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Pope Francis signed the first encyclical in 5 years in the Italian pilgrimage town of Assisi on Saturday. The lesson is about global justice and human cohesion.
Pope Francis prays at the tomb of Saint Francis of Assisi after signing the encyclical “Fratelli tutti”.
“No one saves himself,” Pope Francis preached six months ago against the corona virus. At that time, he was alone in the white chasuble in the deserted St. Peter’s Square in the rain. The ringing of bells mixed with ambulance sirens, and television stations in 180 countries broadcast the impressive scene from Rome in March. Now, in the encyclical “Fratelli tutti”, the Pope has once again reminded humanity to be a world community in one boat. Faced with the pandemic, the church leader asked humanity for a new sense of brotherhood.
The Pope calls for a more just world
In the Social Encyclical, the Argentine Pope outlines his vision of a society based on solidarity and responsible politics. The human dream of common justice and peace today seems like a utopia of other times, Francis writes in the main document published on Sunday. “Sections of humanity seem to be able to be sacrificed for the benefit of a preferred population group that is considered worthy to lead an unrestricted life,” says the instructional letter entitled “Fratelli tutti – On brotherhood and social friendship.” .
In his third encyclical, the Pope regrets the setbacks on the road to greater global integration. He is clearly against nationalism and isolation. «Untimely conflicts break out that were believed to have been overcome. They are reviving stubborn, exaggerated, angry and aggressive nationalisms. “
The Holy Father was working on the text of the encyclical before the coronavirus, but the pandemic made it especially urgent. She showed the world the need to repent.
First papal journey in the time of Corona
The publication of “Fratelli tutti” also took place in exceptional circumstances. For the first time, the Pope did not sign the teaching letter in the Holy See. The 83-year-old left Rome and the scandals in the Vatican on Saturday and traveled to the medieval pilgrimage city of Assisi. In the narrow crypt of the Lower Basilica, he celebrated a private mass at the tomb of his namesake, Saint Francis of Assisi. He then put his signature on the 150-page document. Only a dozen Franciscan religious participated in the simple mass with masks.
It was the first papal tour since the outbreak of the pandemic. The visit to Assisi symbolized the new social encyclical that revolves around the values embodied in the Saint of the Poor: brotherhood and justice. For Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was the first Pope to choose the name Francis when he was appointed seven years ago, these values are the main concern of his new didactic letter. But these days Assisi represented a stark contrast to the Vatican like nowhere else in Christianity, which is rocked by violent struggles for power.
The Vatican is in deep crisis
The most difficult week of his seven-year term is behind the Pope. An abyss of dubious business, nepotism, corruption and intrigue has opened up in the Holy See. On September 24, Francis forced Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu to resign from his post as prefect of the Congregation for Saints and took away all cardinal rights. He reacted with great determination to the revelation of the results of the investigation by the Vatican Prosecutor’s Office, which has been investigating Becciu for a year for his participation in dark financial transactions to the detriment of the Vatican treasury.
The investigation was triggered by the failed investment in a luxury property in the London Borough of Chelsea, in which it is said that 60 million euros in commissions flowed to shady entrepreneurs. Now it seems that business is just the tip of the iceberg. There is talk of the “Becciu system”, with which it is said that funds and donations from churches have been embezzled.
In the Vatican, it seems, every day it becomes more difficult to distinguish between comrades and traitors. More and more details come to light. A former Beccius employee is also said to work with investigators and provide information on the machinations.
The Church of Francis, who was elected Pope in 2013 to get the Roman Curia out of the Vatileaks affair and abuse scandals, is in deep crisis.
