noun: encyclical; plural noun: encyclicals
- a papal letter sent to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church.
Inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis gives us Fratelli tutti, a proposal for a way of life marked by the flavour of the Gospel. It is a call to love others as brothers and sisters, even when they are far from us; it is a call to open fraternity (FT 1), to recognizing and loving every person with a love without borders; it is a call to encounter others in a way that is capable of overcoming all distance and every temptation to engage in disputes, impositions, or submissions (FT 3).
Fratelli tutti does not claim to offer a complete teaching on fraternal love, but seeks rather to consider its universal scope (FT 6).
COVID-19 forced the Pope to interrupt his writing of Fratelli tutti . This pandemic has exposed our false securities, our fragmentation, and our inability to work together (FT 7).
In the face of present-day attempts to eliminate or to ignore others, Fratelli tutti is an invitation to respond to God's call with a new vision of fraternity and social friendship (FT 6).
The Holy Father hopes that, in these times, we can contribute to the rebirth of a universal aspiration to fraternity by acknowledging the dignity of each and every human person (FT 8).
The Encyclical letter in small pieces...
- A short video presenting the meaning and beauty of the Encyclical, for use in presentations, at press events, in study sessions and schools.
Infographics presenting the introduction to the Encyclical and each of its 8 chapters
These information graphics outline at a glance the introduction to the encyclical letter and each of it 8 chapters.
Introduction
Chapter 1: Dark clouds over a closed world
Chapter 2: A stranger on the road
Chapter 3: Envisaging and engendering an open world
Chapter 4: A heart open to the whoe world
Chapter 5: A better kind of politics
Chapter 6: Dialogue and friendship in society
Chapter 7: Paths of renewed encounter
Chapter 8: Religions at the service of fraternity in our world