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On Care for Our Common Home is the publisher’s title for this English-language edition of Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ environment-focused encyclical (letter) of 2015. The original title “Laudato si” (Praised Be to You) is taken from Saint Francis of Assisi’s “The Canticle of the Sun,” which begins, “Praised be to you, my Lord.” The encyclical, when compared to other papal encyclicals, is unusual for its readability and for taking a broader approach to its topic than the theological or scriptural ones usually used by popes. For this reason, Laudato Si may be of wider interest than just to Catholics or Christians—indeed, maybe even beyond believers. The Pope explains that we must work together to care for the environment and not sacrifice the needs of the poor in doing so.The Pope is nevertheless clear in his theological underpinnings for this work. He defines the environment in terms of relationship. He says that the environment is “a relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it” (Sec. 139). He suggests that humans have broken their relationships with God, with one another, and with the natural world, and that it is through the Cross that these relationships are restored. It is through the Trinity, the perfect relationships of the Divine Persons, that Christians should feel empowered to help restore our damaged environment. “Everything is interconnected, and this invites us to develop a spirituality of that global solidarity which flows from the mystery of the Trinity” (Sec. 240).Despite the encyclical’s unmistakable Christian orientation, Laudato Si nonetheless reaches out to those who do not receive the Christian message but are in solidarity with others pursuing the goal of healing our troubled world, to help both the poor and disadvantaged while also addressing climate change and other environmental issues. Christians are charged to work with all people aligned with that goal.This edition of Laudato Si includes a preface by Msgr. Kevin W. Irwin of The Catholic University of America. The notes provided are from the original encyclical; there is no other critical apparatus. The text’s font and spacing is easy on the reader’s eyes. Although one can find the English language version of Laudato Si on the Vatican website, this inexpensive Paulist-produced edition is convenient to have around as reference or simply to read.
