Encyclical Letter Laudato si’ of Pope Francis is welcomed throughout Canada
Friday, June 19, 2015
Immediately following the publication of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter on the care for our common home, several dioceses across Canada organized news conferences to share their initial reactions with the local media and the general public. These included the Archdiocese of Edmonton, the Archdiocese of Québec, the Archdiocese of Toronto, the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil and the Diocese of Nicolet. In each of these instances, the dioceses invited resource persons and experts to speak. Among those invited were Ms. Elizabeth (Betty) Letendre, a Cree/Metis in Alberta who is manager of the Council of Elders at Edmonton Catholic Schools; Dr. Simon Appolloni, scholar in Christianity and the environment at the University of Toronto, the Right Rev. Dennis Paul Drainville, Anglican Bishop of Québec; Father Thomas Rosica, C.S.B., CEO of Salt + Light TV; Mr. Norman Lévesque of the Green Church network, as well as local representatives of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace.
Many dioceses were also active on the social media, as well as inviting various persons to help respond to questions on the Encyclical, including the Archdiocese of Toronto, the Archdiocese of Vancouver, the Archdiocese of Ottawa and the Diocese of Saskatoon. Entitled “Praise be to you, my Lord” (Laudato si’), this second Encyclical Letter of the Holy Father has sparked considerable attention in religious and secular media.
Resources relating to the Encyclical are also available on the Web. His Eminence Gérald Cyprien Cardinal Lacroix, Archbishop of Québec and Primate of the Church in Canada, has recorded a video message. Development and Peace has provided a special web page with various resources and links. Salt + Light TV as well offers a number of links to texts and video archives relating to the new Encyclical.
Link to the video archives of ECDQ.TV of the Archdiocese of Québec (in French only)
Link to the video message of Cardinal Lacroix (in French only)