Podcasts about laudato

Christina Bagaglio Slentz is Associate Director for Creation Care for the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. Learn about how her diocese prioritizes climate action here.In this episode, we often refer to Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si' and the ways that faith communities are living out its stated goals. We also discuss the theme “seeds of peace and hope,” the official theme for the 2025 ecumenical Season of Creation.Many thanks to Christina for sharing her wisdom in this conversation!Christina SlentzTRANSCRIPTChristina Slentz I think this really can help us understand the way that the cry of the Earth, these environmental climate extremes, or the variability that we're experiencing, leads to greater exposure—but how one community can face that exposure and adapt or bounce back fairly quickly and another may not really have that capacity.Debra Rienstra Welcome to the Refugia Podcast. I'm your host, Professor Debra Rienstra. Refugia are habitats in nature where life endures in times of crisis. We're exploring the concept of refugia as a metaphor, discovering how people of faith can become people of refugia: nurturing life-giving spaces in the earth, in our human cultural systems, and in our spiritual communities, even in this time of severe disturbance. This season, we're paying special attention to churches and Christian communities who have figured out how to address the climate crisis together as an essential aspect of their discipleship.Today, I'm talking with Dr. Christina Bagaglio Slentz, Associate Director for Creation Care at the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. Christina has a background in sociology, with a PhD in international studies and global affairs. She's also a Navy veteran. Today, she serves a diocese of 97 parishes, helping to guide and empower people in their creation care work. The Diocese of San Diego is a microcosm of diverse biomes and diverse people, and it's a fascinating example of refugia, because as a diocese, they are doing all the things. Christina and I talk about Laudato si', solar energy, economics, eco spirituality, environmental justice advocacy, the centrality of the Eucharist, and the mutuality between caring for neighbor and caring for the Earth. Let's get to it.Debra Rienstra Christina, thank you so much for being with me today. I really appreciate talking to you.Christina Slentz Thank you, Debra, for having me. I'm really excited to be here.Debra Rienstra So I am eager to hear more about the Diocese of San Diego, because it seems that you have been very intentional and thoughtful and ambitious about your creation care agenda, and we're going to get into the details of that in just a minute, but I want to start with you. So tell us your hero origin story. How did you get into faith-based environmental work and into your current position?Christina Slentz Well, to be honest, I never saw it coming in many ways. I was working in the global affairs area, looking at sources of conflict and cooperation and how political economy intersects with those dynamics, and that was my academic area of focus. And at the same time, I've always been a catechist in the Catholic church since the 90s, and my church life was pretty comfortable, I would say, and active. But I didn't really see those two things coming together until Laudato si', the encyclical written by Pope Francis on the care of our common home, was released in 2015, and this really started to bring more overlap between these two areas in my life. And I would say, increasingly, then there was a lot of interplay between those focus areas for me. And eventually this position became available in the Diocese of San Diego, and a friend mentioned it to me, and I thought that is actually the perfect vocation for me. And I really feel like I understood it to be a vocation, not just a job.Debra Rienstra Yeah, I think I can relate to everything you just said. I think we came to this work from different areas of specialty, but yeah, like you, I feel like we've had these mid-career shifts where suddenly our area of specialty—in my case, literature and creative writing—has become energized by—in your case, Laudato si', in my case, other documents as well as Laudato si',—and we've sort of taken this fascinating and yeah, I would agree, vocational, turn. So let's talk a little bit more about Laudato si'. I imagine our listeners know at least a little bit about it. It's been so enormously influential. It's such an amazing landmark document. Could you talk a little bit about how you've seen Laudato si' diffuse through the Catholic Church, especially the American Catholic Church?Christina Slentz Yes, I think, to be honest, it has had a complicated journey with the Catholic community here in the United States. Very much like the issue of climate change in the global community, the United States has struggled with these dynamics—I think the way that they involve our economics and some of our very strong ideology about economic freedom and what that means to people. And so I think it's fair to say that while Laudato si' was very warmly received around the world, it has struggled in the United States as a whole, and that includes the American Catholic community. That said, there have been—like your description of refugia suggests——there have been these pockets, though, where I think that particular dynamics existed, and there was fertile ground for seeds to be planted. And the Diocese of San Diego is one of them. The Diocese of—the Archdiocese of Atlanta was another. There are a couple around the country, and I do think some footholds were created. In addition, one of the things that is particularly interesting about the encyclical Laudato si'—and an encyclical is just a document that a pope writes and then circulates, right, this is where the word encyclical comes from—circulates around until everyone's had a chance to read it. We can imagine in medieval times, you know, how this must have been a challenge. And I think that, you know, this challenge exists, but Father Emmett Farrell is the founder of this ministry in my diocese, and Father Emmett just celebrated his 60th anniversary of his ordination, and Father Emmett will say he has never seen an encyclical translate to action the way that Laudato si' has. And in particular, there is a Vatican online platform called the Laudato si' Action Platform, where Catholics—either parishes, schools, orders of sisters or religious—can get on this platform and learn about the dynamics that we face. They can see how our values are distilled into seven goals, and then they can reflect on their behavior, using this tool to sort of measure where they are, and then write a plan of action and upload it and share it with each other. And Father Emmett really celebrates how amazing it is that, you know, that we're going to lean into technology and use it for the good.Debra Rienstra Oh, awesome. There's so many things I want to follow up on in that answer. And I want to begin by just thanking you for being honest about pushback to Laudato si' in the US. And I want to go back to that in just a second, if it's okay. And then I want to thank you for the way you've thought about, you know, some of these dioceses like the mighty San Diego and the mighty Atlanta as sort of refugia spaces. And we'll come back to that again too, I really hope, and I want to hear some more details about your particular diocese. Why do you think there has been pushback in the American Catholic Church? You mentioned economic reasons, and you know, Pope Francis and Pope Leo now have both been very pointed in their critique of climate denial, of greed, of exploitation, injustice, war, economic systems that many Americans have sort of held as almost sacrosanct. So what are you noticing in Catholic conversations about that critique? Why are people resisting the critique and why are people saying, “No, that's right”—what are the motivations behind each of those responses?Christina Slentz So, you know, we could probably talk about this all day.Debra Rienstra Probably, yeah.Christina Slentz Because economic peace, I think, is really difficult to think about. You know, if we take the United Kingdom, for example, it's a country very much like the United States. So many of our you know, American culture and tradition and customs come out of that early launching that we experienced from, you know, Great Britain. And yet, as the topic of climate change came forward, Margaret Thatcher, who was, you know, a real compatriot of President Ronald Reagan at the time, she really took the scientific approach in thinking about climate change, and this set them on a path that's really different from the path that we experienced. And certainly, oil is a big factor in our economy. And I think it can be a real challenge for people to weigh the goods, you know, because we have to be honest, there are goods in both sides of these dynamics. When we understand the gravity, though, of climate change, if we're allowed to really get into those dynamics without the noise that has been kind of confronting that potential, then I think we can see that the good outweighs, you know, those alternative goods associated with continuing in the fossil fuel realm. But this is why we talk about a just transition, right? I think that many people who are hearing this noise, right, they don't understand that Pope Francis and others, you know, is really arguing for a just transition, and that would seek to care for the people that are going to be affected by whatever change in economic policy might make.Debra Rienstra Yeah, and more and more, those economic changes are actually positive in favor of transition in ways that they weren't even 5-10 years ago.Christina Slentz Yeah, I think it's amazing. We actually had some good momentum going until recently.Debra Rienstra Yeah, you know, I would love to get us all talking about a just and joyful transition, because it's more and more possible. And maybe we'll come back to that a little bit later too, when we talk about ecological spirituality. But let's go back to these places within the American Catholic Church, even, that are saying, “Oh yes, Laudato si', yes, let's go.” And San Diego diocese is one of those places. You had an action plan already in 2019. I think it's impressive that a diocese could get a plan together in four years. So good job. Knowing how long everything takes in church settings. So just give us a list of your accomplishments. What have you been up to since 2019? What are the kinds of things you've dipped your toes into?Christina Slentz Sure, and to be fair, I want to give some good credit to some others. You know, the Archdiocese of Atlanta had created their creation care action plan. This gave us some really good kind of framework to think about when we created ours. And there was a team that preceded me. They were all volunteers, very multidisciplinary in their backgrounds, everything from theologians to medical doctors who had worked with indigenous communities, you know, theologians, missionaries, energy engineers, and they really pulled this together early on. And this plan I now recognize as what climate action planners might refer to as an aspirational plan. It's all the things you could do in our area, and it serves as a really good resource for our parishes and schools as they think about what they might do in their Laudato si' action platform plans, and those are yearly plans that are really targeted on what we're going to do. So, you know, one of the things that they did early on was really push to solarize. And you know, we do have the great fortune of, one: climate here in San Diego, right? You know, we're sort of famous for that. And then you know, two: the other thing is that, you know, it was very normative to be shifting to solar, and continues to be an economic choice that is not really as politicized here as much as it might be elsewhere. And then the third thing was this is, you know, the magic number three is to have a bishop that is supportive. And so Cardinal McElroy—now Cardinal McElroy, then Bishop McElroy—really promoted this solarization. And at this point we have about 54% of our parishes solarized. And when I think now, you know, the Paris Climate Agreement says we want to have about half of our carbon emissions reduced by 2030 then you know, we're sitting at about half. Our building where I'm located is called our pastoral center. Some Catholic communities call it their chancery. And our solar array here provides over 80% of our electricity to the building. Our local utility is about half renewable energy, a little bit more. So with that in mind, you know, our electricity here to our building is a little over 90% coming from renewable energy, and this lets us have seven electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot so I can go to work and charge my car at the same time.Debra Rienstra Lovely.Christina Slentz So that was one big thing. I would say our other really big kind of landmark action that also was largely driven by Cardinal McElroy, was to divest of fossil fuels. And, you know, this is a real challenging thing to accomplish. We set a goal of no more than 5% of, you know, the earnings of both direct and indirect investment to be coming from fossil fuel. And after a year, we evaluated how we were doing, and we were actually hitting—not we, you know, the financial folks doing this—were hitting less than 3%. So, you know, we said, “Okay, I think we can say that this was successful, and we're still here.” So that was really exciting, and we didn't do it to be virtue signaling. Just, you know, for some of your listeners may not know, but the USCCB, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has a document that directs socially responsible investment for all areas. And so this is just one more area of socially responsible investment that the Diocese of San Diego has embraced.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. So we've got money, we've got energy. How many parishes would you say are on board with this, doing yearly goals, selecting from the menu of fun ideas—what percentage of your parishes would you say are involved?Christina Slentz So I gotta, Debra, that's a little bit of a good question. I think, you know, we did just describe two very top-down approaches. And one of the things that our group, you know, when I came on board in 2022, we decided is, you know, we really wanted to push that grassroots. And so we see parishes demonstrating a range of behaviors, and I was initially surprised, but they actually behave a lot like countries around the world. And so, you know, you think, oh, that's going to be different. But, you know, you can also have three children, and they all behave differently, and you know, sometimes that's surprising as well, when they have the same parents. And so one of the things that I have really tried to do was offer more events that are here at the diocesan level. We have 97 parishes, and then we have—so sometimes we'll see individuals that are really on board, and they come from a parish where, at the parish level, not a lot is happening. Sometimes we have individuals that are participating, and they are doing a ton at their parish and succeeding. And then we have parishes where the pastor is leading the charge. And then on top of that, I would say there are parishes where they have solar and they have drought-resistant landscaping, and they have LEED silver certified buildings that, you know, are very environmentally friendly. And yet, you know, at the parishioner level, you know, not as much activity happening. So it is an array of activities. I would say probably half have had some kind of interaction with us, or have had parishioners or students participate in our programs. But you know, we reflect the American Catholic community, which reflects the broader American society as well. So there are places where we struggle, and then there are places where we see a lot of action and shining.Debra Rienstra Yeah, sure. And I really appreciate that. And I think listeners can relate to that range of involvement too. Maybe they are in any one of those categories or some other category themselves. And you know, as you say, it's the modeling of— even if it's a minority, it's the modeling and the enthusiasm and the even implicit sort of educating of others that can make this work spread too. So I want to list the seven goals of the Laudato si' action platform, because I think they're really, really great and helpful to people who are not in the Catholic Church, but in other aspects of the church, you might find these goals useful too. So here are the goals: response to the cry of the Earth, response to the cry of the poor, ecological economics, adoption of sustainable lifestyles, ecological education, ecological spirituality, community resilience and empowerment. So I want to start with the first three. We've talked a little bit about economics and how dicey that can be, but I wonder if you could describe how you see the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor as basically the same cry, as Pope Francis said in Laudato si'. How do you see that, especially in your region?Christina Slentz Yeah, so thank you. I think these two are kind of the crown jewels, right? And they sum up what we see happening very well. I think that the other goals are valuable because they sort of pull out the dynamics that we really understand as informing those two big—response to the cry of the Earth and cry of the poor. So as someone who was looking at this through the lens of being a social scientist, I found these two goals to really sum it up well, because it is not just the exposure to the environment that causes our concern for these dynamics. It's the exposure as well as the sensitivity of that population. And then this helps us understand also, maybe some vulnerability that that population might have. So for example, we had significant flooding about a year and a half ago in January, the month of January, and the same rain fell on a parish in the southern part of the Diocese, close to our Mexican border, in an area that is, you know, less wealthy, probably demonstrates some socio economic features that we would associate with marginalized communities. And then it also fell on a parish in Coronado, California. And some people might recognize the Hotel Del Coronado as an iconic location. It's a beautiful community. There's a lot of wealth. There's a lot of human capital as well. You know, very highly educated group, and so the buildings at two of two parishes in each of these locations were completely flooded. But, you know, the parish in Coronado was up on its feet within a week. And of course, they had repairs that had to be done, but they were able to get a hold of those folks, get them in, pay the bills, get it all done. And the parish on the south side had catastrophic flooding to its school, and the school was a total loss.Debra Rienstra Oh, wow.Christina Slentz So I think this really can help us understand the way that the cry of the Earth, these environmental climate extremes, or the variability that we're experiencing, leads to greater exposure, but how one community can face that exposure and adapt or bounce back fairly quickly, and another may not really have that capacity. And so you can't really pull them apart, because just measuring precipitation doesn't always give you the whole story.Debra Rienstra That's a very, very helpful answer to that. And I sometimes hear in religious circles, you know, “Well, we have to worry about other people, why should we worry about owls or whatever?” And the answer is: well, because what happens in nature affects people. So this is about loving your neighbor. Even if you're not convinced by the idea that we love the Earth for its own sake because it's beloved of God, we still have to love our neighbor. And this is a neighbor issue as well. So thank you. That was very helpful as an explanation.Christina Slentz One of my favorite kind of messages is, you know, having been a student of globalization, you know, I think that we live in a globalized world. You can't put that toothpaste back in the tube, right? Maybe there are some things we can do and that can be helpful, but the bottom line is, our actions have ripple effects, and so no matter what we do, we are going to have these impacts on people far beyond those we know and love on a day to day basis. And when we care for the Earth, we mitigate those effects on people all around the world, and so our caring for creation really is just love of neighbor at global scale.Debra Rienstra Ah, lovely. Yeah, so it works both ways. If you love neighbor, you love the Earth. If you love the Earth, you love your neighbor.Christina Slentz That's right.Debra RienstraHi, it's me, Debra. If you are enjoying this podcast episode, go ahead and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. If you have a