‘No one is saved alone. We need each other,’ says Cardinal Tobin in his latest newsletter
On October 4, 2020, Pope Francis published his encyclical Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship). The Holy Father notes in the letter that, “As I was writing this letter, the Covid-19 pandemic unexpectedly erupted, exposing our false securities.” Although the text of Fratelli Tutti was in the process of being written well before the pandemic, its content was tragically underscored by the inability of world leaders to unite us all in a consistent, coordinated response to this global crisis.
Shortly after Fratelli Tutti was published, I used this newsletter (Vol. 2. No. 4., October 30, 2020) to offer a brief summary of the encyclical and its importance for our time. I had hoped to return to this encyclical earlier this year to offer additional reflections on its content, but other preoccupations—including the COVID-19 pandemic—have delayed me until now.
Fratelli Tutti is divided into eight sections. Instead of commenting on the letter as a whole, like I did last year, I want to offer some reflections on one section at a time—starting with Chapter One, “Dark Clouds Over a Closed World.” I can’t promise when I’ll get through all eight sections, but given the importance of this encyclical, I want to give it my best effort.
[CONTINUE READING IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH]
This is an excerpt from the latest edition (Aug. 27, 2021 / Vol. 2, No. 24) of Cardinal Joseph Tobin’s Rejoice in the Lord newsletter. Read the full edition and past editions of the newsletter in English and Spanish here.
