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Coral Atlas

Laudato si’, mi’ Signore [1-2]

  
By:  Coral Atlas  •  NewsTalkers  •  9 years ago  •  2 comments

Laudato si’, mi’ Signore [1-2]

 

I have begun to publish sections and segments of the Popes letter on OUR network of blogs (NatuRedux.com) as well as on Linkedin & Quora & Newsvine & NewsTalkers and will add my comments over time. Pappa francescos 180 page letter is much less about religion than it is about nature and the planet earth. He proposes some fairly radical yet simple and understandable solutions for humankind. It is way past time to start paying attention to what we are all doing or allowing others to do.

 

1. “Laudato si’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”
In the words of this beautiful canticle,
Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that
our common home is like a sister with whom we
share our life and a beautiful mother who opens
her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my
Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who
sustains and governs us, and who produces various
fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”.1

2. This sister now cries out to us because of
the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible
use and abuse of the goods with which
God has endowed her. We have come to see
ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to
plunder her at will. The violence present in our
hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the
symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the
water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is
why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste,
is among the most abandoned and maltreated of
our poor; she “groans in travail” (Rom 8:22). We
have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the
earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up
of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive
life and refreshment from her waters.

Nothing in this world is indifferent to us
1 Canticle of the Creatures, in Francis of Assisi: Early Documents
, vol. 1, New York-London-Manila, 1999, 113-114.

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Coral Atlas
Freshman Silent
link   author  Coral Atlas    9 years ago

My analysis

While at the start this may seem like religious dogma it is not. In laudato Si the Pope spends very few words promoting Catholicism.

The focus is on nature and that spiritually transcends any one religion and focuses in on what created us as one common family. One can choose to believe nature is a tool of God or not but there is little doubt that we have created by nature on earth rather than the wizard of Oz.

Papa francescos simple diagnosis and description of human kinds problems today are followed by practical simple solutions.

Praying isn't one of them although not discouraged.

The Pope points out that we are organisms that require the nutrition and resources that nature provides and that we must restore, cherish and protect.

Humanity by default is responsible to care-take Nature ... guided by morality not religion.

Morality overlaps with various religions in many areas as does Nature.

It is time to start doing and not depend solely on prayers to correct the problems humankind has created.

The solutions exist on paper but the willpower doesn't.

 

 
 
 
Larry Hampton
Professor Participates
link   Larry Hampton  replied to  Coral Atlas   9 years ago

I downloaded the letter last night and read the first few pages. I have to say that I'm impressed and more than just a little surprised. I'm looking forward to seeing how papa francisco further develops his reasoning.

Thanks Coral for the instigation!

:~)