minute, leave a review. Good reviews help more listeners discover this podcast. To keep up with all the Refugia news, I invite you to subscribe to the Refugia newsletter on Substack. This is my fortnightly newsletter for people of faith who care about the climate crisis and want to go deeper. Every two weeks, I feature climate news, deeper dives, refugia sightings and much more. Join our community at refugianewsletter.substack.com. For even more goodies, including transcripts and show notes for this podcast, check out my website at debrarienstra.com. D-E-B-R-A-R-I-E-N-S-T-R-A dot com. Thanks so much for listening. We're glad you're part of this community. And now back to the interview.Debra Rienstra Let's think about some of those more personal goals. I don't know, maybe they're not just personal, because everything is systemic too. But I want to talk about that sustainable lifestyle goal, adoption of sustainable lifestyle. So what does that mean, and how are people doing that in San Diego?Christina Slentz So I have a really amazing parish, St. Thomas More, and they have created a community garden that not only functions as a place for their parish to gather and work together, it also is open to the public, so it has an evangelical capacity as well. And they also collect recyclable cans and bottles and then take those to a facility where they can be paid for that recycling work, and then they take the money, and then they put it into this garden that allows them to gather and have a mission and have evangelical outreach. So I think of this as such a wonderful circular kind of example that is, you know, feeding them in many ways. You know, they have this sense of community. They have this sense of common, shared mission. They have a good relationship with the neighborhood around them, people that may be of different faiths or of no faith at all. And then they're also in good relationship with Mother Earth, and doing what they can to, you know, practice this sort of sustainability, or also a little bit like circular economics, I guess I would say as well. And I think one of the things that the Catholic Church is emphasizing is synodality, and our synodality really calls us to be community, to have a shared mission and really inviting participatory action. So in my building here, where we sort of have the headquarters, you know, we also have gone to compostables for all of our events, and we try to minimize any kind of single use plastics. But, you know, there's that dreaded moment at the end where everybody has to go to the three, you know, receptacles. Everyone panics, especially if I'm near them, and I feel terribly, you know, like, should I step away? Should I give them a moment to give them help? Is that overreach? And so, you know, but we all fumble through together, and that's where I've kind of said, like, “Look, it's not easy for me either. Like, God forbid I put the wrong thing in the wrong can, right?” So I think that there's this way where we all are coming together to sort of take on this work. And, you know, we're not going to be perfect, but, you know, I think that it does foster community when we take this on, and then also recognizing how, you know, now we are living with greater simplicity, and we are impacting the Earth, you know, to a lesser extent.Debra Rienstra Yeah, nothing bonds people like pulling weeds together, or standing over the recycle bins going, “Hmm.” It's okay. We don't have to indulge in recycling guilt, you know, just do your best. So I want to move on to ecological spirituality. I love that phrase. It's not one you hear everywhere. And I wanted to remind listeners that San Diego Diocese is the most biodiverse diocese in the US. Maybe we wouldn't have expected that, but you've kind of got everything there. So I want to talk about ecological spirituality in the context of that actual place. I love the sentiment you quoted from Laudato si' in an article you wrote recently. It was an idea from Pope Francis that in the beauties and wonders of the Earth, we experience God's friendship with us. And so I wanted to ask you how you're helping people in your parishes reconnect to the Earth where you are, and thus, and this is how you put it, “revive something of our true selves.”Christina Slentz Yeah, one of my favorite pieces in Laudato si': Pope Francis alludes to having a place in childhood where we felt a sense of awe and wonder. And I think that that awe and wonder allows us to get back to childhood in some ways, before there was a lot of noise before there was all the different distractions. And I think that that true self is also a little freer to connect to God. I think sometimes about little children and baby Jesus, you know, and that sort of immediate connection that's not really complicated, you know, it's just comfortable. Or feeling the love of God like being a child sitting on the lap of your mom or your dad. And so encouraging people, or providing opportunities for this return to that place of awe and wonder, I think is really important. I think that at the heart of our inability to care for creation is this estrangement from our Creator. So we won't care for something if we don't love it. And in this way, ecological spirituality may be step one in all of this, right? So I think we are really lucky, being here. As I mentioned, our climate is beautiful. It is a beautiful place. We have everything from the ocean to mountains to desert, and many people who live here do really connect with the geography and the beauty of where we are, and so inviting them to take a moment to just pause and think about those places. Think about their senses as they move through the memory of that space, I think is really important before we start any of the other conversations. And so I try to do that, and then we share about it. And I have yet to find somebody that says, “Oh, I just didn't have a place.” Everybody has a place. And many people will say, “I really struggled, because I love this place, and I love that place,” you know. And so it is really great to hear. And I think people really come out of an exercise like that with this new sense of common ground as well. And I think that is so important, right? Because if you ask people like, “Raise your hand, who hates trees?” No one's gonna do it, right? Don't even think anyone does. Or “Raise your hand if you like to litter.” No one's going to say, like, “Oh yeah, I really love throwing things out my window.” And so there is a lot more common ground. And I think that eco spirituality invites us to find out how much we have in common, and actually how much we all yearn for that place of connectedness.Debra Rienstra Oh, yeah. I've noticed, you know, people have so many different feelings that motivate what they might do in a faith and climate space, and there's anger, there's fear, a lot of anxiety. But the trick, I think, is to get to the center, which is love. And the quickest way to do that, maybe, is to find that early love, or a love that's developed over many, even generations, in a particular place, if you're lucky, and you're rooted in some way. I feel like we also, as people of faith, haven't made enough of a case that being closer to the creation is, in fact, a pathway to God. And I see that in a lot of the writings that you have too. It's a way of understanding God better. It's a way of allowing God to speak to us that we sometimes underestimate, I think. There's other ways, of course, but it's one that we tend to underestimate. It is a way to deeper spirituality. So getting people to be in touch with that, it sounds like you've you've worked on that a little bit.Christina Slentz We're very lucky. The Franciscan tradition is pretty rich and present here. The Franciscan School of Theology is located here at the University of San Diego.Debra Rienstra There we go.Christina Slentz I have several secular Franciscans on my team, and a few Franciscan friars. And you know, that's very much at the heart of St. Francis and St. Claire's tradition. St. Bonaventure, who is a Franciscan, actually calls nature, or the environment, the created world, like another book. It's another gospel that tells us something about God's plan.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. So I wanted to quote from Pope Leo's message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which was September one. And I found his message so encouraging, and especially this particular paragraph, it's along the line of seeds here. He writes, “In Christ, we too are seeds, and indeed seeds of peace and hope. The prophet Isaiah tells us that the Spirit of God can make an arid and parched desert into a garden, a place of rest and serenity. In his words, a spirit from on high will be poured out on us, and the wilderness will become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the work of righteousness quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places.” So we have this beautiful vision and the sense of vocation of who we are and who our communities are as seeds of peace and hope. So it seems like you experience that in the San Diego Diocese. Are there some particular examples that have been really meaningful and important to you, where you see that “seeds of hope” metaphor being played out?Christina Slentz Yeah, I would point to two areas that I would offer up as good examples. One is a parish that is located in what's called Barrio Logan. It is an ecologically marginalized community. The highways literally forced the school to be moved when they put the highway in right down the middle of the community. And that's the I-5. So it runs all the way from Canada to Mexico. Big highway. In addition, the Coronado Bridge connects to the highway right there. The Navy base is there, and the Port of San Diego all intersects there. So their air quality is really degraded, and it's a socio-economically poor area. It is also a predominantly Hispanic community there. But the Jesuit pastor there, Father Scott Santa Rosa, is a very good community organizer. He led the parish when they were confronted by another warehouse that was going to be added at the port. And the proposal by the company violated the Port Authority's standards, but they were seeking a waiver, and Father Scott brought in the Environmental Health Coalition. He brought in a theologian from University of San Diego. He invited the youth to present on Laudato si' to the adults and really empowered the community, which is that seventh goal of Laudato si', it's very connected to environmental justice. And then they learned, they grew, they came to an understanding that this was not acceptable, and that they wanted to be a voice for their community. They—we traveled. I was very fortunate to kind of engage with them in this process.And we traveled to the Port Authority building the night before the Port Authority was going to make their decision on this, whether or not to grant this waiver. And we said a rosary, which consists of five sets of 10 Hail Marys, roughly. And between each set, somebody spoke and gave their witness. And one of the women stood up and said, “I never thought I would speak publicly in my whole life. I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm speaking, but I found my voice because of this issue.” And I thought, even if we lose, that's such an amazing win that people felt connected to their environment. They understood that they have a voice. They understood their own dignity and the dignity of their community, and felt that it was worth standing up for. And the next day we went, there was demonstration and public witnessing and praying, and then they went in and spoke at the actual hearing. And the first thing that the chairman of the board said, in response to everyone's comments was, “Well, I'm a Catholic, and we have three priests that were here today.” And you know, how many times does a public official make a statement of faith? You know, I thought, “Okay, win number two!” And you know, I'll just go ahead and cut to the chase. And they turned down the company that wanted to put the warehouse in and said, “You know, we just don't think that you've convinced the local community that the benefits of this would be worth it.” And it was amazing.And so that place, they continue to also tend to the care of migrants. They have begun the work of accompanying migrants that are going for their court appointed hearings for their asylum process. And you know, those are not outcomes that are generally favorable, but they are just going and being present with them and, you know, we are on the border. We understand how some of these environmental impacts do entangle with human mobility. And so, you know, there's a lot that this community, that is really one of our poorest communities in San Diego, has brought to the wider San Diego Diocese as more parishes and local Catholics are now mimicking what they have done and joining in this mission, and so they've been an incredible source—this tiny little parish in a poor part of the Diocese with terrible environmental impacts, has actually been a place where things have blossomed and grown, and they actually do have an amazing garden as well.Debra Rienstra Wow, that's an incredible story, and exactly a story of empowerment and resilience, as you suggested, and a story of how low-resource people are not necessarily low-resource people. They have other kinds of resources that may not be visible to the outside, but that can be very powerful, and especially when one of those is faith. It was such a great example of people motivated not only by their, you know, sort of survival, but their faith to do this work. Yeah, wonderful.Christina Slentz I think they understand the impact, right? So if you can shut your windows and turn on your air conditioning, maybe you don't get it.Debra Rienstra Yeah, right. So what would you say are your biggest obstacles and your biggest joys in your work right now?Christina Slentz I think the biggest obstacle is coming up against Catholics and/or Christians, or really any person of faith. But I think this may be especially true to Catholics and Christians who think that our social actions have to be an “either/or” choice, and they resist a “yes/and” mentality, and so they put different issues in competition with each other, right? And, you know, sometimes they think about Cain and Abel, right? This sort of jealousy or comparison can be a real problem. Instead of saying, “Okay, maybe we don't fit in a neat box, but as Catholics, you know, we have to do all the things.” And that kind of privileging one issue or another issue makes us vulnerable to those who would seek division and competition. And I think that when we look at God, you know, God loves all of it, right? God is love, and so there isn't that discrimination in the example of our Creator, and I would, of course, we aren't perfect, you know, but we should aspire to that same kind of comprehensive love.Debra Rienstra Yeah, and we do it together. We don't all have to do every last one of the things. We do it together. What about joys? What are your greatest joys right now in your work?Christina Slentz I think that coming together is really a joy. When I first started this work, I felt like a unicorn. I could either be the only person of faith in an environmental group, or I could be the only environmentalist in a faith group. And so it just was a feeling of being awkward all the time. And I do think that just in the three years that I've been in this position, I am seeing momentum build. I think ecumenicalism is super helpful in this regard. And I think that increasingly people are finding each other, and they are starting to get a little bit of a wake up call. I think it is unfortunate that people in the United States have had to experience some significant catastrophes and human loss and impact before they start to awaken to the issue of climate change or environmental degradation. I think plastics are really a pretty significant issue as well, but I think that more and more, people seem to be coming around to it, and whenever we celebrate together, that gives me joy.Debra Rienstra Yeah, I agree. I'm seeing it happening too, and it keeps me going. It keeps me going to connect with people like you, and every door I open, there's more people of faith doing amazing work, and we are building that mycelial network. And it's pretty great. So what is your favorite gift of the Catholic Church, a gift of wisdom on creation care that you wish everyone would receive?Christina Slentz I am not sure I would say that this is my favorite. But maybe I think that it is very important, is that, you know, in the Catholic community, communion, Eucharist, is really, you know, the summit for Catholics, that each week, at a minimum, we are going to celebrate this liturgy. We break open the Word, and then we celebrate the Eucharist. And one of the things I, you know, find very compelling is the fact that Jesus celebrates at the Last Supper with bread and wine. Jesus didn't get grapes and, you know, a piece of meat, to celebrate that these were both chosen items that were not just created by God, but they involved, as we say, in our celebration, the work of human hands. And so this really represents this call to co-creation, I think. And if that is something that you know, is really at the heart of Catholicism, this, you know, summit of our faith to celebrate the Eucharist—in that, we are called to co-create. And so this tells us something about how we are meant to exist in relationship with the Creator. You know, God reveals God's self to us in the beauty of this creation or in the gift of the Eucharist, and then, in turn, we are called to respond to that love. Otherwise the revelation isn't complete, so our response is to care for creation or to receive the Eucharist, and then go and serve as God has called us to serve. So maybe, maybe this is something that we can offer up.Debra Rienstra So beautifully said, and the intimacy of eating, you know, taking the material, the fruit of the earth and the work of human hands, into ourselves, responding by the Spirit, that intimacy, that physicality, there's a reason that that is the central ritual.Christina Slentz And you know, if I could give you one last image connected to that—because then we become the tabernacle, right? And we think about Noah and the ark, right? And how, you know, creation is destroyed, but the ark holds this refugia right and until it's time for this moment of reconciliation and forgiveness and then renewed flourishing. And you may or may not have heard this story, but when the LA fires raged in Pacific Palisades in January of 2025 the fires swept across the parish and school called Corpus Christi Parish, and it is the home parish of brother James Lockman, one of my dear, dear volunteers. And there was a firefighter who went back to look at the ruins that evening, and he was Catholic, and he came across the tabernacle from the church, and it was the only thing that survived. And when they opened it up, it was pristine on the inside and undamaged. And that Sunday, they took it to St. Monica's Parish, which is one of the very animated creation care parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and they celebrated Mass there because Corpus Christi did not have a parish right to celebrate in that weekend. And I think about that tabernacle as being, you know—it's to reflect that Ark of the Covenant, right, Ark of Noah, the Ark of the Covenant. And then we have the tabernacle now, and that space of refuge that was preserved, you know. And then, of course, when we take the Eucharist into ourselves, we become that tabernacle. We're walking tabernacles, right? So we are also, then, places of refuge and where we know that God is with us and we can go and serve.Debra Rienstra Christina, it has been such a joy to talk to you. Thank you for your wisdom, for your inspiration, for the way that you deploy your expertise in such compassionate and far reaching ways. It's just been a pleasure. Thank you.Christina Slentz Oh, thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed talking today with you, Debra.Debra Rienstra Thanks for joining us. For show notes and full transcripts, please visit debrarienstra.com and click on the Refugia Podcast tab. This season of the Refugia Podcast is produced with generous funding from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Colin Hoogerwerf is our awesome audio producer. Thanks to Ron Rienstra for content consultation as well as technical and travel support. Till next time, be well. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com

V oddaji Iz življenja vesoljne Cerkve ste slišali, da nas papež v mesecu oktobru posebej vabi k molitvi rožnega venca za mir. Za vas smo povzeli tudi njegov nagovor na okoljski konferenci ob 10. obletnici okrožnice Laudato si in njego pogovor z novinarji. Osrednjo temo pa smo posvetili jubilejnemu dogodku katehistov v Rimu, ki je potekal na zadnji septembrski konec tedna.

