We arrive this month at the final chapter of Pope Francis’ Fatelli tutti, his addendum, really, to his Laudato si. For following that document on care for the earth, Francis then opens to us the way to realize it: we need to do it together.
Chapter eight is titled, “Religions at the Service of Fraternity.” The focus is that religions, when they are true to their values, establish the ultimate foundation for human life. They tell us who we are. They affirm our identity as one community of children of God. (#271-280) Thus any persecution of authentic religion is an affront to all religions.Francis warns that religious terrorism comes from teachings taken out of context, breeding hatred, contempt, and the negation of others. The result is distortion. (#282) The real sources of such contempt arise from hunger, poverty, injustice, oppression, and pride. The texts are then twisted to lend legitimacy to violent behavior.
The Parliament of World Religios has just taken place, hosting on line over 8,000 persons of various faith traditions. This is the eighth such Parliament. If Teilhard de Chardin is right, we are seeing hope unfold before our eyes. He wrote that when the religions of the world begin to really dialogue with one another, there will be another significant leap in the evolution of human culture. This pope appears to be a prophet of this hope. He is calling us to be all we can be, inviting us to midwife something new. The mystery is breaking through: in the equity movements, in the climate concern, in the call to a more synodal church. Do we not see it? Can we begin to proclaim it?
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