News Items

The Forum regularly posts news articles of interest here from a variety of sources and news outlets. You can check back here or view the most recent ones from the homepage. We also archive these articles here, for those doing research, with news going back to 2006. Use the menu on the right to explore the archived articles.

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Why Pope Francis' encyclical matters

June 18, 2015
By Thomas Reese   
National Catholic Reporter

Some of the most frequently asked questions I have gotten from journalists this week: Why does the encyclical matter? What impact will it have? Why is it getting all this attention?

Let’s start with the last question: Why is it getting all this attention?

The encyclical, “...

What you need to know about Pope Francis's environmental encyclical

June 18, 2015
By Christiana Z. Peppard
Washington Post

How does one read an encyclical? Even as an expert on Catholic social teaching, the answer to that question still eludes me.

Laudato Si' and Water: The Vatican's Encyclical Letter and Global Water Challenges

June 18, 2015
By Peter H. Gleick, President, Pacific Institute
Huffington Post

Pope Francis, in Sweeping Encyclical, Calls for Swift Action on Climate Change

June 18, 2015
By Jim Yardley and Laurie Goodstein
New York Times

The Guardian view on Laudato Si': Pope Francis calls for a cultural revolution

June 18, 2015
Editorial
The Guardian

The pope links the destruction of the environment with the exploitation of the poor. The world should pay attention

Papal Encyclical Heartens Proponents of Fossil-Fuel Divestment

June 18, 2015
By John Schwartz
New York Times

The Magna Carta of integral ecology: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the poor

June 18, 2015
By Leonardo Boff, theologist and ecologist
Earth Charter International

Before making any comment it is worth highlighting some peculiarities of the Laudato Si’ encyclical of Pope Francis.

It is the first time a Pope has addressed the issue of ecology in the sense of an integral ecology (as it goes beyond the environment) in such a complete way. Big...

Anglican environmental network chair welcomes Papal climate encyclical

June 18, 2015
Anglican Communion News Service

[Office of the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town] People of faith need to focus on the moral and spiritual elements of the crisis brought about by rapid climate change, Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba, chair of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network, said today in response to...

Pope Francis' Encyclical: Clean Energy and the Moral Case for Climate Solutions

June 18, 2015
By Gabe Elsner, Executive Director, Energy and Policy Institute
Huffington Post

Today, Pope Francis officially released his encyclical, “Laudato Si (“Be Praised”), On the Care of Our Common Home”, calling on “every person...

Church of England Welcomes Climate Encyclical

June 18, 2015
Church of England

The Church of England’s lead on the environment, Bishop of Salisbury the Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, has given a wholehearted welcome to today’s Papal Encyclical on climate change.

Bishop Nicholas said:

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