Pope Francis' Environmental Encyclical

Released less than a year ago, Pope Francis’ groundbreaking and widely anticipated Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home has become one of the most widely debated encyclicals issued by any modern pope.

Irish Columban Father Sean McDonagh will speak about “Laudato Si’ – A Prophetic Challenge for the 21st Century” on Sunday, February 28, at 2:30 p.m. as part of the 2016 Maryknoll Speakers Series. Father McDonagh’s presentation will be held at the Maryknoll Mission Center at 55 Ryder Road in Ossining. Presented by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, the series is free and open to the public.

Reservations are requested and can be made by email (MaryknollSpeakersSeries@maryknoll.org), or by calling 914-941-7636 extension 2445. For additional information and directions, click here.

In this timely talk, Father McDonagh, whose latest book, Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home, includes the complete text of the pope’s encyclical, will explore its implications for humanity and the earth in the years to come. Copies of Father McDonagh’s book will be available for purchase and signing following the presentation.

Father McDonagh is a well-known eco-theologian who works to raise awareness of the connections between social justice issues, environmental sustainability and faith. Vatican Radio dubbed him an “environmental missionary” in an interview prior to the release of Laudato Si’, for which he contributed as a consultant.

A missionary in the Philippines, Father McDonagh began his ecological activism in response to the destruction of local forests. His many books, including Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home recently published by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers’ Orbis Books, have explored the ethical and environmental implications of issues, including third world debt, climate change, genetically modified organisms and the hazards of nuclear power. His articles have appeared in The Irish Times, The Tablet (London), America and The National Catholic Reporter.

Father McDonagh delivers a wealth of information on the wide-ranging impacts of climate change and the overconsumption of oceans and fresh water, farming and agriculture, the loss of biodiversity and the stress on society—especially for the poor. Tying these issues into current Catholic teaching, he cites examples from writer Rachel Carson (Silent Spring), geophysicist John Farman, geologian (Earth scholar) Thomas Berry (The New Story) and missionary Sister Dorothy Stang who was murdered while protecting the Amazon rainforest from loggers and ranchers. Finally he proposes changes that need to be made now to human thinking and human action to meet the challenges of environmental degradation.

On the same day that Maryknoll welcomes Father McDonagh, the Maryknoll Museum of Living Mission and the Maryknoll Gift Shop will be open to the public 1-5 p.m. A new temporary exhibit in the museum features Rebuilding Nepal, the story of the April 2015 earthquake and the immediate response by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers to deliver supplies, provide food, rebuild homes and re-establish schools.

The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers follow Jesus in serving the poor and others in need in 23 countries that include the U.S. All Catholics are called to mission through baptism and confirmation, and Maryknoll’s mission education outreach in parishes and schools throughout the country engages U.S. Catholics in mission through vocations, prayer, donations and as volunteers. Maryknoll missioners share God’s love and the Gospel in combating poverty, providing healthcare, building communities and promoting human rights. For more information, visit the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers click here.

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