V oddaji Iz življenja vesoljne Cerkve ste slišali, da nas papež v mesecu oktobru posebej vabi k molitvi rožnega venca za mir. Za vas smo povzeli tudi njegov nagovor na okoljski konferenci ob 10. obletnici okrožnice Laudato si in njego pogovor z novinarji. Osrednjo temo pa smo posvetili jubilejnemu dogodku katehistov v Rimu, ki je potekal na zadnji septembrski konec tedna.

François, un pape inattendu (épisode 1/4)Le pape François s'est éteint le 21 avril 2025, à l'âge de 88 ans. À cette occasion, les correspondants de La Croix au Vatican livrent leur regard sur les années marquantes de son pontificat, entamé en 2013. À travers leurs témoignages, ils racontent comment ils ont couvert ce pontife venu des « confins du monde », qui aura marqué l'Église catholique d'une empreinte singulière.Dans ce premier épisode, Frédéric Mounier, correspondant permanent de La Croix au Vatican à l'époque, revient sur les heures et les jours qui ont précédé l'élection du cardinal argentin Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Le 13 mars 2013, ce nom résonne comme une surprise dans la salle de presse du Vatican. Peu connu du grand public, l'archevêque de Buenos Aires n'était pas parmi les favoris. Pourtant, c'est bien lui que les cardinaux réunis en conclave choisissent pour succéder à Benoît XVI.Dès son apparition au balcon de la basilique Saint-Pierre, François donne le ton : simplicité, humilité, et proximité avec les fidèles. Le style du nouveau pape tranche avec celui de ses prédécesseurs. Il choisit de s'installer dans la résidence Sainte-Marthe plutôt qu'au palais apostolique, refuse certains signes extérieurs du pouvoir pontifical, et insiste sur le rôle pastoral du successeur de Pierre.Tout au long de ses douze années de pontificat, le pape François n'a cessé de bousculer les habitudes bien établies au sein du Vatican. Il a placé les périphéries au cœur de son action, renouvelé la parole sociale de l'Église, et donné une place inédite aux enjeux écologiques, notamment avec l'encyclique Laudato si'. S'il a suscité l'enthousiasme d'une grande partie du monde catholique, ses positions ont aussi parfois dérouté, voire inquiété certains cercles plus conservateurs. Mais sa détermination à réformer, à dialoguer avec les autres religions et à faire de la foi un levier d'engagement concret dans le monde n'a jamais faibli.Dans cette série en quatre épisodes, La Croix revient sur le parcours d'un pape dont le style et la vision ont transformé le visage du catholicisme au XXIe siècle.► Vous avez une question ou une remarque sur notre podcast dédié au pape François ? Écrivez-nous à cette adresse : podcast.lacroix@groupebayard.com CRÉDITS :Rédaction en chef : Loup Besmond de Senneville et Paul de Coustin. Réalisation : Clémence Maret, Célestine Albert-Steward, Flavien Edenne. Textes : Clémence Maret et Célestine Albert-Steward. Captation et montage : Flavien Edenne. Chargée de production : Célestine Albert-Steward. Musique et mixage : Emmanuel Viau. Voix : Laurence Szabason. Illustration : Isaline Moulin. Directrice du marketing audience et développement de la marque : Laurence Szabason.Place Saint-Pierre est un podcast original de LA CROIX - Avril 2025Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Get bonus content at wickedproblems.earth Dr. Lorna Gold is the executive director of the Laudato Sì Movement, which was inspired by the late Pope Francis' 2015 letter. That document, considered pretty radical for the leader of the Catholic Church to issue at the time, was credited by former Irish president Mary Robinson and others with influencing the Paris Agreement - and you can hear echoes of it as recently as the advisory opinion issued this summer by the International Court of Justice. On its 10th anniversary, Francis' successor Pope Leo will lead the Raising Hope Conference, 1-3 October in Rome - but also available via livestream - talking about the relevance of its ideas for the situation we're in now. More than a “Catholic” thing, it will feature people as diverse as Brazil's climate minister Marina Silva (in the runup to COP30), climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Bill McKibben, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tuvalu climate minister Dr Maina Talia, Bianca Pitt of SHE Changes Climate, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty president Kumi Naidoo, and more. Somehow, Lorna was able to take a break from organising the event to speak to us. Lorna earned a PhD in economic geography from Glasgow University and author of Climate Generation: Awakening to our Childrens' Future.It's a great chat and we think you'll enjoy it. In This Conversation01:22 Introduction to Dr. Lorna Gold 02:21 Personal Tragedy and Resilience 05:29 Hope vs. Optimism 09:17 Relevance of Laudato Si' 13:01 International Court of Justice Ruling 15:21 Economic Systems and Climate Action 21:51 Pope Francis, Pope Leo and COP 30 22:31 Upcoming Conference and Call to Action 24:25 Personal Reflection on Climate Impact 27:56 Discussing Future Conversations 28:40 Mother's Role in Climate Action 29:39 Women of Faith for Climate Justice 31:37 The Raging Grannies and Activism 33:12 The Sharing Economy and Climate Generation 34:42 Sufficiency and Economic Inequality 41:17 The Role of Storytelling in Climate Education 44:34 Hope and Action in Climate Movements 47:31 Pope or Nope Quiz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the first episode of Season 4! I'm so glad to share with you this delightful episode about a group of terrific Lutheran folks who exemplify joyful lay leadership and getting a whole congregation on board on behalf of climate action.Many thanks to Judy Hinck and to the lively group of Mount Olive members who spent an afternoon with me and Ron sharing their climate justice journey (so far!). Special thanks to Art Halbardier, who graciously hosted and offered extremely helpful background before our visit.To learn more about Mount Olive Lutheran's work, check out this article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune about Mount Olive's geothermal project. You might also appreciate this document recounting the history of Mount Olive's climate work, or these links with more about the history of their climate justice initiatives, their 2017 statement, their climate justice page, and an FAQ document about their projects:You can also learn more about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's statements on climate justice and about the Minnesota chapter of Interfaith Power and Light. To read Pope Francis' encyclical on climate, visit Laudato si'. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com

1. septembra bomo v Katoliški Cerkvi obhajali že 10. svetovni dan molitve za skrb za stvarstvo. V oddaji smo zato govorili o odnosu papeža Leona XIV. do okrožnice Laudato si, ki jo je papež Frančišek izdal pred 10-imi leti, o mednarodnem simpoziju na to temo, ki je potekal na Teološki fakulteti v Ljubljani, in o odnosu Cerkve v Sloveniji do Laudato si. Naši gostje so bili člani slovenske skupine Laudato si, ki preučujejo in tudi prakticirajo besede te okrožnice: Alenka Bahovec, Roman Globokar in Anton Lesnik.

1. septembra bomo v Katoliški Cerkvi obhajali že 10. svetovni dan molitve za skrb za stvarstvo. V oddaji smo zato govorili o odnosu papeža Leona XIV. do okrožnice Laudato si, ki jo je papež Frančišek izdal pred 10-imi leti, o mednarodnem simpoziju na to temo, ki je potekal na Teološki fakulteti v Ljubljani, in o odnosu Cerkve v Sloveniji do Laudato si. Naši gostje so bili člani slovenske skupine Laudato si, ki preučujejo in tudi prakticirajo besede te okrožnice: Alenka Bahovec, Roman Globokar in Anton Lesnik.

Cet été, nous avons décidé de célébrer le dixième anniversaire de l'encyclique sociale Laudato si', publiée par le pape François en mai 2015. Nous faisons le pari que ce texte révolutionnaire continuera de nous accompagner au moins pour les dix prochaines années ! Cette série est constituée de trois épisodes : Militer avec Lutte & contemplation La fraternité animale L'intelligence artificielle, nouveau paradigme Vous aimez Deux pieds dans le bénitier ? N'hésitez pas à nous soutenir ! Vous pouvez faire un don ponctuel ou régulier via notre page HelloAsso. Merci d'avance

Cet été, nous avons décidé de célébrer le dixième anniversaire de l'encyclique sociale Laudato si', publiée par le pape François en mai 2015. Nous faisons le pari que ce texte révolutionnaire continuera de nous accompagner au moins pour les dix prochaines années ! Cette série est constituée de trois épisodes : Militer avec Lutte & contemplation La fraternité animale L'intelligence artificielle, nouveau paradigme Vous aimez Deux pieds dans le bénitier ? N'hésitez pas à nous soutenir ! Vous pouvez faire un don ponctuel ou régulier via notre page HelloAsso. Merci d'avance

Cet été, nous avons décidé de célébrer le dixième anniversaire de l'encyclique sociale Laudato si', publiée par le pape François en mai 2015. Nous faisons le pari que ce texte révolutionnaire continuera de nous accompagner au moins pour les dix prochaines années ! Cette série est constituée de trois épisodes : Militer avec Lutte & contemplation La fraternité animale L'intelligence artificielle, nouveau paradigme Vous aimez Deux pieds dans le bénitier ? N'hésitez pas à nous soutenir ! Vous pouvez faire un don ponctuel ou régulier via notre page HelloAsso. Merci d'avance

A decade after Pope Francis issued Laudato si', his encyclical on care for creation, the Church reflects on its global impact. Meanwhile, a House Oversight Subcommittee investigates Planned Parenthood's use of federal funds. And, tensions are soaring as the Israel-Iran conflict continues.

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Laudato, COO of The Vitamin Shoppe, a leading U.S. health and wellness retailer with 650+ stores, to explore how great IT teams are built, why innovation starts with operational excellence, and how AI is transforming retail. From vibe coding and RPA to inclusivity and composable commerce, Andrew shares why tech leaders must speak the language of business and why the best strategy isn't about AI—it's about using AI to better serve the customer. ----Sponsored by VTEX

Reflexionemos junto con el Padre Flecha sobre La encíclica Laudato si' y meditemos a fondo este tema.

Svoje navdušenje nad Stvarstvom in njegovim varovanjem so delili člani skupine Laudato si, ki se je pred desetimi leti oblikovala v Dravljah v Ljubljani. Alenka Bahovec, Jurij Dobravec, Anton Lesnik, Katarina Novak in Ana Pavlek so povedali, kako razumejo ekološko spreobrnjenje in kakšno moč ima v dobi zelenega prehoda.

Svoje navdušenje nad Stvarstvom in njegovim varovanjem so delili člani skupine Laudato si, ki se je pred desetimi leti oblikovala v Dravljah v Ljubljani. Alenka Bahovec, Jurij Dobravec, Anton Lesnik, Katarina Novak in Ana Pavlek so povedali, kako razumejo ekološko spreobrnjenje in kakšno moč ima v dobi zelenega prehoda.

Laudetur Jesus Christus - Ngợi khen Chúa Giêsu KitôRadio Vatican hằng ngày của Vatican News Tiếng Việt.Nội dung chương trình hôm nay:00:00 Bản tin16:46 Sinh hoạt Giáo hội: Mười năm thực hành Laudato si' ở Malaysia24:15 Phút cầu nguyện: Sứ mạng vẫn tiếp diễn---Những hình ảnh này thuộc Bộ Truyền Thông của Toà Thánh. Mọi sử dụng những hình ảnh này của bên thứ ba đều bị cấm và dẫn đến việc đánh bản quyền, trừ khi được cho phép bằng giấy tờ của Bộ Truyền Thông. Copyright © Dicasterium pro Communicatione - Giữ mọi bản quyền.

I titoli: Il Papa si insedia a San Giovanni in Laterano: in ascolto di tutti per apprendere e decidere insieme. Nel Regina Caeli l'appello per la pace e il ricordo della Laudato sì. Attacco missilistico russo senza precedenti sull'Ucraina. Trump non esclude nuove sanzioni a Mosca e critica Putin. Infuria la violenza anche a Gaza. Quasi 40 le vittime nelle ultime 24 ore per gli attacchi dell'esercito israeliano. Conduttore: Giancarlo La Vella.

Pope Francis centered the climate crisis during his papacy, highlighting the moral obligations that we all share to our fellow humans (especially the poorest among us, as they will be disproportionately impacted by climate change) as well as our responsibilities to the Earth itself. In 2015, Pope Francis released his first encyclical, Laudato si': On Care for Our Common Home, a 40,000 word treatise on both the Biblical mandate to care for creation but also a holistic discussion of the effects of modernity on the ecological function of the planet. While the encyclical became part of the Catholic Church's official teaching, the encyclical was written for both believers and nonbelievers.Catholics are continuing to work together to address climate change through the Laudato Si' Movement, a nonprofit that joins over 900 Catholic organizations and over 10,000 trained grassroots leaders known as Laudato Si' Animators to “inspire and mobilize the Catholic community to care for our common home and achieve climate and ecological justice”Anna Johnson, North American Director of the Laudato Si' Movement, joins the program to discuss Pope Francis' lasting legacy of climate action.Interested in joining fellow Catholics for Climate Action? Laudato Si' Movement has a California chapter!Support the show

V duhu 10. obletnice okrožnice Laudato si papeža Frančiška smo se odpravili v planinski svet z uporabo javnega potniškega prometa. Kako nam pri tem lahko pomaga aplikacija planinske zveze, ki tudi sicer postaja vse boljši pripomoček za načrtovanje planinskih izletov? In ali je danes sploh mogoče (pre)živeti brez osebnega avtomobila, tudi če prosti čas pogosto namenimo obiskovanju gora? Naša gosta sta bila urednik za kartografijo pri PZS Andrej Stritar in ljubiteljica gorskega teka Deja Jakopič.

