By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY - Com- memorating the fifth an- niversary of his encyclical on the environment, Pope Francis called on Christians to join in prayer and acts of care for the Earth and for the poor. After reciting the "Regina Coeli" prayer May 24, the pope encouraged Catholics to participate in the cele- bration of the "Special Lau- dato Si' Anniversary Year," a yearlong series of initia- tives dedicated to putting the encyclical's teaching into action. "I invite all people of good- will to join, to take care of our common home and of our most fragile brothers and sisters," he said. According to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Hu- man Development, the year- long celebration from May 24, 2020, to May 24, 2021, will emphasize "ecological conversion in action" through a series of events dedicated to environmental care, educa- tion and the economy. The pope also said that "it would be beautiful" for Cath- olics to recite the prayer dedicated to the anniversary celebration of the encyclical. The prayer, which is avail- able on the dicastery's "Lau- dato Si' Week" website, asks God to "be present to those in need in these trying times, especially the poorest and those most at risk of being left behind." "Help us to show creative solidarity in addressing the consequences of this global pandemic. Make us coura- geous to embrace the chang- es that are needed in search of the common good," the prayer states. In a statement released by the Vatican press office May 16, the dicastery also detailed the rollout of a "sev- en-year journey toward in- tegral ecology" for families, dioceses, schools, universi- ties, hospitals, businesses, farms and religious orders. Among the events is the ecumenical "Season of Creation" initiative, which runs from the Sept. 1 Day of Prayer for Creation through the feast of St. Francis of As- sisi, Oct. 4. The initiative, explained at www.seasonofcreation.org is "an annual celebration of prayer and action to protect creation" that will include an online prayer service, a webi- nar and conferences. In a May 25 statement announcing the initiative, the Dicastery for Promot- ing Integral Human Devel- opment said that in light of the coronavirus pandemic, "the Season of Creation is especially relevant this year." The dicastery, it said, "is currently engaged in work to develop a comprehensive response to the pandemic, addressing both the immedi- ate needs of those who suffer today and the long-term need to create more just societies." Throughout the anniver- sary year, Catholic dioceses, schools and institutions also will be encouraged to imple- ment the use of clean re- newable energy, as well as the sober use of resources and energy and updating educational curriculum "to create ecological awareness and action, promoting the ecological vocation of young people, teachers and leaders of education." The dicastery also in- stituted the "Laudato Si' Awards," which will recog- nize individuals, education- al institutions, dioceses and parishes for their efforts in encouraging and promoting the care of the environment.
Un tiempo para ser sinceros
P.D. James es uno de mis autores favoritos cuyo estilo britnico es elegante y ex- tremadamente inteligente. Ella domin el arte de la historia de detectives y cre a su famoso detective Adam Dalgliesh, quien tambin es elegante y extremadamente inteligente. Hace unos 20 aos, cu- ando ella acababa de cumplir 77 aos, comenz a escribir en un diario durante un ao y tom su ttulo de la famosa cita de Samuel Johnson cu- ando tena 77 aos: "Es un momento para ser sincero". Ser sincero no es simple- mente ser sincero, sino tam- bin ser progresista y adop- tar lo ms importante. Normalmente no encon- trara interesante un diario que relata eventos de un da determinado, que incluye destellos de recuerdos de la infancia, detalles de elemen- tos que intervienen en el desarrollo de una historia de detectives y proporciona comentarios sobre la vida en general, virtudes impor- tantes y cualquier otra cosa que se me ocurra. Sin em- bargo, disfrut mucho este diario y lo le con el mismo fervor con el que me acerco a tantas de sus novelas de misterio que son difciles de dejar. Me temo que leer se est convirtiendo en un arte per- dido. Con iPhones que per- miten pelculas y comedias de situaciones, podcasts que cubren prcticamente todos los temas y msica ubicua cuyo objetivo es bloquear el mundo, leer un libro le permite a uno entrar en un mundo de imaginacin y creatividad de una manera nica. A diferencia de una pelcula que sigue avanzan- do, ya sea que est listo o no, un libro es una ocasin para experimentar la vida a su propio ritmo. Leer un libro en voz alta tambin descubre una ex- periencia especial. Me dicen que los nios responden es- pecialmente a alguien que les lee. A menudo me en- cuentro compartiendo con un amigo un prrafo que est escrito de manera espe- cialmente inteligente. Mien- tras que las pelculas o los eventos deportivos tienden a ser experimentados como espectadores, leer un libro requiere participacin y, si se lee en voz alta, participacin compartida. He estado pensando mucho en la participacin porque la pandemia nos ha movido como Iglesia a la re- alidad virtual por un tiempo. Tan cmodo como es ver un evento en la televisin o en Internet, que tambin es adecuado para nuestra in- clinacin a tomar el camino fcil, hay una trampa de que la participacin se vuelve bastante limitada. En la Misa, la Palabra de Dios no se lee simplemente en priva- do, sino que se proclama o se lee en voz alta. Las palabras de consagracin, "Este es Mi Cuerpo, esta es Mi Sangre", se pronuncian en voz alta para que todos los presentes participen en el misterio en lugar de ser espectadores distantes, mirando, por as decirlo, de afuera hacia ad- entro. Ahora estamos volviendo a la participacin cara a cara en la Misa de una manera segura y prudente. Por su- puesto, las limitaciones de salud personal y las limi- taciones de lo que es seguro para las asambleas pbli- cas tendrn un gran efecto en nuestro regreso. Cuando la pandemia se levante y todos podamos comenzar a reunirnos nuevamente para la celebracin de la Sagrada Eucarista, tendremos la oportunidad de unirnos en sinceridad. As como P.D. James busc compartir su vida a travs de su edad de 78 aos en forma de dia- rio, de una manera infini- tamente ms sacrificada y generosa, Jesucristo se hace presente para nosotros y a travs de nosotros, su comu- nidad, en el nico sacrificio de la Sagrada Eucarista. La palabra "eucarista" significa "accin de gracias", por lo que anhelamos no solo ser sinceros sino tambin estar agradecidos cuando nos re- unimos una vez ms. Para ver mi carta a los fieles y el plan de reapertura de iglesias que pueden hac- erlo de manera segura, visite www.archlou.org/COVID-19.
