The new encyclical of Pope Francis: all there is to know

The Pope's new encyclical "Brothers All" outlines the vision for a better world

In a document focused on today's socio-economic problems, the Holy Father proposes an ideal of fraternity in which all countries can be part of a "larger human family".

Pope Francis signs the Encyclical Fratelli Tutti at the Tomb of St. Francis in Assisi on October 3, 2020
Pope Francis signs the Encyclical Fratelli Tutti at the Tomb of St. Francis in Assisi on October 3, 2020 (photo: Vatican Media)
In his latest social encyclical, Pope Francis called for a "better politics", a "more open world" and paths of renewed encounter and dialogue, a letter that he hopes will promote a "rebirth of a universal aspiration" Towards "fraternity and 'social friendship “.

Entitled Fratelli Tutti (Fratelli Tutti), the eight-chapter, 45.000-word document - Francis' longest encyclical to date - outlines many of today's socio-economic evils before proposing an ideal world of fraternity in which countries are capable of be part of a “larger human family. "

The encyclical, which the Pope signed on Saturday in Assisi, was published today, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, and followed the Angelus and a morning press conference on Sunday.

The Pope begins in his introduction by explaining that the words Fratelli Tutti are taken from the sixth of 28 admonitions, or rules, that St. Francis of Assisi gave his brother friars - words, writes Pope Francis, who offered them "a style of life marked by the flavor of the Gospel “.

But he focuses in particular on St. Francis' 25th admonition - "Blessed is the brother who would love and fear his brother as much when he is away from him as he would when with him" - and reinterprets this as a call "for a love that transcends barriers of geography and distance. "

Noting that "wherever he went", St. Francis "sowed seeds of peace" and accompanied "the last of his brothers and sisters", he writes that the twelfth-century saint did not "wage a war of words aimed at imposing doctrines" but "simply spread the love of God ".

The Pope draws mainly on his previous documents and messages, on the teaching of the post-conciliar popes and some references to St. Thomas Aquinas. And he also regularly cites the Document on Human Fraternity he signed with the grand imam of Al-Azhar University, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, in Abu Dhabi last year, stating that the encyclical "takes up and develops some of the great issues raised in Document. "

In a novelty for an encyclical, Francis claims to have also incorporated "a series of letters, documents and considerations" received from "many individuals and groups around the world".

In his introduction to Brothers All, the Pope affirms that the document does not want to be a "complete teaching on brotherly love", but rather to further help "a new vision of fraternity and social friendship that will not remain at the level of words. "He also explains that the Covid-19 pandemic," which broke out unexpectedly "while writing the encyclical, underlined the" fragmentation "and" inability "of countries to work together.

Francis says he wants to contribute to the "rebirth of a universal aspiration to fraternity" and "brotherhood" between all men and women. "We dream, therefore, as a single human family, as travel companions who share the same flesh, as children of the same earth which is our common home, each of us bringing the richness of their own convictions and convictions, each of us with his voice, all brothers and sisters ”, writes the Pope.

Negative contemporary trends
In the first chapter, entitled Dark Clouds Over a Closed World, a bleak picture of today's world is painted which, contrary to the "firm belief" of historical figures such as the founders of the European Union who favored integration, there has been a "Certain regression". The Pope notes the rise of "shortsighted, extremist, resentful and aggressive nationalism" in some countries, and "new forms of selfishness and a loss of social sense".

With a focus almost entirely on socio-political issues, the chapter continues by observing "we are more alone than ever" in a world of "unlimited consumerism" and "empty individualism" where there is a "growing loss of sense of history" and a "Kind of deconstructionism".

He notes "hyperbole, extremism and polarization" that have become political tools in many countries, and a "political life" without "healthy debates" and "long-term plans", but rather "cunning marketing techniques aimed at discrediting others" .

The Pope affirms that "we are moving further and further away from each other" and that the voices "raised in defense of the environment are silenced and ridiculed". Although the word abortion is not used in the document, Francis returns to his previously expressed concerns about a "throwaway society" where, he says, the unborn and the elderly "are no longer needed" and other types of waste proliferate ", which it is deplorable in the extreme. "

He speaks out against growing wealth inequalities, asks women to have "the same dignity and the same rights as men" and draws attention to the scourge of human trafficking, "war, terrorist attacks, racial or religious persecution". He repeats that these "situations of violence" now constitute a "fragmented" third world war.

The Pope warns against the "temptation to build a culture of walls", observes that the sense of belonging to a "single human family is fading" and that the search for justice and peace "seems an obsolete utopia", replaced by a "globalization indifference."

Turning to Covid-19, he notes that the market has not kept "everything safe". The pandemic has forced people to regain concern for each other, but warns that individualist consumerism could "quickly degenerate into a free for all" that would be "worse than any pandemic."

Francis criticizes "some populist political regimes" which prevent migrants from entering at all costs and lead to "a xenophobic mentality".

He then moves on to today's digital culture, criticizing "constant surveillance", "hate and destruction" campaigns and "digital relationships", saying that "it is not enough to build bridges" and that digital technology is driving people away from reality. The construction of fraternity, the Pope writes, depends on "authentic encounters".

The example of the good Samaritan
In the second chapter, entitled A foreigner on a journey, the Pope gives his exegesis on the parable of the Good Samaritan, underlining that an unhealthy society turns its back on suffering and is "illiterate" in caring for the frail and vulnerable. Emphasize that all are called to become neighbors of others like the Good Samaritan, to give time as well as resources, to overcome prejudices, personal interests, historical and cultural barriers.

