis and the lack of progress in dealing with the issue.

Laudate Deum
So what is it? Jane takes us through the document published on 4th Oct on the last day of the Season of Creation. It is an apostolic exhortation which is a teaching document from the pope, which often aims to exhort (encourage) a particular virtue or activity. Like many papal encyclicals, apostolic exhortations have often developed themes of the Church’s social teaching. This exhortation has been called a follow up to Laudato Si’ and the title reflects this. Like Laudato Si' this new document reminds us of the words of St Francis' prayer-poem, the Canticle of the Creatures, which praises God by praising God's creation. Pope Francis states specifically that the title of this letter is “Praise God” because “when human beings claim to take God’s place, they become their own worst enemies.” (#73) By this he means that when we seek power for its own sake we damage both ourselves and the planet. Power should be used to create a better world for all.

• Text of the exhortation
• Vatican Dicastery for Integral Human Development - video introduction
• iCatholic - Interview with Tomas Insua
• Laudato Si Movement webpage on Laudate Deum
• Cafod - Laudate Deum: Your questions answered on Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation
• The Pillar - ‘Laudate Deum’: A brief guide for busy readers
• Vatican News - Laudate Deum and COP28