THE RECORD MAY 28, 2020 COMMENTARY WWW.THERECORDNEWSPAPER.ORG 5
A Time to be In Earnest
P.D. James is one of my favorite authors whose Brit- ish style is both elegant and extremely clever. She mas- tered the art of the detective story and created her famous detective Adam Dalgliesh, who likewise is both elegant and extremely clever. About 20 years ago when she had just turned 77, she began writing in a diary for a year and took its title from Samuel Johnson's famous quote when he was 77 - "It is a time to be in earnest." Being in earnest is not sim- ply being truthful and sin- cere but also being forward- looking, embracing what is most important. I normally would not find interesting a diary that re- counts events of a given day, includes stream-of- consciousness glimpses of childhood memories, details elements that go into the de- veloping of a detective story and provides commentaries on life in general, important virtues and whatever else comes to mind. Yet, I thor- oughly enjoyed this diary and read it with the same fervor that I approach so many of her mystery novels that are hard to put down. I fear that reading is becoming a lost art. With iPhones that allow for movies and sitcoms, podcasts that cover virtually every topic and ubiquitous music whose goal is to block out the world, reading a book allows one to enter a world of imagination and creativity in a unique way. Unlike a movie that keeps moving on whether you are ready or not, a book is an occasion to experience life at one's own pace. Reading a book out loud also uncovers a special ex- perience. I am told that chil- dren are especially respon- sive to someone who reads to them. I find myself often sharing with a friend a para- graph that is especially clev- erly written. Whereas movies or sports events tend to be experienced as a spectator, reading a book requires par- ticipation and, if read aloud, shared participation. I have been thinking a lot about participation because the pandemic has moved us as a Church into virtual re- ality for a time. As comfort- able as it is to watch an event on television or on the Internet - which also is well suited for our penchant to take the easy path - there is a trap that the participa- tion becomes quite limited. At Mass, the Word of God is not simply read privately but it is proclaimed or read aloud. The words of Conse- cration, "This is My Body, This is My Blood," are pro- nounced aloud so that all who are present participate in the mystery rather than being distant spectators, looking, as it were, from the outside in. We are now returning to face-to-face participation at Mass in a safe and prudent way. Of course, personal health limitations and the limitations of what is safe for public assemblies will have a great effect on our return. When the pandemic lifts and we all can begin to gather again for the celebra- tion of the Holy Eucharist, we will have the opportunity to come together in earnest. Just as P.D. James sought to share her life through her 78th year in diary form, in an infinitely more sacrificial and self-giving manner, Je- sus Christ becomes present to us and through us, His community, in the one sac- rifice of the Holy Eucharist. The word "eucharist" means "thanksgiving," and so we yearn not simply to be ear- nest but to be grateful as we gather once again. To see my letter to the faithful and plan for reopen- ing churches that are able to do so safely, please go to www.archlou.org/COVID-19.
HOPE IN THE LORD
Esperanza en El Seor
ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH E. KURTZ
Archbishop Kurtz's schedule
Following is Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz's schedule for the coming weeks. May 28 - 3 p.m. Conference call with COVID-19 Pastor Consultant Committee: Healthy at Worship Questions. May 29 - 8 a.m. Mass, Holy Family Church. June 1 - 11 a.m. Academic Affairs Committee of Catholic University of America videoconference meeting. June 2 -10:30 a.m. Catholic University of America Board of Trustees videoconference meeting. June 4 -1 p.m. Priests' Council; 3 p.m. conference call with COVID-19 Pastor Consultant Committee: Healthy at Worship Questions. June 5 - 8 a.m. Mass, Holy Family Church. June 7 - Noon Mass, Cathedral of the Assumption. June 8 - 6 p.m. National Catholic Bioethics Center Board, videoconference of annual meeting. June 9 - 2 p.m. USCCB Pro-Life Committee; videoconference meeting. June 10 - 11 a.m. Bishops of the Province of Louisville videoconference meeting.
Pope marks anniversary of Laudato Si'
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