Cardinal Nichols introduces Laudato Si + audio

Jo Siedlecka
Jun 18th, 2015 (Updated Sep 4th, 2018)

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, together with Fr Augusto Zampini, a moral theologian from Argentina and adviser to CAFOD, launched Pope Francis' first Encyclical Laudato Si at a press conference on Thursday at Our Lady and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Poplar, East London.

The setting could not have been more symbolic. The newly-built school* with state of the art eco features, lies under the shadow of Canary Wharf with its many banks and corporations.

The Encyclical was presented at an assembly in the school hall with the children. While images of creation were projected onto a screen, the children sang and read the story of Creation from the book of Genesis. After prayers and a blessing the children filed out, singing Christ Be Our Light, and the reporters moved onto the roof for the press conference.

Cardinal Vincent said it had been decided to hold the presentation at the school, because the encyclical dealt with the fundamental question of what kind of world do we want to leave future generations; because the school is new and has been built with great attention to the ecology and environment - "so is an example of can be done in building for the future" and, he pointed out, because of its location near the centre of trade and business - Pope Francis has often said the "enterprise and business structure of the world always needs fresh scrutiny."

Cardinal Vincent then outlined key themes in the encyclical, which, he pointed out, comes in a long line of Catholic teaching documents. Global free market capitalism has created what the Pope calls a 'globalisation of indifference'.

"The voice of the poor comes through and through again" he said. Climate change is having a far greater impact on the poor. The Cardinal described a village in Kenya which has a river, but the water is so polluted it is undrinkable.

A major theme in the Encyclical is integral human development. Pope Francis welcomes the genius of enterprise, but says the purposes and motives of business needs to be challenged.. over and over again. The profit motive alone is not enough.

"The document offers an ethical framework which is a real challenge to every one of us" Cardinal Vincent said. The assumption has been that perennial progress is forever possible - we have to have the latest phone - "but this is in the end a destructive ethical framework. With the creation of endless demands, and when other more fundamental demands not being met, we exceed the capacity of nature. We end up with nature being destroyed - "throwaway culture" and "throwaway people."

Cardinal Vincent he was reminded of his grandfather, who used to say: 'a man is rich according to the simplicity of his needs.' "That in a way encapsulates the ethical framework the Pope puts forward."

The Cardinal said each one of us has a part to play. In our daily examination of conscience we need to look at how we behave towards the environment; what we waste; what lifestyle we are engaged or aspire to. We must also ask ourselves how we encourage and support political initiatives that serve the community. "Yesterday we saw that in centre London" he said - (referring to the Climate Lobby of Parliament). The Encyclical is clearly designed in an effort to influence the forthcoming meetings in Paris and UN.

In this Encyclical Pope Francis is calling for "ecological conversion" - placing God at the centre of our lives. They are yours oh Lord who love all living beings. The more we usurp the power of God, the more we will continue to exhaust all that has been entrusted to us and betray those left out..

This is a challenging, timely and powerful document, the Cardinal concluded.

In a wide ranging question and answer session the Cardinal mentioned new initiatives at diocesan level to encourage green audits of parishes. The shrine at Walsingham is putting power back into the grid.

In response to one question Father Augusto said that for Catholics, "the care of our common home is not optional."

Fr Augusto concluded with an anecdote: "Laudato si' is such an inspiring document," he said. "I was recently in Brussels with some theologians to study the Encyclical. Normally you look forward to the coffee - but the reading was so exciting- we didn't have a coffee break at all. This document lifts you up."

You can listen to the full audio of the press conference on the link below: www.catholic-ew.org.uk/Home/Featured/New-Papal-Encyclical-Letter/Press-Conference-Audio

*The school was designed by Anne Dixon from greenteaartichects