ENCYCLICAL LETTER
FRATELLI TUTTI
OF THE HOLY FATHER
FRANCIS
ON FRATERNITY AND SOCIAL FRIENDSHIP

On Oct. 4, Pope Francis signed his newest encyclical called Fratelli tutti (Brothers and Sisters All). It is a call to disrupt our lives and pay attention to the world. The Holy Father wanted to recognize the inspiration he drew from St. Francis; he urges us to dream together, and dispel the dark clouds of conflicts, suffering, and conformism.

Pope Francis intends this encyclical to be accessible and read by all persons, and especially for those who wish to build a more just and fraternal world in their ordinary relationships, in social life, politics and institutions.

You can read a summary of the encyclical by Vatican News by clicking here.

The National Catholic Reporter has an entire series of articles on fratelli tutti, including this one by Brit Luby: “Pope Francis’ encyclical inspires me to speak boldly for interfaith inclusion”. In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we invite you to read the article by clicking here.

Salt & Light Media offers a second Called to Fraternity: Conversations on Fratelli Tutti. In this episode Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann speaks with Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto; Carolyn Woo, retired President of Catholic Relief Services; and Marie Claude Lalonde, National Director of Aid to the Church in Need, about many of the themes of Fratelli Tutti.

Bishop Robert Barron, creator of the Word On Fire ministry, wrote an article on Nov. 2 called POPE FRANCIS, “FRATELLI TUTTI,” AND THE UNIVERSAL DESTINATION OF GOODS.

In this article he tackles the question “Is Pope Francis a socialist?” Does Francis’ support of the Universal Destination of Goods mean he is anti-capitalist? What does this mean for the poor in our midst?

Check out the full article here.

**Called to Fraternity: Conversations on Fratelli Tutti, Part 1**

In this first edition, Francis Denis speaks with Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec and with Josianne Gauthier, Secretary General of CIDSE about the pope’s new Encyclical.

Salt & Light’s contributor Francis Denis wrote about Pope Francis’ encyclical shortly after it was published. We invite you to read his article here.

Pope Francis has, from the very beginning, focused his papacy on the poor and marginalized. He leads by example the vocation of the church to meet people where they are, in the mud of the streets. fratelli tutti continues this call, and expands upon it.

The Catholic Register had an article on Oct. 8, 2020 called Fratelli Tutti: A vision of unity and dignity for all. In this article the author discusses how Pope Francis’ encyclical responds to current events and challenges the church and all humanity to recognize the dignity of each person. “When we read this, we can recognize that it affirms our own dignity and the inviolable rights we all have.”

COVID-19 has brought to light many deficiencies in our societies that were once glossed over, cracks that the poor so easily slip into. In the article one interviewee says “How do we make sure that nobody is excluded from the way forward? … If we’re going to be talking about rebuilding our economies, our social networks (post COVID-19), then we have to make sure that the most vulnerable are part of these conversations — that solutions are provided for them.”

We invite you to read the whole article by clicking here.

And if you haven’t read the encyclical yet you can read it here. It’s a long read so get a nice tea or coffee and a cozy blanket and avoid the windy weather with an inspiring read from Pope Francis. 🙂