V duhu 10. obletnice okrožnice Laudato si papeža Frančiška smo se odpravili v planinski svet z uporabo javnega potniškega prometa. Kako nam pri tem lahko pomaga aplikacija planinske zveze, ki tudi sicer postaja vse boljši pripomoček za načrtovanje planinskih izletov? In ali je danes sploh mogoče (pre)živeti brez osebnega avtomobila, tudi če prosti čas pogosto namenimo obiskovanju gora? Naša gosta sta bila urednik za kartografijo pri PZS Andrej Stritar in ljubiteljica gorskega teka Deja Jakopič.

The passing of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025 marked not just the end of a papacy but the end of an era in global politics. The moment in which Francis spoke before Congress a decade ago and identified Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and Martin Luther King as models of Christian moral witness feels like another universe — far from the cruel, cramped, suspicious, and selfish world we are living in. What was the Francis era? Where did he come from, and how did he become pope? And what are we losing — besides a pretty good pope — with his passing from the mortal realm? Matt and Sam discuss the passing of Pope Francis and what his papacy meant (to us and to the world), why he scandalized the Catholic right, and why his message feels so necessary and yet so far away. Further Reading: Vinson Cunningham, "Many and One," Commonweal, Dec 14, 2020. Dorothy Fortenberry, "The climate apocalypse is also a religious crisis," Vox, April 12, 2023.Abeer Salman and Oren Liebermann, "The pope called them every night until his final hours. Now, Gaza's Christians cling to the hope he left behind," CNN, April 23, 2025. Matthew Sitman, "No, Pope Francis is Nothing Like Donald Trump," Commonweal, Feb. 26, 2016.— "Pope Francis and Civil Unions: We Need Clarity, Not a Media Blackout," Commonweal, Oct. 27, 2020.Pope Francis, Laudato si' (“On Care for Our Common Home”), May 2015.Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, Oct. 3, 2020.Ross Douthat, "Francis and the End of the Imperial Papacy," New York Times, April 21, 2025....and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon for access to all of our bonus episodes!  

W najnowszym odcinku podcastu Raport Międzynarodowy Witold Jurasz i Zbigniew Parafianowicz skupiają się przede wszystkim na dwóch zagadnieniach. Po pierwsze, przyglądają się znaczeniu pontyfikatu papieża Franciszka dla światowej polityki. Witold Jurasz omawia najważniejsze trzy encykliki papieskie, czyli Laudato si, Fratelli tutti i Dilexit nos. Zauważa, że papież Franciszek, jakkolwiek nie dokonał rewolucji w Kościele, to jednak przygotował grunt pod głębsze zmiany w Watykanie. Witold Jurasz przytacza tu historyczną paralelę - można zastanawiać się, kto miał większe znaczenie, Aleksander Macedoński czy jego ojciec, bez którego reform nigdy nie osiągnąłby swoich sukcesów.   Prowadzący odnoszą się do wspomnianych wyżej encyklik papieskich i zauważają, że we wszystkich z nich Franciszek wyprzedził swój czas lub też nadrobił zaległości kierowanej przez siebie instytucji, która wreszcie zaczęła ustosunkowywać się wobec zagadnień tak ważnych, jak ekologia, sprawiedliwość międzygeneracyjna, sztuczna inteligencja, solidarność w obliczu ewentualnej kolejnej pandemii. Witold Jurasz dostrzega też papieski gest w stosunku do teologii wyzwolenia. Dziedzina ta zwalczana wcześniej przez Jana Pawła II i Benedykt XVI była czym innym w czasach, w których komunizm stanowił realne niebezpieczeństwo, a czymś zgoła odmiennym dziś, gdy zagrożeniem jest raczej turbokapitalizm.   Prowadzący odnotowują też dialog z islamem, ostrożne rozmowy z prawosławiem oraz neutralny stosunek do ukraińskiej Autokefalii, co biorąc pod uwagę kruche kontakty z rosyjską Cerkwią Prawosławną, było w gruncie rzeczy wyrazem życzliwości. Omawiając politykę zagraniczną Watykanu, Witold Jurasz zauważa, że nie można mieć pretensji do Kościoła Katolickiego o brak zaangażowania się w sposób daleki od naszych oczekiwań w bieżące problemy, gdyż podstawowym zadaniem tej instytucji jest obrona praw ludzi wierzących.   Drugim szeroko omawianym w podcaście tematem są rozmowy amerykańsko-rosyjskie na temat zakończenia wojny w Ukrainie. Obydwaj prowadzący zgadzają się, że Donald Trump idzie za daleko w swoich ustępstwach w stosunku do Rosji, ale różnią się w ocenie tego, czy porozumienie, które się wyłania, będzie klęską, czy też jednak zwycięstwem Ukrainy. Witold Jurasz zauważa, że na razie jednoznaczne oceny są przedwczesne, a ostateczna recenzja powinna zależeć od powstania misji pokojowej sił NATO w Ukrainie.   Prowadzący odnotowują, że Polska jest na marginesie rozmów o przyszłości Ukrainy i jest to w znacznym stopniu efekt wzajemnego zaszachowania się polskich polityków, którzy ścigają się w zapewnieniach, że nasz kraj nigdy nie wyśle wojsk na ukraińsko-rosyjski front. Prowadząc taką politykę, Polska nie może liczyć na odegranie poważniejszej roli w procesie pokojowym.   Nie zabraknie również polityki gospodarczej i wojen celnych, które Donald Trump prowadzi z całym światem. Prowadzący podcast stwierdzają, że próba racjonalnego wytłumaczenia, o co chodzi Trumpowi, jest de facto niemożliwa. Zbigniew Parafianowicz odnotowuje wojnę Białego Domu z szefem Rezerwy Federalnej i spostrzega, że amerykański prezydent narusza podstawy ustrojowe Stanów Zjednoczonych.   Wracając do spraw wschodnich, Zbigniew Parafianowicz zauważa powrót generała Biesiedy do łask Putina - człowieka odpowiedzialnego za klęskę Rosji w chwili napaści na Ukrainę. Witold Jurasz stwierdza, że reguły polityki kadrowej na Kremlu są bardzo podobne do tych obowiązujących w Polsce. Można być głupkiem, można być miernotą tak długo, jak długo jest się wiernym.   Dzisiejsze wydanie zamykamy pomysłem ograniczenia poruszania się konsulów rosyjskich pomiędzy Czechami i Polską. Rosjanie korzystając z otwartych granic, przemieszczali się pomiędzy państwami strefy Schengen - w efekcie prowadząc działania wywiadowcze, nie będąc pod obserwacją europejskich kontrwywiadów. Witold Jurasz stwierdza, że być może skuteczniejszą metodą od narzucania ograniczeń byłoby danie Rosjanom tak zwanego “ogona”, tak, by odechciało im się prowadzić jakąkolwiek działalność niezgodną z Konwencją wiedeńską o stosunkach dyplomatycznych.   

Ako sa vyjadril pápež František o evolúcii či krste mimozemšťanov? Aký bol prínos jeho encykliky Laudato si'? Aké boli niektoré odozvy na tieto témy?----more---- Súvisiace dávky: PD#304: Katolícka cirkev a evolúcia  PD#188: Debaty o mimozemšťanoch Použité alebo odporúčané zdroje:   Barr, "Why Evolution is Not a Problem for the Catholic Church," 2023. Consolmagno, Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?, 2024. Coyne, Faith and Fact, 2015. O'Leary, Roman Catholicism and Modern Science, 2006. Pápež František, Laudato si', 2015.    ***   Baví ťa s nami rozmýšľať? Umožni tvorbu a pokračovanie podcastu na SK2811000000002943116091. Ďakujeme! 

El Planeta Vivo de hoy se lo dedicamos al Papa Francisco, el activista ambiental que ha liderado la Iglesia Católica durante los últimos 12 años. Con su muerte hace dos días, el 21 de abril, la lucha por la emergencia climática pierde a uno de sus líderes más influyentes. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, nacido en Buenos Aires en 1936, aprovechó su papel como jefe de estado y octavo soberano de la Ciudad del Vaticano para proclamar la necesidad de proteger nuestro planeta.En junio de 2015, apenas un año después de convertirse en el máximo representante de la Iglesia católica, Francisco publicó “Laudato si”, considerada la primera encíclica verde de la historia en la que hizo un llamamiento urgente a cambiar nuestro estilo de vida, los modelos de producción y consumo, y a reformar las estructuras de poder que perpetúan la desigualdad y el deterioro ambiental.El papa denunció que el planeta se está convirtiendo en un “inmenso depósito de porquería, criticó la privatización del agua y remarcó que los más pobres son los principales afectados por la degradación ambiental.En su exhortación apostólica “Laudate Deum” (en octubre de 2023), Francisco denunció el negacionismo climático y las burlas irresponsables que trivializan el calentamiento global. Insistió en que los seres humanos “somos parte de la naturaleza” y, por tanto, cualquier daño a ésta es un daño directo a la humanidad. Entre sus mensajes más poderosos figura su llamada al “arrepentimiento de los pecados ecológicos”, una categoría moral que creó para referirse a los actos humanos que deterioran gravemente el planeta, como la deforestación o el uso indiscriminado de combustibles fósiles. En el Día de la Tierra, escribió en redes que “Nuestra generación ha heredado muchas riquezas, pero no ha sabido custodiar el Planeta ni la paz”. Gracias Francisco. Haz gestos. Haz un gesto para preservar el PLANETA VIVO. Anna Grimau, Radio 5 Todo NoticiasEscuchar audio

En une image et quelques mots, le jour où il est apparu au balcon de Saint-Pierre de Rome en mars 2013, quelques minutes après son élection, le nouveau pape avait tout dit de ce qu'allait être son pontificat. Un pape simplement vêtu, venant du « bout du monde » et portant le nom de François, en hommage à François d'Assise, saint miséricordieux qui vécut parmi les lépreux. Il est mort lundi 21 avril, à l'âge de 88 ans, a annoncé le Vatican.Pendant douze ans, le pape François a défendu dans ses discours les laissés-pour-compte, en premier lieu les migrants naufragés en Méditerranée, comme il l'a signifié lors de son premier voyage officiel, sur l'île de Lampedusa (Italie). Il s'est efforcé de décentrer l'Eglise de l'Occident, de donner voix au chapitre aux « périphéries », notamment en nommant des cardinaux de pays fort éloignés du Vatican. Et d'imposer une vision de la papauté et de l'Eglise plus humble, plus inclusive en tentant de réformer son fonctionnement, dépendant de la figure du clerc. Ces combats lui ont valu des ennemis, notamment au sein de la frange la plus conservatrice des catholiques.Mais qu'en reste-t-il après sa mort ? A-t-il réussi à transformer l'Eglise à son image ? Réponse dans cet épisode de « L'Heure du Monde » avec Sarah Belouezzane, journaliste spécialiste des religions, au Monde.Un épisode d'Adélaïde Tenaglia. Réalisation : Amandine Robillard. Présentation et rédaction en chef : Jean-Guillaume Santi. Dans cet épisode extrait du discours du pape François le 13 mars 2013 à Rome. Extrait du discours du pape François à Marseille, le 23 septembre 2023. Lecture de l'encyclique « Laudato si' ». Extrait de la conférence de presse du pape François, le 29 juillet 2013.Episode publié le 22 avril 2025.---Que pensez-vous des podcasts du « Monde » ? Donnez votre avis en répondant à cette enquête. Hébergé par Audion. Visitez https://www.audion.fm/fr/privacy-policy pour plus d'informations.

Oggi a Cult: Moni Ovadia riflette sulla figura di Papa Francesco a partire dall'enciclica "Laudato si'" alla quale ha dedicato uno spettacolo; Francesco Lattuada, in rappresentanza di ANPI SCala, introduce il concerto dedicato all'80° della Liberazione il 25 aprile 2025; Laura Gnocchi parla del suo libro "Dimmi cos'è il fascismo" (Feltrinelli); la rubrica ExtraCult a cura di Chawki Senouci...

L'amore è sempre un impegno, c'è sempre qualcosa che dobbiamo perdere per andare incontro all'altroProviamo a tracciare un bilancio del pontificato di Francesco. Il Papa venuto “dalla fine del mondo”, così si era presentato dodici anni fa appena eletto, ha davvero dato una scossa ad una istituzione, quella della Chiesa cattolica, profondamente divisa e in grande difficoltà di comunicazione e immagine? In effetti il significato dell'affermazione “dalla fine del mondo” può essere compreso rovesciando la prospettiva della Chiesa. Ovvero guardando la realtà dalla parte degli ultimi, degli umili, dei dimenticati. Papa Francesco non li ha mai dimenticati, anzi li ha esaltati, dato che da sempre è uno di loro. Fino alla fine. Ogni sua affermazione, ogni suo testo ricordano quella prospettiva, comprese le encicliche. Almeno due: “Fratelli tutti” e “Laudato sì”, messaggi chiari di un impegno soprattutto politico e sociale che ha sempre caratterizzato il suo mandato, ancora prima di arrivare in Vaticano.Con l'imam della moschea di Milano e vicepresidente del Co.Re.Is (Comunità Religiosa islamica italiana) Yahya Pallavicini, l'Alto Commissario ONU per i rifugiati Filippo Grandi e il direttore della rivista argentina di ispirazione cattolica Criterio José Maria Poirier.undefined

Na dan Zemlje smo spregovorili o okoljskih izzivih današnjih dni. Spomnili se bomo okrožnice Laudato si papeža Frančiška, od katere objave bo konec maja minilo 10 let. Beseda je tekla tudi o okoljskem dolgu, naš gost je bil direktor Inštituta za zdravje in okolje Tomaž Gorenc.

