Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going

As women and men of the Word, as Dominicans, we’ve put our ears to the heartbeat of the Church’s ‘Sweet Christ on earth,’ to use Catherine of Siena’s reference to the Holy Father.  We’ve been listening to what Francis has been writing to the whole world.

 We’re going to review where we’ve been this month, and then look ahead to where we will listen next. First, a review of Francis’ synodal approach to the world in Fratelli tutti:

I.               “Dark Clouds Over a Closed World” Francis is no Pollyanna. In this first chapter he tells it like it is from the illusion of communication to information without wisdom and more.

II.             “A Stranger on the Road” Using the parable of The Good Samaritan, Francis tells us there are no final ‘borders’ among neighbors.

III.          “Envisaging and Engendering an Open World” Here Francis points to our inadequate understanding of universal love and calls us to the value of Solidarity.

IV.          “A Heart Open to the World” Francis points out the geographical limits of borders, and calls us instead to a universal horizon, starting with our own region.

V.             “A Better Kind of Politics” Pointing out the benefits and limits of liberal approaches, Francis calls us instead to the sacrifices, integration, and unity of a ‘political’ love that puts fruitfulness above results.

VI.          “Dialogue and Friendship in Society” Francis here calls for a new culture that recovers the value of kindness.

VII.        “Paths of Renewed Encounter” Starting with the reclaiming of truth, Francis calls for an art and architecture of peace built on authentic forgiveness while safeguarding memory and denying violence.

VIII.      “Religions at the Service of Fraternity” Francis puts religion, and his own Christianity, at the service of all of the above. At its best, then, religion fosters an open world.

 What better follow-up then, to an invitation such as the Holy Father has issued, than to dream together of a better future.  So, as Dominican proclaimers of the word, we will do just that. The highly recommended text will be Francis’ own Let Us Dream: The Path To A Better Future, 2020. As we approach our coming Chapter of Elections, we will reflect on its three sections: “A Time to See,” “A Time to Choose,” “A Time to Act.” Fasten your seatbelts.