Asian Churches plan to delve into Pope's encyclical
Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is urging all, Christians and non-Christians alike to read and think about Pope Francis newest encyclical “Laudato Si, on caring for the environment. “We call on non-Christians, families, educators, politicians, business people, experts in science and digital technology, media, consumer groups, non-government and peoples´ organizations to study the encyclical and its proposals,” said the Archbishop of Manila in a statement released on June 18 in Rome, the day the Vatican officially released the 192-page encyclical of the Pope. The cardinal also called on the faithful, the religious, and the clergy of the Archdiocese of Manila “to study, enrich, discuss and meditate on the various points of the encyclical.”
However he cautioned the people against the danger of regarding the document as a scientific treatise, stressing it is first and foremost a pastoral analysis based on the Church teaching and contemporary experiences. A letter issued on behalf the Archbishop of Manila noted that the encyclical does not in any way pretend to resolve scientific questions related to the environment and climate change. “Rather it offers a pastoral analysis and appeal nurtured by the Bible the Catholic Social Teachings, the pronouncements to Popes, and a reading of the current ecological conditions we are facing.”
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), has noted that the encyclical ‘Laudato Si” is a strong message from Pope Francis, and hence it should “reach each and every family.” To achieve this goal, CBCI deputy secretary general, Fr Joseph Chinnayan said India’s Catholic bishops have planned to develop a three-pronged programme at the diocesan, regional and national levels to disseminate the papal document. At the diocesan level, the goal is to ensure that “the encyclical can reach every member of the family so that they can help in their own way in protecting the mother nature”. At the same time, programmes are planned at the regional level on the basis of local ecological conditions. The CBCI is planning a symposium on climate change at the national level.
For its part, the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) plans to delve deep into ‘Laudato si’ through its newly established Climate Change Desk. FABC is organising Climate Change Regional Seminars for each of its regions – South Asia, South-east Asia, East Asia and Central Asia – for the purpose of raising awareness of both the scientific and moral reasons for protecting God's Creation. The FABC is also planning to set up an office dedicated to climate change in each National Bishops’ Conference. (Source: CBCP/AsiaNews)
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