Sunday, June 28, 2015

The Quotation of the Week (June 28 - July 4, 2015)


A quotation of Samuel Goldwyn on 'speaking the truth,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa
Photo (A self-silhouette photo, Toronto: May 19, 2015) © Jerome D'Costa

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Friday, June 26, 2015

Pope Francis Launches His Environment-Friendly Encyclical 'Laudato si'


Laudato si' -- Pope Francis' new encyclical letter to the whole world

Book image courtesy: AP photo via National Catholic Register

Cartoon courtesy: The Toronto Star (June 20, 2015)

Pope Francis, on June 18, launched his first encyclical letter, Laudato si' (Praise be to you) not only for the Catholics but also for the whole world. This 82-page letter, originally written in Italian and translated into Arabic, English, French, German, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish, has six chapters. 

The titles of the chapters are: What is Happening to Our Common Home, The Gospel of Creation,The Human Roots of the Ecological Crisis, Integral Ecology, Lines of Approach and Action, and Ecological Education and Spirituality.

For reading of the full encyclical and deeper understanding of it, please visit the following:

  • Text of the Encyclical, Laudato si', & Tips for Easy Understanding of It:



  • Encyclical Letter 'Laudato si' of the Holy Father Francis on Care for Our Common Home (Official document in English from the Vatican website)
  • Laudato si' encyclical letter of Pope Francis in PDF Format (in English)
  • Laudato si' encyclical letter of Pope Francis (in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish)
  • Overview of the Encyclical Laudato si' (Vatican Press Office)
  • Laudato si': A "Map" (An guide for an initial reading of the encyclical) (Archdiocese of Toronto) 
  • A Guide to Laudato Si: A Section-by-Section Summary of Pope Francis' Encyclical on the Environment (Acton Institute)
  • A reader's guide to Laudato Si' (by Father Thomas Reese, S.J.) (National Catholic Reporter)
  • "Laudato Si" 101: What to Know About Pope Francis' New Encyclical (Word on Fire Blog)
  • Infographics on the Laudato si' (A one-page quick glance of  the encyclical) (Archdiocese of Toronto)
  • Defining Moment: Glossary of terminology used in Laudato si' (Catholic News Service)
  • Mortus est lingua mortua [A dead language is dead] (Pope Francis' latest encyclical suggests a dead language [Latin] no longer serves a living, decentralized Church)
  • Pope Francis' Climate Change Encyclical: Latin Left by the Wayside As 'Laudato Si' Seeks Broader Audience, Accessibility (International Business Times)
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  •  News and Reviews on the Encyclical:
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  • Top Ten Takeaways from 'Laudato Si" (America magazine)
  • Laudato Si: The Cheers and Challenges (National Catholic Register)
  • Pope Francis: 'Revolution' needed to combat climate change (CNN)
  • Pope's climate change enclyclical tells rich nations: pay your debt to the poor (The Guardian)
  • Full Text and Guidance Map for Pope Francis' Encyclical 'Laudato Si' (National Catholic Register)
  • With climate encyclical the Pope has knocked one out of St. Peter's (Globe and Mail)
  • 10 key excerpts from Pope Francis' encyclical (The Washington Post)
  • The 5 Most Important Points of Pope Francis's Climate Change Encyclical (TIME magazine)
  • US Church grateflul for Pope Francis' 'marvelous' encyclical (National Catholic Reporter)
  • Exclusive: Patriarch Bartholomew on Pope Francis' Climate Encyclical (TIME magazine)
  • Francis' encyclical is a step in the right direction, those outside the church say (National Catholic Reporter)
  • The Pope's Moral Case for Taking on Climate Change (The Atlantic monthly)
  • Laudato Si': a landmark in church teaching that will shape a new future (Catholic Voices)
  • Pope Francis, in Sweeping Encyclical, Calls for Swift Action on Climate Change (The New York Times)
  • Pope Francis blames 'human selfishness' for global warming (BBC News)
  • Pope Francis Aligns Himself With Mainstream Science and Climate (The New York Times)
  • Pope Francis and the Environment: Yale Examines Historic Climate Encyclical (Yale University)
  • Fatal Errors of Capitalism: Laudato Si' & the Economy (Patheos.com)
  • Previewing Laudato Si': Anthony Annett on Integral Ecology (Patheos.com)
  • Meet the Muslim Mystic Pope Francis Cited in His Encyclical (TIME)
  • Expert calls the science behind the papal encyclical 'watertight' (Crux Now)
  • Pope aligns himself with mainstream science on Climate (The New York Times)
  • The World weighs in on "Laudato si'' (National Catholic Reporter)
  • The global echo of Pope Francis' encyclical (The Vatican Insider)
  • The Internets Just Exploded with Pope Francis' Climate Change Encyclical (GIZMODO)
  • Pope Francis' Quotes on the Environment (Since his election as the Pope)
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  • News and Critical Comments on the Encyclical:
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  • Draft of Pope Francis' Laudato Si' Encyclical Leaked Today (Patheos.com)
  • Draft of Environmental Encyclical Leaked! 12 Things to Know and Share (JimmyAkin.com)
  • Leak of Pope Francis' encyclical hints at Vatican tensions (Globe and Mail)
  • Pope Francis's Incoherent Economics (The Federalist) 
  • Laudato Si': Well Intended, Economically Flawed (The American Spectator)
  • Pope Blames Markets for Environment's Ills (The Wall Street Journal)
  • Pope Francis wants to roll back progress. Is the world ready? (The Washington Post)
  • Encyclical Understands Man, but not Economics and Politics (Acton Institute)
  • Pope's encyclical on climate change reads like the Unabomber Manifesto (National Post)
  • The Pope's eco-mmunist manifesto (Financial Post)
  • Conservative Media vs. The Pope: The Worst Reactions to Pope Francis' Climate Change Encyclical (Media Matters)
  • The Pope's Encyclical, at Heart, Is About Us, Not Trees and Snail Darters (National Review)
  • Laudato No: Praise Not Pope Francis's Crude Economics (National Review)
  • The Encyclical's Challenge Is to Climate-Change Activists, Not Skeptics (National Review)
  • Pope Francis's Vow of Poverty -- for All (National Review)
  • Laudato Si' and the NGOification of the Institutional Church (National Review)
  • The Return of Catholic Anti-Modernism (First Things)
  • What Pope Francis should do to really help the poor: Bjorn Lomborg (USA Today)
  • The Pope and Climate Change: Francis is slapping his conservative critics in the face (The Spectator)
  • Pope Francis and Economics (Acton Institute)
  • Pope Francis and the Environment (Acton Institute responses to 'Laudato si'') 
  • Pope Francis Goes Horribly Wrong with His Economics (The Forbes)
  • Why I'm Disregarding Laudat Si and You Should Too (The Remnant)
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  • (Updated on July 5, 2015)
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    Sunday, June 21, 2015