Hour 3 for 4/21/25 Ignatius Press' Mark Brumley joined guest-host Ed Morrissey to discuss the writing of Pope Francis (1:00), Laudato si' (9:03), and the Holy Father's style (12:31). Then, Kathryn Jean Lopez from National Review commemorated the life of Pope Francis (25:20), getting to know him (32:14), his 2015 trip to the USA (38:48), and the upcoming conclave (47:05). Link: https://ignatius.com/authors/mark-brumley/ https://www.nationalreview.com/author/kathryn-jean-lopez/

O cardeal Américo Aguiar é um dos quatro cardeais portugueses que vão participar no conclave para a eleição do sucessor do Papa Francisco e espera que o escolhido dê continuidade ao legado de “fraternidade” que Francisco deixou. O mais jovem cardeal português diz que o Papa Francisco deu atenção às pessoas e às periferias mais diversas, que “provocou e exortou a Humanidade” com as suas mensagens e recorda-o como “um pai, um amigo e um avô” que se deliciou com pastéis de Belém na Jornada Mundial da Juventude em Lisboa. RFI: Qual é o legado que deixa o Papa Francisco?Cardeal Américo Aguiar: “A palavra que resume o pontificado, o legado, é ‘fraternidade'. Ou seja, o Papa Francisco, neste seu pontificado, desde 2013, provocou, convidou, exortou, sensibilizou a humanidade toda ao gosto de nos redescobrirmos verdadeiramente, irmãos. Que o outro, a outra, que é de outro país, que é de outra religião, que é de outra raça, que é de outra proveniência, que é de outra sensibilidade, que tem gostos diversos, não é um problema, nem um obstáculo, nem uma ameaça, é um irmão. Sendo um irmão, somos todos irmãos e todos juntos somos capazes de fazer o que for necessário para a felicidade e para a alegria de “todos, todos, todos”, como nos ensinou o Papa Francisco em Lisboa. É, por isso, que eu acho que o grande legado, acima de tudo, a grande herança com que ficámos todos, cristãos, católicos, não crentes, é este desafio, a redescoberta desta fraternidade universal.”Essa mensagem de fraternidade não foi um pouco manchada por algumas críticas. É que o Papa Francisco suscitou tanto fervor, quantas críticas… Quais foram as medidas que, se calhar, mudaram uma página no Vaticano? “O que o Papa Francisco nos propôs, o que o Papa Bento XVI nos propunha, o que o nosso querido e saudoso Papa João Paulo II também nos propôs, foi sempre o Evangelho e o Evangelho, já no tempo de Jesus, teve as consequências que teve. Eu acredito que cada homem, cada mulher, cada crente, cada homem e mulher de boa vontade, em cada circunstância, faz uma leitura dos acontecimentos e reage e adere ou não adere àquilo que são as propostas. O Papa Francisco foi-nos acompanhando, foi-nos provocando para esse caminho. Há coisas que ficaram resolvidas e decididas, outras que não, mas sempre naquilo que ele nos pedia que aprendêssemos com o estilo sinodal, ou seja, ouvirmo-nos todos uns aos outros, cada um tem uma opinião, cada um tem uma sensibilidade e, depois, escolhermos em conjunto aquilo que possa ser o caminho comum, apesar daquilo que nos torna diferenciados, por ventura. Esse é o desafio maior que nós temos pela frente. É óbvio que nestes 13 anos, quer na Igreja, quer fora da Igreja, há homens e mulheres que entenderam de modo diferente, sentem de modo diferente, mas isso nunca é problema, isso é a riqueza da diversidade dos filhos de Deus.”O combate aos abusos sexuais no seio da Igreja Católica foi uma das suas bandeiras. Foi uma luta que deu frutos?“Eu acredito, creio e sei que sim. Aliás, a situação que a sociedade, em geral, vive em relação à questão do abuso de menores não tem nada a ver com o antes. E ainda bem. Por exemplo, falando da situação de Portugal, o 2019 e depois de 2019, a situação é totalmente diferente. Nós aprendemos todos a colocar a vítima no lugar que lhe é devido, no respeito, na protecção, a fazer tudo para que nada se volte a repetir. Aquele slogan do Papa “tolerância zero” e “transparência total” fizeram caminho e fazem parte agora do quotidiano de todos. Infelizmente ainda não está resolvido na totalidade, seja no contexto da Igreja, seja no contexto da sociedade, mas é um assunto que temos de continuar a acompanhar, sem distrações sequer.”O Papa Francisco discursou sobre grupos marginalizados, sobre os refugiados, sobre a população LGBTQ+. Que peso é que estes discursos tiveram e podem continuar a ter? Haverá uma continuidade no seio do Vaticano?“Se eu falei há bocadinho de fraternidade, naquilo que significa a palavra legado, eu agora posso falar naquilo que foi uma marca muito portuguesa, muito Jornada Mundial da Juventude 2023 e que é o tal “todos, todos, todos”. Ou seja, o Papa dizia muitas vezes que o importante é a pessoa. Aliás, numa entrevista com jovens, a certa altura, ele diz que o importante é o substantivo, não os adjectivos. Portanto, nós temos que ter presente - e eu acredito e rezarei para que o próximo Papa, o próximo pontificado, não deixe de ter esta palavra e esta força desta palavra repetida no coração e na mente e naquilo que é a atenção às periferias mais diversas, mas, acima de tudo, às pessoas e a cada pessoa.”Mais do que rezar, o cardeal Américo Aguiar tem um poder de voto. No colégio cardinalício há quatro cardeais portugueses eleitores para o conclave que irá escolher o sucessor de Francisco. Há mais cardeais lusófonos: sete brasileiros, um cabo-verdiano e um timorense. Desta vez poderia haver um Papa de língua portuguesa?“Neste dia, esse não é propriamente o assunto nem mais prioritário, nem que deva merecer da minha parte alguma reflexão. O que eu quero que aconteça naquilo que disse é que nós nos abramos àquilo que será o sopro do Espírito Santo. Eu acredito profundamente que estes mais de 140 homens que estarão na Capela Sistina, cada um à sua maneira, com o seu modo de ser, com a sua história de vida, adaptar-se-à e adaptar-se-à com o seu coração e com a sua mente para sentir aquilo que o Espírito Santo de Deus diz à Igreja em relação àquilo que será o sucessor de Pedro.” Há 137 cardeais eleitores, 108 foram escolhidos pelo Papa Francisco. A sucessão do Papa Francisco deverá ser marcada pela continuidade daquilo que ele defendia? Acredita que isso pode acontecer? “Acredito, quero acreditar e, do que me toca a mim, farei para que assim seja.” O Papa Francisco apelou à acção no combate às alterações climáticas. Isto foi recordado pela ONU esta segunda-feira. Até que ponto foi importante esta mensagem?“Nós não podemos esquecer - e vou usar a imagem – que nunca tínhamos tido um ‘Papa verde' e, por isso, o Papa, quer com a ‘Laudato si', quer o ‘Laudato Deum', se não estou enganado, no quinto aniversário da ‘Laudato si', digamos que formalmente, institucionalmente e com documento formal da parte da Igreja assinado por um Papa, foi um pronunciamento muitíssimo importante para colocar a Igreja na frente daquilo que significa a salvaguarda do planeta, a urgência e o grito da Mãe Terra, do planeta, para aquilo que significa a possibilidade de não termos muita margem de manobra para salvaguardar o planeta que é a nossa casa comum. Os pronunciamentos do Papa, as suas palavras, os seus gestos e as suas decisões fizeram dele efectivamente o ‘Papa verde'.” Outra encíclica feita por ele foi um alerta contra o populismo e o neoliberalismo, a ‘Fratelli tutti”. Este foi também um combate, mas serviu para alguma coisa? No domingo de Páscoa, quando ele fez a última aparição pública, o seu testamento espiritual, digamos assim, foi para denunciar o populismo, o agravamento dos actuais conflitos armados, o desrespeito das liberdades fundamentais…“Isto tem tudo a ver com a palavra-chave que é a fraternidade. Eu explico: quando o bem comum sai do centro da mesa de reuniões, quando o bem comum desaparece da sala, desaparece a pessoa, o critério da pessoa humana. E quando o chefe de Estado, o chefe de um partido, o responsável de um governo, o pai de família, o bispo, o padre ou cardeal, quando sai do centro da preocupação a pessoa humana e o bem comum, as coisas começam a correr mal. E é o que nós temos assistido um pouquinho nos tempos que vivemos. Quando o Papa nos chama, nos exorta, nos provoca à fraternidade universal, está a colocar no meio da mesa, no meio da sala, no coração, no centro do coração, a preocupação pela pessoa, por cada pessoa. Acho que não precisamos de muitas explicações para entender que os tempos que vivemos agora não são de ter a pessoa no centro e muito menos o bem comum.”Conheceu pessoalmente o Papa Francisco? Como é que o descreve? “O mais normal que possa imaginar. Um pai, um amigo, um avô. E eu não posso esquecer, durante a preparação da Jornada Mundial da Juventude, em que várias vezes tivemos reuniões em privado. Não esqueço o abraço confortável, o cheirinho a café que partilhávamos.”O gosto pelo futebol?“Exactamente, o São Lourenço dele. Aqui em Lisboa, na Jornada Mundial da Juventude, no almoço com jovens, a certa altura, há uma jovem, que lhe pergunta se ele já tinha provado os pastéis de Belém. E ele olha para mim com ar de crítica e diz assim: ‘Já me falaram, mas ninguém me ofereceu.' E eu percebi e mandei uma mensagem ao presidente da Câmara, o engenheiro Carlos Moedas, para ele me salvar e enviar uns pastéis de nata que chegaram passado pouco tempo. Sei que nesse dia e no dia seguinte se maravilhou a degustar os pastéis de Belém!”

Your weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist people with disabilities and special needs. Special Guest: Mia Laudato, MSEd – Co-Project Director and Senior Technical Assistant – CITES CITES Website: cites.cast.org CAST Website: cast.org Join the Community of Practice: bit.ly/JoinCITES […]

Your weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist people with disabilities and special needs. Special Guest: Mia Laudato, MSEd – Co-Project Director and Senior Technical Assistant – CITES CITES Website: cites.cast.org CAST Website: cast.org Join the Community of Practice: bit.ly/JoinCITES […]

Elizabeth E. Green"Treelogy Theology"In connessione: noi, Dio e l'alberoGabrielli Editoriwww.gabriellieditori.itLo sforzo delle teologie ecofemmi­niste è di superare il pensiero dualista che divide la real­tà in opposizioni del tipo sacro/profano. Si propongono di adottare un “pensiero ecologico” di connessione to­tale col pianeta secondo il quale noi siamo “dentro” la natura in modo che la “natura” come “una realtà a noi esterna” scompaia.Treeology/Theology è frutto di un esperimento: pensare l'albero (tree) a partire dalla teologia (theology). Sebbene treeology sia una parola inventata, l'assonanza che si produce in inglese tra Tree-ologia e Theo-logia (il discorso su Dio) esprime esattamente ciò che questo libro si propone di investigare: la relazione tra gli alberi e il divino.Dagli anni Settanta del secolo scorso, la teologia si è lasciata interrogare da una crisi ecologica che, da quando ne siamo di­ventati consapevoli, non ha fatto che peggiorare. È stato sostenuto che tale crisi aves­se radici religiose, in particolare cristiane. Se il cristianesimo, e di conseguenza la teologia, è chia­mato in causa, come porne rimedio? Così, negli anni Ottanta nasce la cosiddetta “ecoteologia” che ne­gli ultimi anni gode di nuova vitalità grazie all'enciclica papale Laudato si'.Questo libro si colloca all'interno di una ricerca teologica caratterizzata da una sensibilità ecologica, da una parte, e da una coscienza femminista, dall'altra. Si propone di riflettere sugli al­beri attingendo ad alcuni filoni della teologia contemporanea, della teologia femminista ed ecofemminista.Elizabeth E. Green è pastora emerita dell'Unione cristiana evangelica battista d'Italia. Socia del Coordinamento Teologhe Italiane, è stata Burns Fellow all'Università di Otago (Nuova Zelanda) e visiting professor presso il Seminario battista internazionale di Rüschlikon (Svizzera), la Facoltà valdese di teologia (Roma) e la Pontificia Università Lateranense. Si occupa soprattutto di teologia, femminismo e genere.  L'ultimo suo libro è con Gabrielli editori: Treeology/Theology. In connessione: noi, Dio e l'albero (Collana Esh – testi di ecoteologia femminista). Tra le altre sue pubblicazioni ricordiamo: Padre nostro? Dio, genere e genitorialità (2015), Un percorso a spirale (2020), Dio, il vuoto e il genere (2023) pubblicate dalla Claudiana e, insieme a Cristina Simonelli, Incontri (San Paolo, 2019) e con Selene Zorzi e Simona Segoloni Ruta, Sorelle tutte (La Meridiana, 2021). IL POSTO DELLE PAROLEascoltare fa pensarewww.ilpostodelleparole.itDiventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/il-posto-delle-parole--1487855/support.

In this episode, Ralph and Luc chat with Michael Jefferies, Regional Conservative Outreach Coordinator for the Citizens' Climate Lobby. Together, we get out of our filter bubbles and find some common ground.We discuss Michael's faith-based journey on climate issues, bipartisan proposals on issues ranging from a carbon tax ("Carbon Fees and Dividends") and import tariffs, along with strategies to communicate about the environment to conservatives.We also listen to excerpts from former Senator Bob Inglis talking about his experience as a pro-climate Republican.We hear a political advertisement recorded by Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi together on a couch back in 2008.We read excerpts of:• Dorothy Sayers' "Why Work?" speech from 1942 and• Pope Francis' "Laudato si'" encyclical from 2015.If you'd like to connect with the Citizens' Climate Lobby, you can find them at:https://cclusa.org/join

This episode of the RETHINK Retail Podcast was recorded live at the RETHINK Retail Podcast Media Booth during the NRF 2024 Big Show. In this episode of the RETHINK Retail Podcast, RETHINK Retail CCO is joined by Andy Laudato, Chief Operations Officer of The Vitamin Shoppe. During their conversation, Andy shares his insights on fostering innovation in the retail industry and discusses the importance of collaboration, continuous improvement, and adopting a customer-centric approach. Through practical examples from Vitamin Shoppe, such as leveraging AI for real-time communication and enhancing the customer experience, Laudato demonstrates the relevance of his expertise in the field. "Necessity drives innovation. And so, when solving a problem for your customer, first you have to identify what that is. Or maybe it's not just a problem, but just an opportunity to do something better." - Andy Laudato Resources: Nominate the next Global Retail Leader: www.globalretailleaders.com/membership Connect with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/rethink-industries/ For more retail insights visit www.rethink.industries If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know by subscribing to our channel and giving us a 5 star rating on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Goodpods! – – – – – – Hosted by Kirat Anand Produced by Gabriella Bock Research by Maggie Schwenn

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, když víc jak před deseti lety usedal na Svatý stolec, zvolil si jméno František, podle řeholníka Františka z Assisi. Světec a křesťanský mystik proslul kromě péče o chudé také zvláštním ohledem ke stvoření – jinými slovy k přírodě. Když pak v roce 2015 vyšla encyklika Laudato si, ve které se papež obrací ke každému člověku této planety, aby chránil přírodu a mírnil klimatickou krizi, naplnil tím to, co si předsevzal.

