A panel discussion on a papal encyclical would not ordinarily
coax people to leave the air-conditioned comfort of their
homes for a two-hour presentation in a parish hall on a muggy
late-summer evening, but “Laudato Si'” or “Care of Our Common
Home,” is no ordinary encyclical.
More than 60 people came to Queen of Apostles Church in
Alexandria Aug. 19 to hear Father Leopoldo M. Vives, pastor,
Robert Matava, Christendom theology professor, and Joseph
Arias, Christendom Graduate School theology lecturer, discuss
encyclicals in general, and “Laudato Si” in particular.
Father Vives, who wrote a seven-part series on “Laudato Si'”
that was published in the church bulletin, introduced the
panelists and set the tone for the evening. He said that
“Laudato Si'” speaks on caring for our common home and that
the encyclical does not answer scientific questions.
The presentation had two parts. Arias began with the history
of encyclicals and the kinds of teaching and authority of the
magisterium. He said there were three types of teaching
authority: the word of God, teaching that is written or
handed down and believed to be divinely revealed; doctrines
proposed by the church as definitively regarding faith and
morals; and teaching where either the pope or the college of
bishops exercise their magisterium authority.
“Laudato Si’,” said Arias, probably crosses all three types
of authority. He added that the pope was not speaking ex
cathedra when he released “Laudato Si’,” but it is still
authentic church teaching.
Matava discussed the encyclical itself. He said it was long,
about 200 pages, but easy to read.
He touched on all six chapters beginning with the pope’s
detail on what is happening to our common home, to ecological
education and spirituality. The encyclical also covers topics
like caring for the poor, the decline of the quality of human
life, global inequality and the effects of technological
advancement.
Matava said the document is evangelical.
“It’s about ecology from a doctrinal point of view,” he said.
“It’s not science, not a public policy document, it’s a
teaching document.
“The pope wants to protect the earth from doom,” said Matava,
“he’s challenging us.”
Father Vives opened the floor for questions. Some were
off-topic like “Why is the church against contraception.”
Another was a political statement challenging any idea of
climate change caused by human action. But there were
technical questions on encyclical usage and general
sustainability responsibilities.
Queen of Apostles Church has a sustainability committee, and
its co-director is Katherine Caballero. She said her
committee is more concerned with the practical application of
ecology like recycling, but she enjoyed the more spiritual
and evangelical talk of the evening.
“It was a wonderful explanation of (the encyclical),” she
said. “”It was a pleasure to hear from experts on these
issues.”
Father Vives ended the evening with a “Prayer for our Earth”
from “Laudato Si’ ” that included the verse, “Bring healing
to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on
it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.”
