Vatican Releases Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the Environment
On June 18, the Vatican officially released Pope Francis’s highly anticipated encyclical, or teaching letter, on climate change and the environment. The encyclical is titled “Laudato Si.”
The White House (6/18) released a statement from President Obama welcoming the encyclical and echoing the pope’s call to safeguard creation for our children and grandchildren. The president said he looks forward to discussing these issues when Pope Francis visits the White House in September.
The New York Times (6/18) reported that the statements contained in the encyclical were carefully aligned with mainstream scientific thinking on climate change, and even went a step further in discussing the benefits of carbon trading policies.
The Washington Post (6/18) published a list of “10 key excerpts” from the encyclical and also an article highlighting the pope’s statements on political obstacles (6/18) standing in the way of climate action.
The Guardian (6/18) reported that Catholic leaders in Washington briefed members of Congress and the White House on the encyclical’s environmental message. Pope Francis is scheduled to formally address the U.S. Congress in September.
The New York Times (6/18) compiled live responses to the encyclical on the day of its release.