LIVE FROM #NRF2024 Omni Talk Retail's Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton are joined by The Vitamin Shoppe Chief Operating Officer Andrew Laudato. Thanks to our partners at VusionGroup for making all our #NRF2024 coverage possible. Come stop by and visit us in booth #5420

Laudetur Jesus Christus - Ngợi khen Chúa Giêsu Kitô Radio Vatican hằng ngày của Vatican News Tiếng Việt. Nội dung chương trình hôm nay: 0:00 Bản tin 12:38 Chia sẻ Lời Chúa : Lm. Toma Aquino Nguyễn Khánh Duy, SJ chia sẻ Lời Chúa Lễ Thánh Gia Thất 21:15 Nữ tu trong Giáo hội : Các nữ tu cộng đoàn Thánh Giuse ở Australia thực hiện thông điệp Laudato si' --- Liên lạc và hỗ trợ Vatican News Tiếng Việt qua email & Zelle: tiengviet@vaticannews.va --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vaticannews-vi/support

In this episode of Retail Razor Show, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden talk about preparing for NRF 2024, celebrate being a finalist in the Vendors in Partnership gala for The Retail Voice Award, and bring the latest episode of Blade to Greatness, all in under an hour!They host a special “Taylor's Version” replay of a prior interview with Andy Laudato, COO of The Vitamin Shoppe, sharing his comprehensive guide for maximizing your attendance at the NRF Big Show. Andy returns to the show for a new discussion of his anticipation for the combined NRF and supply chain shows, and the buzz surrounding AI, plus expectations for a great RetailROI Super Saturday event. In the latest episode of the ‘Blade to Greatness' segment, April Sabral, founder of retailu and The Positivity Company, returns to share her insights on leadership and how to counteract negativity in the retail industry She explains why retail leaders need to stop enrolling in negativity and reinforce a positive attitude with their teams. After listening to this episode, you, too, will be ready for #NRF2024 in January in New York City!NEWS! We are thrilled to report that our fans support propelled us as a finalist in The Retail Voice Award for the Vendors In Partnership award gala at NRF 2024! You're votes made a difference and we're honored to be one of 3 finalists for this prestigious award!WOW! As we march into our 3rd year on the show, we're honored and humbled to have hit the top of the charts on the Goodpodspodcast platform!#1 in the Top 100 Indie Management Monthly chart#2 in the Top 100 Indie Management Weekly chart#2 in the Top 100 Indie Marketing Weekly chart#3 in the Top 100 Marketing Weekly chart#4 in the Top 100 Marketing Monthly chartWe can't thank our Goodpods listeners enough! We love your support! Please continue giving us those 5-star ratings and send us your comments!Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:Ricardo Belmar, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Influencer for 2023, 2022 & 2021, RIS News Top Movers and Shakers in Retail for 2021, advisory council member at George Mason University's Center for Retail Transformation, and director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft.Casey Golden, CEO of Luxlock, and RETHINK Retail Top Retail Influencer for 2023. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech!Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Overclocked, E-Motive, and Swag, Tag & Brag from the album Beat Hype, written by Hestron Mimms, published by Imuno.The Retail Razor ShowFollow us on Goodpods: https://bit.ly/TRRSgoodpodsFollow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/TRRSinstaFollow us on Threads: https://bit.ly/TRRSthreadsFollow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/TwRRazorConnect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/LI-RRazorSubscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/RRShowYouTubeSubscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/RetailRazorShowRetail Razor Show Episode Page: https://bit.ly/RRShowPodHost → Ricardo Belmar,Follow on Twitter - https://bit.ly/twRBelmarConnect on LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/LIRBelmarCo-host → Casey Golden,Follow on Twitter - https://bit.ly/twCaseyConnect on LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/LICasey

Jonathan leads the discussion of Pope Francis's Laudato si', with Tim, Brian, Jim, Jon, Jeff, Allan and Paul. What is the proper use of technology, such that it does not become a violent and shaping force and remains a means (not an end)? Global warming and overpopulation, must be addressed not simply at a technological but at a theological level.  Become a Patron! If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider donating to support our work.

Papež František vyzval světové lídry, aby se zavázali plnit klimatické cíle. O novém ekologickém dokumentu budeme ve Vertikále mluvit s koordinátorkou Žít Laudato si' Česká republika Světlou Hanke Jarošovou. Probereme odpovědi Vatikánu na otázky Dominika Duky, zda smí rozvedení lidé žijící v novém svazku k přijímání. A Francie zakázala svým olympijským reprezentantkám nosit šátek. Poslechněte si celý magazín Vertikály.

1-” Per quanto si cerchi di negarli o relativizzarli, i segni del cambiamento climatico sono sempre più evidenti” Cosi il Papa in apertura dell' Esortazione apostolica che aggiorna l'enciclica Laudato si. ( Alfredo Somoza) 2-Lo scandalo delle spirali in Groenlandia. Negli anni 70 migliaia di ragazzi inuit venivano sterilizzati forzatamente dal governo danese. Ora un gruppo di donne chiede a Copenhagen un risarcimento. ( Martina Stefanoni) 3-Gran Bretagna. Il premier Sunak taglia la nuova linea ferroviaria ad alta velocità Londra – Manchester. Il clamoroso retromarcia per motivi economici intacca la sua credibilità a un anno dalle elezioni. ( Daniele Fisichella) 4-Diario americano. L'ascesa, il declino e la caduta di Kevin McCarthy, lo speaker della camera vittima della faida interna tra repubblicani e conservatori. ( Roberto Festa) 5- Progetti sostenibili. Da tre anni la città tedesca Monheuim sul Reno porta avanti con successo la sperimentazione dei trasporti pubblici gratuiti. ( Fabio Fimiani ) 6-Romanzo a fumetti: Baby Blue il graphic novel di Bim Eriksson, ( Luisa Nannipieri)

Folk's we're on high alert here at the magnificast, because we are just DAYS away from Pope Francis dropping his follow up to Laudato Si, Laudate Deum. To get ourselves in the right headspace for this big moment, we're revisiting some of the big themes in Laudato Si. Everyone talks about the environmental themes, but we're really interested in the Pope's use of dependency theory. Put on your studying hat and let's get down to business preparing for the hottest Papal document of 2023!  Thanks to our monthly supporters Michael Lee Rodolfo Urquieta Cortes Korbin Painter Mark De La Paz Lea Mae Rice 10 ChrisJ Gill Erik Mohr Joe Kruse illi Robert Shine Kurt XxXJudasdidnothingwrongXxX Maxwell Lorena Rivera Soren Harward Christian Noakes David Wadstrup Óscar John Salcedo Austin Gallyer Harrison g Randall Katie Marascio Elias Jacob D Francisco Herrera John Michael Dimitras Jacob S Leigh Elliot Tyler Adair Catherine Harrison Zachary Elicker Kasey Erin Archambeault Mikegrapes Kate Alexander Calderon Alejandro Kritzlof Caleb Strom Shandra Benito Andrew McIntosh Peter Shaw Kerrick Fanning Josh Johnson Jonathan Taylor Jennifer Kunze Damon Pitiroi Yroffeiriad Matt Sandra Zadkovic Stephanie Heifner Patrick Sweeney Felicia Aaron Morrison Leslie Rodriguez Sarah Clark Timothy Trout darcie wilder Name Colm Moran Stewart Thomas Lonnie Smith Brendan Fong Kylie Riley Darren Young Josh Kerley koalatee Tim Luschen Elizabeth Davis Lee Ketch Austin Cyphersmith Ashton Sims Fin Carter Ryan Euverman Tristan Turner Edwin Emily JCF Linzi Stahlecker Matthew Alhonte John Samson Fellows alex zarecki rob Kathryn Bain Stephen Machuga zane Caitlin Spanjer Collin Majors Victor Williams Daniel Saunders David Huseth Andrew Brian Nowak erol delos santos Aaron Forbis-Stokes Josh Strassman Cal Kielhold Luke Stocking Sara Trey Brian S. Ryan Brady drew k Matthew Darmour-Paul saheemax Adam Burke Peter Pinkney Zambedos Andrew Guthrie Adrian Kevin Hernandez Wilden Dannenberg Evan Ernst jessica frances Tucker Clyle Christopher RayAlexander Peter Adourian Dan Meyer Benjamin Pletcher John Mattessich Caleb Cropper-Russel Tristan Greeno Steve Schiroo Robert Clelland Anastasia Schaadhardt Scott Pfeiffer Terry Craghead Josiah Daniels yames Thaddaeus Groat Elisabeth Wienß Hoss Tripp Fuller Avery Dez V Danny Zane Guevara Ivan Carter Ryan Plas Jofre Jonas Edberg Tom Tilden Jo Jonny Nickname Phil Lembo Matt Roney Stephen McMurtry Andrew Ness Noj Lucas Costello chrisg9653 Dónal Emerson Robert Paquette Arty2000 Amaryah Shaye BreadandRosaries.com Frank Dina Mason Shrader Sabrina Luke Nye David Klassen Julia Schimanek Matthew Fisher Michael Vanacore Tom Nielsen Elinor Stephenson Max Bridges Joel Garver SibilantStar Devon Bowers Daniel David Erdman Madeleine E Guekguezian Tim Lewis Logan Daniel Daniel Saunders Big Dong Bill Jared Rouse Stanford McConnehey Dianne Boardman klavvin Angela Ben Molyneux-Hetherington Junesong91 Keith Wetzel Nathan Beam, Nazi Destroyer Dillon Moore Nicholas Hurley HJ25 Ibrahím Pedriñán Brando Geoffrey Thompson Some Dude Kevin M.N. Brock Barber Geoff Tock Kaya Oakes Ahar Tom Cannell Stephen Adkison Troy Andrews Andy Reinsch J Martel K. Aho Jimmy Melnarik Ian SG Daniel Rogers Caleb Ratzlaff emcanady

Mike and Dominic are back to discuss Pope Francis's comments released today on the problem of a reactionary US Church, the upcoming "Part 2" to Francis's encyclical Laudato Si', and a recent pastoral letter by Bishop Strickland and a surprising endorsement by Scott Hahn. Notes and Links: 1) Pope Francis's dialogue with Portuguese Jesuits ‘The Water Has Been Agitated' - LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA https://www.laciviltacattolica.com/the-water-has-been-agitated/ Pope Francis on the “backward-looking” US Church - Where Peter Is https://wherepeteris.com/pope-francis-on-the-backward-looking-us-church/ Letter of the Holy Father to the Priests of the Diocese of Rome (5 August 2023) | Francis https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/letters/2023/documents/20230805-lettera-sacerdoti.html Pope blasts American critics' 'reactionary attitude' as 'useless' fight against progress https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/aug/28/pope-says-his-american-critics-have-reactionary-at/ 2) Pope Francis writing a second part of Laudato si' Vatican News article https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-writing-second-part-of-laudato-si.html 3) Pastoral Letter from Bishop Strickland, August 2023 - The Catholic Diocese of Tyler https://www.dioceseoftyler.org/2023/08/23/pastoral-letter-from-bishop-strickland-august-2023/ Bishop Strickland's Pastoral Letter on the Synod (Reason and Theology - Michael Lofton's analysis) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gskXbKrPKGg Firebrand Texas Bishop Strickland says Rome synod will reveal 'true schismatics' | National Catholic Reporter https://www.ncronline.org/news/firebrand-texas-bishop-strickland-says-rome-synod-will-reveal-true-schismatics What Scott Hahn's public support for Bishop Strickland signifies - Where Peter Is https://wherepeteris.com/what-scott-hahns-public-support-for-bishop-strickland-signifies/ ABOUT THE DEBRIEF Intro Episode: https://youtu.be/LevSkGFqq4U A weekly show where we dive deep into the news, topics, questions, and controversies facing the Catholic Church today. Hosted by Dominic de Souza, founder of SmartCatholics, posing questions to Mike Lewis, editor and cofounder of Where Peter Is. We bring you commentary, analysis, and context on tough questions that the Church is facing. Whether you're a devout Catholic, a curious seeker, or just interested in the news and happenings in the Church, join us for The Debrief. When it comes to news and controversies in the Catholic Church, stay curious, informed, and engaged. WHERE PETER IS Visit Where Peter Is.com to read articles, commentaries, and spiritual reflections by and for faithful Catholics who support the mission and vision of Pope Francis. https://wherepeteris.com SMARTCATHOLICS The conversation is brought to you from SmartCatholics.com, the free online community for millennials, creators, and learners. Join our private WherePeterIs group to ask questions, share insights, and suggest topics for next time. https://smartcatholics.com DONATE Consider becoming a Patreon sponsor for Where Peter Is. Your generosity will help us continue to bring valuable content to you and enhance the quality of this show. https://www.patreon.com/where_peter_is

