Fratelli Tutti

Thursday, December 24th, 2020

Pope Francis issued his latest encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” on 10/3/2020 on the theme of fraternity and social friendship. There are eight chapters in this encyclical. Fr. Anthony summarizes below the final chapter entitled “Religions at the service of fraternity in our world”:

Fr. Anthony Armstrong, O.Carm.

The different religions, based on their respect for [everyone], contribute significantly to building fraternity (§271). The effort to seek God with a sincere heart helps us recognize one another as brothers and sisters (§274). The modern world deifies the human being but ignores the voice of religious thinkers (§275). “The Church, while respecting the autonomy of political life, does not restrict her mission to the private sphere (§276).”

The Church esteems the ways in which God works in other religions, and rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions. Others drink from other sources. For us the wellspring of human dignity and fraternity is in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (§277). Mary, having received this universal motherhood at the foot of the cross, cares not only for Jesus but also for “the rest of her children,” a new world, where all of us are brothers and sisters (§278).

We ask God to strengthen unity within the Church, a unity enriched by differences. We cannot forget Christ’s desire “that they may all be one” (§280). A journey of peace is possible between religions [if we see that] God’s love is the same for everyone, regardless of [the faith of the other, or lack thereof] (§281). We believers are challenged to return to our sources, in order to concentrate on love for our neighbor (§282), respect for the sacredness of life, respect for the dignity and freedom of others, and loving commitment to the welfare of all (§283).

In this encyclical Francis was inspired by many Catholics, non-Catholics and non-Christians but ends by looking at Blessed Charles de Foucauld (§286). [He wanted] to feel himself a brother to every human being. Yet only by identifying with the least did he come at last to be the brother of all. May God inspire that dream in each one of us. Amen. (§287).

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