On June 18, noon time in Rome, Pope Francis released his eagerly anticipated encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home.
Below is an outline of the structure of the encyclical:
1. What is Happening to Our Common Home (17-19)
- Pollution and Climate Change (20-26)
- The Issue of Water (27-31)
- The Loss of Biodiversity (32-42)
- Decline in Quality of Human Life and the Breakdown of Society (43-47)
- Global Inequality (48-52)
- Weak Responses (53-59)
- A Variety of Opinions (60-61)
2. The Gospel of Creation (62)
- The Light Offered by Faith (63-64)
- The Wisdom of Biblical Accounts (65-75)
- The Mystery of the Universe (76-83)
- The Message of Each Creature in the Harmony of Creation (84-88)
- A Universal Communion (89-92)
- The Common Destination of Goods (93-95)
- The Gaze of Jesus (96-100)
3. The Human Roots of the Ecological Crisis (101)
- Technology: Creativity and Power (102-105)
- The Globalization of the Technocratic Paradigm (106-114)
- The Crisis and Effects of Modern Anthropocentrism (115-136)
4. Integral Ecology (137)
- Environmental, Economic, and Social Ecology (138-142)
- Cultural Ecology (143-146)
- Ecology of Daily Life (147-155)
- The Principle of the Common Good (156-158)
- Justice Between the Generations (159-162)
5. Lines of Approach and Action (163)
- Dialogue on the Environment in the International Community (164-175)
- Dialogue for New National and Local Policies (176-181)
- Dialogue and Transparency in Decision-Making (182-188)
- Politics and Economy in Dialogue for Human Fulfillment (189-198)
- Religions in Dialogue with Science (199-201)
6. Ecological Education and Spirituality (202)
- Towards a New Lifestyle (203-208)
- Educating for the Covenant Between Humanity and the Environment (209-215)
- Ecological Conversion (216-221)
- Joy and Peace (222-227)
- Civic and Political Love (228-232)
- Sacramental Signs and the Celebration of Rest (233-237)
- The Trinity and the Relationship Between Creatures (238-240)
- Queen of All Creation (241-242)
- Beyond the Sun (243-246)