For 46 years, The Vitamin Shoppe has been helping customers be their best selves, however they define it. Innovation and technology have played a major role in the company's growth, and on today's episode, Andrew Laudato, EVP and COO of The Vitamin Shoppe, talks about that growth and adding stores through franchises, today's definition of omnichannel and why technology is just a tool for creating better customer experiences.  Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a paid subscriber here on Substack to help us sustain Good Distinctions!Sins Against the Respect for the Reputation of PersonsStatements made about public figures are a dime a dozen. Individuals like Pope Francis who are known throughout the world garner certain reputations. Often, these reputations are an amalgamation of rash judgment, detraction, or calumny. In today's examination, I want to investigate the rather loaded question: is Pope Francis in favor of socialism and/or globalism? For some, this seems like a forgone conclusion and for others the sentiment is preposterous. I hope to shed a bit of light on the subject by sifting through the defining socialism and globalism, looking at Church teaching on the subject, and reviewing some statements by Pope Francis. Maybe then we will get a bit closer to understanding the mind of the Roman Pontiff on the topic.However, first I want to look briefly at these three sins against respect for the reputation of persons. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury (CCC 2477).” So, what are rash judgments, detraction, and calumny?Rash JudgmentsIf we call into question the moral standing of another without sufficient foundation, we are guilty of the sin of rash judgment. We do not even have to be fully convinced of our neighbor's fault for the sin of rash judgment to be present. Avoiding rash judgment requires care and practice. When we encounter the thoughts, words, and deeds of another, we should attempt to interpret them in a favorable way. St. Ignatius of Loyola writes:“Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another's statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved (St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 22).”DetractionDetraction is the sin of disclosing another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them without an objectively valid reason for doing so, to use the wording of the Catechism (cf. CCC 2477). Notice here that detraction seems to presume that the faults of failings of the other person are actually present. However, we need to take care not to share these faults and failings with an objectively valid reason. CalumnyFinally, calumny is the sin of harming the reputation of another by providing remarks which are contrary to the truth. When this happens, it invites others to make false judgments about the person being discussed. The problem with both detraction and calumny is that they “destroy the reputation and honor of one's neighbor (CCC 2479).” Actions like these are vices opposed to the virtues of justice and charity.Why Bring Up These Three Sins?There is no shortage of armchair theologians interpreting the thoughts, words, and deeds of Pope Francis in an unfavorable way. This is the sin of rash judgment. I myself have been guilty of this sin in regards to the pope several years ago, and I repent of it. Likewise, there are things which are sincerely problematic surrounding the Francis pontificate and the person of Pope Francis in the past ten years. Not all of these personal conversations needed to be brought out to the public forum, especially not in the way that they were. For example, the many letters of Archbishop Vigano would constitute, in my mind, consistent detraction against the Holy Father. Many of these letters also seem to fit the bill for calumny as well. And, of course, there is widespread calumny against the pope, as I am sure there has been against every pope in history. Folks do love to gossip. It is an unfortunate side effect of the Fall and our concupiscence. So, how does this apply to today's topic? I am going to try to avoid rash judgment, detraction, and calumny as I investigate the subject matter today. I hope by giving a model for reading the Pontiff charitably, all of us will be inspired to do likewise in the future. With that all being said, let us now turn our attention to socialism and globalism.What are Socialism and Globalism? Are they Related?When you say the word “socialism,” most people immediately think of economics. Really, socialism is more broadly a political ideology with implications in both economic and sociological structures. These structures or systems are predominantly centered around the means of production being controlled socially, rather than privately. The means of production are the land, labor, and capital which are used to produce products (in the form of goods or services). If the land, labor, or capital in a given locale are owned by the government, by a co-op, by employees, or the like, this is an indication that socialist mechanisms are in play. After the introduction of the thought of Marx and Engels in the 19th Century, a category of socialism was born which was called Communism. While there have been many iterations of socialism and communism, the key distinction is that communism is not concerned with social ownership of the means of production only but also with socially designed means of consumption of products. At any rate, both socialism and communism are opposed to capitalism, which desires to keep the means of production owned by private firms and individuals. Globalism is an interesting term without a set definition. It is usually used by right-leaning capitalists in a pejorative sense. In the 17th Century, the Peace of Westphalia led to a world-system in which several nation-states and independent nations created an interconnected economic system. These world-systems were not global as much as very large regional systems. Many of these world-systems did not interact with one another. Then, over the next two centuries, these world-systems came into ever-increasing contact in a process known as globalization. Due to transportation and communications advancements, this process took off at a feverish pace after the end of the Cold War in the 1990s. Goods, services, technology, capital, data, people, and the like move relatively freely across borders throughout the world. As a result, global markets continued to expand. In 2000, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) described four main aspects of globalization: 1) trade, 2) capital movements, 3) movement of people, and 4) the spread of knowledge and technology (Globalization: Threat or Opportunity?). Globalism is really the expression of globalization, just as nationalism is an expression of nationality. Here lies one danger: just as nationalism can go off the rails towards a well-intentioned but ultimately overzealous approach, so too can globalism devolve into an attempt to control uncontrollable mechanisms. When governments and key global leaders in politics, business, and entertainment attempt to control global markets, the outcome leads to remarkable inefficiencies which sadly lead to human suffering. This is because a society which is not founded on the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity are doomed to radically disordered structures and systems. For more on solidarity and subsidiarity, check out a previous episode on the topic. So, are socialism and globalism related? To an extent: yes! Many of the early socialists dreamed of a utopian world in which everyone had what they needed and suffering was minimized. Then, when Marx and Engels began writing the Communist Manifesto, they did so in a world which was already experiencing the nascent groans of globalization, with all its accompanying problems. Their response was to instantiate a radical form of socialism. Planned socialist economies have been tried numerous times in the 20th Century and the result has always been widespread death, suffering, and even genocide. Globalism is more or less an attempt to understand the mechanism and intricacies of globalization. This is nothing more than a desire for more knowledge about how the structures which exist in the world actually work. The problem is when globalism takes on a more “intentional” twinge and admixes socialist policies. The socialist or the globalist could dream of a world in which social structures control land, labor, and capital in order to produce goods and services for a global market. These social structures could be the United Nations, the European Union, or even the neoliberal and neoconservative efforts of nation building seen after the Cold War. What does the Church Teach About Socialism and Globalism?SocialismPope Pius XI, in his work Quadragesimo Anno, writes: “If Socialism, like all errors, contains some truth (which, moreover, the supreme pontiffs have never denied), it is based nevertheless on a theory of human society peculiar to itself and irreconcilable with true Christianity. Religious socialism, Christian socialism, are contradictory terms; no one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist (Quadragesimo Anno, 120).”Likewise, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that:“The Church has rejected the totalitarian and atheistic ideologies associated in modern times with “communism” or “socialism”  (Catechism, 2425).”Pope Leo XIII in his masterwork Rerum Novarum wrote in 1891 that:“To remedy these wrongs the socialists, working on the poor man's envy of the rich, are striving to do away with private property, and contend that individual possessions should become the common property of all, to be administered by the State or by municipal bodies. They hold that by thus transferring property from private individuals to the community, the present mischievous state of things will be set to rights, inasmuch as each citizen will then get his fair share of whatever there is to enjoy. But their contentions are so clearly powerless to end the controversy that were they carried into effect the working man himself would be among the first to suffer. They are, moreover, emphatically unjust, for they would rob the lawful possessor, distort the functions of the State, and create utter confusion in the community (Rerum Novarum, 4).”One of the key tenets of socialist ideology is contempt for private property, which is something that the Catholic Church ardently defends. Pope Leo XIII even speaks of the “inviolability” of private property, as a principle. Likewise, Pope Leo XIII speaks of socialists setting up “a State supervision” at the expense of parents, which he calls an “act against natural justice” which would “destroy the structure of the home (ibid., 14).”GlobalismBecause globalism is so ill-defined, we will be hard pressed to find many denunciations or affirmations of it. However, we can see fairly clearly that the Catholic Church is not opposed to a transnationalism corporate approach, given that it is the oldest and most interconnected organization in the world! Where the rubber meets the road on this question is between progressives in favor of an international and anti-nationalist view of global structures and a conservative and isolationist view. Between these two views is a wide diversity of ideologies of varying degrees. So, we do not want to fall into a trap of extremism. From my perspective, I think both extremes have something to offer. On the side of the internationalist progressives, I think there is value to their critique that there is an American, exceptionalist version of Catholicism which reads into everything the Vatican does as pertaining exclusively and directly to the United States. This sort of nationalism might be appropriate for navigating diplomatic relations between nations. But it is prideful and ridiculous on the global, Catholic front. I do not doubt that Pope Francis has spoken vaguely about the Western world and the United States, in particular, with negative overtones. But his critiques are centered around an observation of rampant materialism and individualism which devalues certain communities and the marginalized. And fair enough.On the side of the isolationist conservatives, there is a desire to get one's house in order before reaching out to others in assistance. The world is full of different problems, but we need to fix the problems in our own house and in our own backyard before we can be of use to anyone else. I am deeply sympathetic to this approach due to my abiding love of the principle of subsidiarity. But we have to balance this approach with solidarity, which shows how intensely interconnected the human family is. And what is more, the baptized are supernaturally brothers and sisters in an even more pronounced way than a mere natural association. The problem with globalism which is the most pronounced is the lens of seeing the world in material terms to the neglect of the spiritual. I wrote about this extensively in my part two summary of Deus Caritas Est by Pope Benedict XVI. We have a responsibility to provide for the material necessities of those in need (preferential option for the poor), but we cannot fulfill this due to the neglect of the spiritual needs of persons. Rising alongside globalization was an insidious secularism which attempted to remove God from society.Material, at the Expense of the SpiritualRiding the wave of the Enlightenment, Frederich Neitzsche famously wrote “God is dead,” but most people do not understand the point he is making. He is not simply announcing his own growing personal atheism. The quote continues:“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. Who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it? (Neitzsche)”The Enlightenment was deeply disorienting because Christendom cannot exist apart from a Christian worldview and Christian societal ordering. When the Enlightenment thinkers and actors unmoored society from these deep roots and outstretched arms to Heaven, the response was the dramatic collapse of the moral value structure of Christian society. With continued globalization, this secularism continued to creep along the globe. Now, it is counter-cultural and an oddity to be a believer, much less a Christian. The nihilism of Nietzsche saw that society was shaking off the temporal influence of Christianity, but he also remarked that the “shadows” of God would still need to be vanquished, the vestiges of the Christian worldview. In our current postmodern world, this is certainly coming true pragmatically. The main problem with this - and thus with what globalism is effectively importing and exporting ideologically these days - is that God is not dead and never will be. Human nature does not change just because some European narcissists of the last centuries say so.Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, and Marx, in various iterations refer to the offers of Christian religion as the comfort of certainty. Marx, in particular, refers to religion as the opiate of the masses. I think this shows just how twisted the notions of Christianity were at the time. Jesus did not come to bring us comfort, He told us to pick up our cross and follow Him. The Christian life is hard. Yes, the promise of Heaven is a comfort, but it also happens to be true because the Source is trustworthy.Unfortunately, globalism has led to a bland approach to religious truths - and especially moral prescripts - which has devolved into moral relativism, subjectivism, and indifferentism. Even within the Church, we can sense the effects of these trends. Many Catholics - lay, religious, and clergy alike - are awash in the cultural cocktail of crappy creeds being advanced by every human source with no reference to transcendent, objective truth and the Source of Truth, God Himself. All of that being said, moored in good philosophical and theological convictions, globalism can be a great force for good. Humanity is interconnected. Through mass communication, we can reach out to those around us and those halfway across the globe in an instant. If those using these modern technologies are virtuous and ordered towards God, then the Holy Spirit can bear fruit in these interactions! So, while it is healthy to critique what is morally ambiguous or evil, it is important to see things as they currently are and then help order our society back towards God. Lest we think this is an impossible task, remember charity begins at home. Start there.Where Does Pope Francis Come From and Does it Matter?Before we get into Pope Francis' comments relating to socialism and globalism, it is worth looking at his own upbringing and cultural context. We are the product of nature and nurture, in many real and lasting ways. Pope Francis is no different.Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1936 to Italian parents. His family left Italy to escape the fascist oppression of Benito Mussolini in 1929. Communism sought to abolish private property. Socialism advocated government ownership of the means of production. Fascism left the means of production in private hands but through government and corporate collusion directed every economic decision.He worked as a bouncer and a janitor before training as a chemist and working as a technician in a food science laboratory. At the age of 22, he discerned a vocation to the priesthood in the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). As we grow up, our thoughts and opinions on matters change, politically, socially, economically, and even religiously. These changes might be a deepening and maturing, a complete break for something new, or an exploration which eventually comes full circle. What is consistent is that our cultural experiences and upbringing color our approaches. In the case of Jorge Bergoglio in Argentina, Juan Perón took power in 1946 after World War Two and held power until he was overthrown in 1955.I think that Juan Perón is the key to understanding Pope Francis' approach to society and politics. Peronism is a form of corporate socialism but is seen by many as “right wing.” Confused yet?  Juan Perón was an Argentine nationalist and populist. Populism is not right or left wing; it is a way to stir up public support amongst the working class.Juan Perón harbored former Nazi officials. He was fairly isolationist. He was anti-clerical and got on the bad side of the Church when he worked to legalize divorce. He supported labor unions and corporatized them. He used violence and dictatorial rule to maintain power, but all the while styled himself as a man of the people. Though a socialist in practice, Juan Perón had a well documented respect for Benito Mussolini. I think it is fair to say that Juan Perón was willing to support any policy which helped him retain power - a hallmark of populists. Juan Perón is key to Pope Francis' approach because this is the society which Jorge Bergoglio grappled with from ten years old and forward. And even after Juan Perón was removed, his policies and ideas remained prevalent in Argentine politics into the 21st Century.  So, keep that in mind as we look at what Pope Francis has to say about socialism and globalism. Americans, especially, are notorious for reading everything in light of American politics and economic ideologies. Argentina is vastly different from the United States politically, socially, and economically. If we approach Pope Francis' writings on social and economic structuring with narrow vision, then we will miss the forest for the trees. Is Pope Francis a Socialist or Globalist?Now, finally, we can turn our attention to the question: is Pope Francis a socialist or a globalist? I am going to focus on looking at the three most authoritative documents from Pope Francis, his encyclicals: Lumen Fidei (2013), Laudato si' (2015), and Fratelli Tutti (2020). I will also touch on his 2013 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. I am not writing a book on the man, nor am I claiming to exhaustively treat this question. But the conversation I want to start here is: what does he actually promulgate in his ordinary and universal magisterium, as the Pope. Popes are free to hold private opinions and even express them publicly, but they do not hold the weight of an encyclical letter. So, we will stick to these three documents. If you want to sort through the ambiguous statements the Pope has made or dive into his airplane interviews, go for it!Lumen Fidei (2013)Lumen Fidei was released shortly after Pope Francis was elected and was actually written by Pope Benedict XVI. Nonetheless, being promulgated by Francis, we should charitably assume that he is asserting what is therein contained. This encyclical is in the same vein as Deus Caritas Est and Spe Salvi on Charity and Hope and is about Faith. This is a largely theological text without much discussion of politics or economics. But there is one pertinent idea that is repeated twice: “The individual's act of faith finds its place within a community, within the common ‘we' of the people who, in faith, are like a single person - ‘my first-born son,' as God would describe all of Israel (Lumen Fidei, 14).”Likewise, in par. 43, we hear: “Since faith is a reality lived within the community of the Church, part of a common ‘We,' children can be supported by others, their parents and godparents, and welcomed into their faith, which is the faith of the Church (ibid., 43).”I think these two paragraphs, when taken as one idea, are a concrete expression of solidarity and subsidiarity in the life of the Church. The corporate “We” of the Church stretches across the entire globe (and in Purgatory and Heaven!!) but the instantiation is in the local, the family, the cell of society. As far as globalism is concerned, this seems like a perfectly balanced approach.The understanding that the integrity of the Faith is vital is beautifully expounded here:“Since faith is one, it must be professed in all its purity and integrity. Precisely because all the articles of faith are interconnected, to deny one of them, even of those that seem least important, is tantamount to distorting the whole. Each period of history can find this or that point of faith easier or harder to accept: hence the need for vigilance in ensuring that the deposit of faith is passed on in its entirety (cf. 1 Tim 6:20) and that all aspects of the profession of faith are duly emphasized. Indeed, inasmuch as the unity of faith is the unity of the Church, to subtract something from the faith is to subtract something from the veracity of communion (ibid., 48).”The unity of faith is the unity of the Church. So, if the Pope takes a global view of the Church - which he should - then the accompanying principle is unity of belief. From the beginning, this has been one of the unambiguous guiding principles of the Church: there is a unity of governance, teaching, preaching, and means of sanctification. It is only in Jesus that we are united. This is the light of life for society. The Pope writes:“Modernity sought to build a universal brotherhood based on equality, yet we gradually came to realize that this brotherhood, lacking a reference to a common Father as its ultimate foundation, cannot endure (ibid., 54).”It is abundantly clear that Pope Benedict XVI wrote these words. But Pope Francis promulgated them. This is what he believes.By living the faith in integrity, locally and based in subsidiarity, is ordered to the common good of society. “Faith does not merely grant interior firmness, a steadfast conviction on the part of the believer; it also sheds light on every human relationship because it is born of love and reflects God's own love (ibid., 50).”In this first encyclical of the Francis pontificate, there can be no doubt that any sense of a globalized reality is tempered with subsidiarity and a unity of faith, and a bold proclamation of that Faith. This is all the more clarified by Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation, released in November of 2013, Evangelii Gaudium. Evangelii Gaudium (2013)Pope Francis condemns a “throw away” culture which treats human beings like consumer goods. In this context, the Pope decries “trickle-down theories” of economics which:“…assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting. To sustain a lifestyle which excludes others, or to sustain enthusiasm for that selfish ideal, a globalization of indifference has developed. Almost without being aware of it, we end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people's pain, and feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else's responsibility and not our own. The culture of prosperity deadens us; we are thrilled if the market offers us something new to purchase. In the meantime all those lives stunted for lack of opportunity seem a mere spectacle; they fail to move us (EG, 54).”Clearly, the Pope is condemning a form of capitalism which relies on fallen human beings to do the right thing for the poor and marginalized. It does not seem to me that he is condemning free markets or capitalism, per se. Rather, he is condemning passive indifferentism. He also rightly says that this indifferentism has been globalized. Thus, in the same paragraph, we seem to have a condemnation of a certain kind of free market capitalism and a suspicion of globalist trends.He says that money has become an idol and imbalances in financial markets are caused by a dehumanizing effect which sees human persons only as a consumer. He goes on to say:“While the earnings of a minority are growing exponentially, so too is the gap separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. This imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. Consequently, they reject the right of states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of control. A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual, which unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules. Debt and the accumulation of interest also make it difficult for countries to realize the potential of their own economies and keep citizens from enjoying their real purchasing power (EG, 56).”Now, we are getting into a condemnation not just of trickle-down systems but of unfettered and unregulated free markets which he calls a “deified market.” What is interesting is his reasons why. He condemns unfettered free markets because he says that they reject God and seek to rule rather than serve. Further, it is not the markets which are problematic so much as the people pulling the levers. They lack a non-ideological ethics which seeks to serve human persons.He quotes someone saying: “Not to share one's wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs (EG, 57).” Golly! Who said that? Karl Marx?! Some dirty communist or socialist? No. Actually it was St. John Chrysostom, the great Church Father of Eastern antiquity. Pope Francis ends this subsection by saying:“Money must serve, not rule! The Pope loves everyone, rich and poor alike, but he is obliged in the name of Christ to remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor. I exhort you to generous solidarity and to the return of economics and finance to an ethical approach which favours human beings (EG, 58).”What the Pope is talking about here is principles of ethics and social life, not economic and societal structures, as such. Reading him uncharitably, I remember hearing - mostly American - conservatives mouth off that the Pope is anti-capitalist and therefore a SOCIALIST! Well, it seems more likely from Evangelii Gaudium that the Pope is lamenting any system which is based on greedy materialism which dehumanizes people. The Pope then turns his attention to secularization which he says “tends to reduce the faith and the Church to the sphere of the private and the personal (EG, 64).” It rejects the transcendent, deteriorates ethics, weakens a sense of sin, and increases relativism. Further, he mentions that: “The individualism of our postmodern and globalized era favours a lifestyle which weakens the development and stability of personal relationships and distorts family bonds (EG, 67).”I think that this is a fruitful approach because he is describing the problems he is seeing and then proposing the principles to deal with them effectively, from the mind and heart of the Church. This is not a support or condemnation of globalism, so much as a sober look at where we are currently. I highly recommend reading this document in its entirety to get the full picture. Suffice it to say, there is nothing in Evangelii Gaudium which supports the hypothesis that Pope Francis is a socialist or a globalist.Laudato Si (2015)Laudato Si was written about the care of our common home. It is an encyclical about environmental stewardship, but Pope Francis touches on several economic issues.The Pope is skeptical of international political responses to the protection of marginalized people and ecosystems. He says that too many special interests can “end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected (LS, 54).” He says that the consequence of this is that:“… the most one can expect is superficial rhetoric, sporadic acts of philanthropy and perfunctory expressions of concern for the environment, whereas any genuine attempt by groups within society to introduce change is viewed as a nuisance based on romantic illusions or an obstacle to be circumvented (LS, 54).”This is the same skepticism about international rule which he expressed in 2013. Quoting from St. John Paul II, Pope Francis defends the universal destination of goods, developmental policies which focus on human rights, and a defense of legitimate right to private property. His critique here is that God's gifts are being used for the benefit of only a few and that unjust habits need to be reexamined. Further, Pope Francis puts globalization in his crosshairs again when he investigates the creativity and power of technology. He writes: “​​The economy accepts every advance in technology with a view to profit, without concern for its potentially negative impact on human beings (LS, 109).” However, he then repeats the same concern of free market trickle-down economic approaches that he brought forth in Evangelii Gaudium. He says:“Some circles maintain that current economics and technology will solve all environmental problems, and argue, in popular and non-technical terms, that the problems of global hunger and poverty will be resolved simply by market growth. They are less concerned with certain economic theories which today scarcely anybody dares defend, than with their actual operation in the functioning of the economy (LS, 109).” He admits that those who espouse such views do not always do so in words, but he says their deeds run contrary to the items he thinks are important. Namely, these priorities are “more balanced levels of production, a better distribution of wealth, concern for the environment and the rights of future generations (LS, 109).” Pope Francis does not then offer tangible steps of what more balanced levels of production would entail, but a charitable read would suggest that he is referring back to materialism and people being treated as commodities. He does not seem to be referring to who should own the means of production. He calls for a better distribution of wealth, but he clarifies this earlier in the text. There are those who are destitute and do not have their basic needs covered, while a small percentage of people have more resources than they could ever use or even effectively manage. But he does not suggest that wealth be redistributed in a socialist way. As far as Laudato Si is concerned, there is a lot more to say related to a skepticism on the Pope's part regarding global and international approaches to the issue of environmental care. But I want to share one final passage on employment. The view of Pope Francis here is as far from Socialism and Globalism as one could possibly get. And yet, many more conservative readers bristle at any possible critique of the free market and are uncharitable in the rest of their reading. It is longer, but well worth reading carefully, especially if you are prone to saying unequivocally in a kneejerk way that Pope Francis is a socialist; here is the passage:“In order to continue providing employment, it is imperative to promote an economy which favours productive diversity and business creativity. For example, there is a great variety of small-scale food production systems which feed the greater part of the world's peoples, using a modest amount of land and producing less waste, be it in small agricultural parcels, in orchards and gardens, hunting and wild harvesting or local fishing. Economies of scale, especially in the agricultural sector, end up forcing smallholders to sell their land or to abandon their traditional crops. Their attempts to move to other, more diversified, means of production prove fruitless because of the difficulty of linkage with regional and global markets, or because the infrastructure for sales and transport is geared to larger businesses. Civil authorities have the right and duty to adopt clear and firm measures in support of small producers and differentiated production. To ensure economic freedom from which all can effectively benefit, restraints occasionally have to be imposed on those possessing greater resources and financial power. To claim economic freedom while real conditions bar many people from actual access to it, and while possibilities for employment continue to shrink, is to practise a doublespeak which brings politics into disrepute. Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving our world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the areas in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good (LS, 129).”Fratelli Tutti (2020)Pope Francis' 2020 document on fraternity and social friendship is excellent. It contains a lot of real gems. My favorite quotation, which I think shows Pope Francis' mind on the interconnectedness of man is: “We gorged ourselves on networking, and lost the taste of fraternity (FT, 33).” This is a fabulous turn of phrase that hearkens back to the Pope's desire to see people viewed as persons rather than commodities.As a social encyclical, Fratelli Tutti touches on society, persons, economics, and politics throughout. It is also quite long, in terms of encyclicals. As a social encyclical, it contains several prudential judgments, opinions, and non-definitive ideas; so, it is a bit different from the norm as far as encyclicals go. However, it is highly worth reading, in its entirety. I want to just touch on a few main points here.He begins the document taking swings against globalism, saying:“As I was writing this letter, the Covid-19 pandemic unexpectedly erupted, exposing our false securities. Aside from the different ways that various countries responded to the crisis, their inability to work together became quite evident. For all our hyper-connectivity, we witnessed a fragmentation that made it more difficult to resolve problems that affect us all. Anyone who thinks that the only lesson to be learned was the need to improve what we were already doing, or to refine existing systems and regulations, is denying reality (FT, 7).”The Pope seems to come down squarely against what globalism is doing. He says, in part quoting Pope Benedict XVI:“Local conflicts and disregard for the common good are exploited by the global economy in order to impose a single cultural model. This culture unifies the world, but divides persons and nations, for ‘as society becomes ever more globalized, it makes us neighbours, but does not make us brothers' (FT, 12).”He then proceeds to provide a blistering critique of globalism and attributes to it the growing problem of loneliness. He writes:“We are more alone than ever in an increasingly massified world that promotes individual interests and weakens the communitarian dimension of life. Indeed, there are markets where individuals become mere consumers or bystanders. As a rule, the advance of this kind of globalism strengthens the identity of the more powerful, who can protect themselves, but it tends to diminish the identity of the weaker and poorer regions, making them more vulnerable and dependent. In this way, political life becomes increasingly fragile in the face of transnational economic powers that operate with the principle of ‘divide and conquer' (FT, 12).”The weak and the poor are the object of the Pope's concern, because they are precisely those with the quietest voice in society. And there are those who claim to speak for the poor for their own gain. As we look at the next quote, remember Juan Perón and the Pope's early experiences. He writes:“Lack of concern for the vulnerable can hide behind a populism that exploits them demagogically for its own purposes, or a liberalism that serves the economic interests of the powerful. In both cases, it becomes difficult to envisage an open world that makes room for everyone, including the most vulnerable, and shows respect for different cultures (FT, 155).”The Pope goes on to critique liberal approaches which speak of a respect for freedom without the roots of shared narrative. He says that leftist ideologies linked to individualistic ways of acting are ineffective and leave people in need. He calls for a greater spirit of fraternity as well as a “more efficient worldwide organization to help resolve the problems plaguing the abandoned who are suffering and dying in poor countries (FT, 165).” On first blush, this seems like an endorsement of a form of globalism. But what I think he is saying is that a more global pool of resources is needed to help the poorest nations move into a post-industrial phase. Rather than proposing socialism or a concrete form of globalism, the Pope rightly says:“It also shows that there is no one solution, no single acceptable methodology, no economic recipe that can be applied indiscriminately to all. Even the most rigorous scientific studies can propose different courses of action (FT, 165).”As the document progresses, there are more of the same critiques of trick-down economics, populism, and a materialism which diminishes the dignity of persons. Then, in paragraph 172 and following, Pope Francis enters into the few paragraphs with which I take most issue. He calls for agreements among national governments to form a “world authority regulated by law” which ought to “at least to promote more effective world organizations, equipped with the power to provide for the common good, the elimination of hunger and poverty and the sure defence of fundamental human rights (FT, 172).” I find this problematic because it seems to conflict with the principle of subsidiarity. But then the Pope takes things a step further into waters which I dare not wade. He says:“In this regard, I would also note the need for a reform of the United Nations Organization, and likewise of economic institutions and international finance, so that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth' (FT, 173).” The thought of the U.N. with “real teeth” is the stuff of nightmares. Globalist governments do not seem efficient or helpful. To give teeth to an organization which can so easily be ruled by only a few countries with real sway is a recipe for disaster. I think that the U.N. should continue to arbitrate disputes and be a diplomatic force for good, but I am inclined to let their power end there.Comments on the United Nations notwithstanding, Fratelli Tutti brings up a lot of great points worth contemplating. There are several other points with which I would like to have a productive conversation with the Holy Father. But these items do not fall under the category of Faith and Moral teachings of the Church; they are almost completely prudential matters. So, disagreement, within reason and in charity, is perfectly acceptable. Bottom Line: Is Pope Francis a Socialist or a Globalist?Here is my bottom line. Based on what he has taught in his ordinary and universal magisterium, Pope Francis is not a socialist or a globalist. His critics pick up on some sincerely problematic phrasings but are largely uncharitable in their approach. As a private individual, I know that Pope Francis has condemned socialism and communism, but is very sympathetic to those ideas and what they are trying to accomplish. But this does not mean that he is firmly in that camp. He is a harsh critic of capitalism, but he does not seem to be endorsing socialism as a viable alternative.As far as globalism goes, the Pope speaks to the need for adherence to subsidiarity and solidarity, but he also espouses certainly pointedly globalist views, especially regarding international organizations and interreligious cooperation. In my opinion, these actions and especially joint-statements with non-Christian religious leaders are often misleading and imprudent. But the course of this exploration has been his ordinary and universal magisterial teachings. In all things, we must read what people say with charity and an open-mind. Of course, we must do so within reason. As G.K. Chesterton said: “The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.”For a further look at what we here at Good Distinctions mean by being open-minded, check out Episode 3! Until next time: have a great week! And remember: Good Distinctions are the spice of life!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a paid subscriber here on Substack to help us sustain Good Distinctions! Get full access to Good Distinctions at www.gooddistinctions.com/subscribe