    The Quotation of the Week (June 21 - 27, 2015)


    A quotation of Napoleon Bonaparte on 'religion,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa
    Artwork © Ujjal Peter D'Costa

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    Sunday, June 14, 2015

    The Quotation of the Week (June 14 - 20, 2015)


    A quotation of Helen Keller on 'education,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

     Photo (A pruning cut of a Norwegian maple tree branch in Toronto: May 9, 2015) © Jerome D'Costa

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    Wednesday, June 10, 2015

    'First Things' -- A Catholic Journal


    'First Things' magazine
    Image courtesy: firstthings.com/

    It is a monthly Catholic journal of religion, culture, and public life, published from New York, USA.

    It is a print journal, but also available online at: First Things

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    Monday, June 8, 2015

    'Regina' Magazine's Spain Issue Is A Fascinating Read


    The April 2015 issue of the Regina magazine
    Photo courtesy: Regina magazine

    The Regina magazine of April, 2015 exclusively devoted the whole issue to Spain. This is a fascinating read for readers interested in history, sociology, and religion of Spain.

    You may read this 348-page Regina magazine issue that covers the following topics:

    • Pelayo & the Cradle of Catholicism
    • Bipolarism of Catholic Spain
    • An Ancient Mass in Modern Madrid
    • The Great Champion of Christian Spain
    • St. Dominic & the Hounds of God
    • Day Thirteen on the Camino
    • The Drama of Isabella the Catholic
    • The Tragic Daughters of Isabella
    • Queen of Chess
    • Serious Spanish Sweets
    • The Truth about Muslim Spain
    • The Mozarabic Rite
    • The Strange Story of Cordoba's Cathedral
    • Beautiful Spanish Mantillas
    • Teresa of Avila
    •  Tomas Victoria
    • Conquistador
    • The Real First Thanksgiving
    • Nine Catholic Women of Spain
    • St. Leocadia of Toledo
    • Faith Under Fire
    • Spanish Fashionista Styling
    • True Catholic Selves
    You may also read the past issues of the Regina magazine here.


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    Sunday, June 7, 2015

    The Quotation of the Week (June 7 - 13, 2015)


    A quotation of Jesse Jackson on 'being present with one's children,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa
    Photo (Dancing lights in Toronto: Jan. 1, 2015) © Jerome D'Costa

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