Knowledge
Praise Be! Laudate Deum!
What a fitting way to close the Season of Creation. Pope Francis released this Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum on October 4. It is a follow-up to Laudate Si’. 73. “Praise God” is the title of this letter. For when human beings claim to take God’s place, they become their own worst enemies.
In Laudate Deum, Pope Francis expresses his concern that not much has changed in the eight years since the release of Laudate Si’.
2. “… with the passage of time, I have realized that our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point. In addition to this possibility, it is indubitable that the impact of climate change will increasingly prejudice the lives and families of many persons.”
He proclaims to all that it is undeniable that climate change is caused by humans. 11. “It is no longer possible to doubt the human – anthropic – origin of climate change.” Pope Francis is calling the world to action and asking us to hold ourselves and world leaders accountable. If you can, I encourage you to read this document.
Prayer
This is part of a prayer from the USCCB that is inspired by Laudate Deum, Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation on care for creation in follow-up to Laudato Si'.
Please find the entire prayer here.
We praise you, O God, Creator of all things, whose mystery unfolds in “a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person’s face.”1 Jesus, your Son, taught us to wonder as he made his way throughout the land, contemplating the beauty of creation.
We pray, O God, that you may stir in us a reverent awareness of our invisible link with the entire created world.
We pray for humility—
We pray for compassion—
We pray for repentance—
We pray for simplicity—
We pray for cultural conversion—
We pray for policy changes—
Our hearts ache as we ponder: “The world sings of an infinite Love: how can we fail to care for it?”
We praise you, O God, confident that you work in our hearts and through our actions, so that we may better care for our common home.
Amen.
Action
The Vatican Dicastery for Integral Human Development has produced this short video to introduce you to Laudate Deum. If this is all you can watch, I highly encourage you to spend 3 minutes to do so.
The Laudato Si’ Movement hosted a dialogue on October 5. If you missed it, you can watch it here. It is getting rave reviews. It is just one hour. They have also created a 2-page examen in the style of the 5 step Ignatian Examen. You are invited to use this in prayer.
If you have the time, you can read the full text of Laudate Deum at the Vatican website. It is 16 pages printed. Small type but large margins.
”Courage! The more crosses you have, the more your soul will grow. Let the good God act.” - St. Julie Billiart