With the Writers Guild of America strike underway, the plight of television writers—especially their treatment in the age of streaming and artificial intelligence—is garnering new, and overdue, attention. Matt and Sam are joined by two friends of the podcast, Will Arbery and Dorothy Fortenberry, who write for major television shows: Will is a writer for HBO's Succession, and Dorothy for Apple TV+'s Extrapolations. They discuss how they write about political topics and themes, such as rightwing political candidates or the effects of climate change, in these fraught times, when the demands of good art can seem in tension with a simplistic and moralistic culture. Also discussed: parents, children, and families, now and in the coming climate crisis; how and whether people can change; and, of course, the WGA strike and why it matters.Sources Cited:Michael Schulman, "Why Are TV Writers So Miserable," The New Yorker, Apr 29, 2023Alex Press, "TV Writers Say They're Striking to Stop the Destruction of Their Profession," Jacobin, May 3, 2023.Sam Adler-Bell, "Succession's Repetition Compulsion," The Nation, Nov 10, 2021.Pope Francis, Laudato si' (“On Care for Our Common Home”), May 2015Listen to previous Know Your Enemy episodes with these guests:"We Can Be Heroes" (w/ Will Arbery), November 11, 2019"Suburban Woman" (w/ Dorothy Fortenberry), October 29, 2020"Living at the End of Our World" (w/ Daniel Sherrell & Dorothy Fortenberry), September 2, 2021...and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon for access to all of our bonus episodes!

In November 2021, the Wildlife Conservation Society launched a new campaign to address the crisis of climate change called Framing Our Future. The effort was premised on partnerships with a wide range of civic, cultural, and academic institutions across the United States. One of those partners, the Bronx's Fordham University, has embraced the campaign as part of its own Green Plan to live out the inspirational call to protect nature found in Pope Francis's 2015 Laudato si' encyclical.