The Pope also criticizes those who believe that worship of God is sufficient and are not faithful to what his faith requires of them, and identifies those who "manipulate and deceive society" and "live on" well-being. He also stresses the importance of recognizing Christ in the abandoned or excluded and says that "sometimes he wonders why it took so long before the Church unequivocally condemned slavery and various forms of violence".

The third chapter, entitled Envisaging and engendering an open world, concerns going "out" of the self "to find" a fuller existence in another ", opening up to the other according to the dynamism of charity that can lead to" realization universal. In this context, the Pope speaks against racism as a "virus that changes rapidly and, instead of disappearing, hides and lurks in expectation". It also draws attention to people with disabilities who may feel like "hidden exiles" in society.

The Pope says he is not proposing a "one-dimensional" model of globalization that seeks to eliminate differences, but is arguing that the human family must learn to "live together in harmony and peace". He often advocates equality in the encyclical, which, he says, is not achieved with an "abstract proclamation" that all are equal, but is the result of the "conscious and careful cultivation of brotherhood". It also distinguishes between those born into "economically stable families" who only need to "claim their freedom" and those in whom this does not apply such as those born in poverty, the disabled or those without adequate care.

The Pope also argues that "rights have no borders", invoking ethics in international relations and drawing attention to the burden of debt on poor countries. He says that the "feast of universal brotherhood" will be celebrated only when our socio-economic system no longer produces "a single victim" or puts them aside, and when everyone has their "basic needs" met, allowing them to give better than themselves. It also stresses the importance of solidarity and states that differences in color, religion, talent and place of birth "cannot be used to justify the privileges of some over the rights of all".

He also calls for the "right to private property" to be accompanied by the "priority principle" of the "subordination of all private property to the universal destination of the earth's goods, and therefore the right of all to their use".

Focus on migration
Much of the encyclical is devoted to migration, including the entire fourth chapter, entitled A heart open to the whole world. One sub-chapter is titled "borderless". After recalling the difficulties that migrants face, he calls for a concept of "full citizenship" that rejects the discriminatory use of the term minorities. Others who are different from us are a gift, the Pope insists, and the whole is more than the sum of its individual parts.

He also criticizes "restricted forms of nationalism", which in his opinion are unable to grasp "fraternal gratuitousness". Closing the doors to others in the hope of being better protected leads to the "simplistic belief that the poor are dangerous and useless," he says, "while the powerful are generous benefactors." Other cultures, he adds, "are not 'enemies' from which we must protect ourselves".

The fifth chapter is dedicated to A Better Kind of Politics in which Francis criticizes populism for the exploitation of people, polarizing an already divided society and fomenting selfishness to increase his own popularity. A better policy, he says, is one that offers and protects jobs and seeks opportunities for all. "The biggest problem is employment," he says. Francis launches a strong appeal to put an end to human trafficking and says that hunger is "criminal" because food is "an inalienable right". It calls for the reform of the United Nations and the rejection of corruption, inefficiency, the malicious use of power and non-compliance with the law. The UN must "promote the force of law rather than the law of force," he says.

The Pope warns against concupiscence - the "propensity for selfishness" - and financial speculation that "continues to devastate". The pandemic, he says, has shown that "not everything can be solved by the freedom of the market" and human dignity must be "at the center again". Good politics, he says, seeks to build communities and listens to all opinions. It's not about "how many people approved me?" or "how many voted for me?" but questions like "how much love have I put into my job?" and "what real bonds have I created?"

Dialogue, friendship and encounter
In chapter six, entitled Dialogue and friendship in society, the Pope underlines the importance of the "miracle of kindness", "true dialogue" and the "art of encounter". He says that without universal principles and moral norms that prohibit inherent evil, laws simply become arbitrary impositions.

The seventh chapter, entitled Paths of a renewed encounter, emphasizes that peace depends on truth, justice and mercy. He says that building peace is a "never ending task" and that loving an oppressor means helping him to change and not allowing the oppression to continue. Forgiveness also does not mean impunity but renouncing the destructive power of evil and the desire for revenge. War can no longer be seen as a solution, he adds, because its risks outweigh its supposed benefits. For this reason, he believes it is "very difficult" today to talk about the possibility of a "just war".

The Pope reiterates his conviction that the death penalty is "inadmissible", adding "we cannot back down from this position" and calling for its abolition all over the world. He says that "fear and resentment" can easily lead to punishment which is viewed in a "vindictive and even cruel way" rather than as a process of integration and healing.

In chapter eight, Religions at the service of fraternity in our world, the Pope advocates interreligious dialogue as a way to bring "friendship, peace and harmony", adding that without "openness to the Father of all", fraternity cannot be achieved. The root of modern totalitarianism, the Pope says, is the "denial of the transcendent dignity of the human person" and teaches that violence "has no basis in religious convictions, but rather in their deformities".

But he stresses that dialogue of any kind does not imply the "watering down or concealment of our deepest convictions". Sincere and humble worship of God, he adds, "bears fruit not in discrimination, hatred and violence, but in respect for the sacredness of life".

Sources of inspiration
The Pope closes the encyclical by saying that he felt inspired not only by St. Francis of Assisi but also by non-Catholics such as "Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi and many others". Blessed Charles de Foucauld also maintains that he prayed that he was "the brother of all", something he achieved, writes the Pope, "by identifying himself with the least".

The encyclical closes with two prayers, one to the “Creator” and the other to the “Ecumenical Christian Prayer”, offered by the Holy Father so that the heart of humanity may host “a spirit of brotherhood”.