“Dialogue and better politics ... are the only, only, only way out.” - Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
Out of what you say? Well. Indifference and despair of course!
From what you say? Well. Environmental disasters silly!
Stating that people have had their eyes opened by all of the recent climate related events, like a modern day Henny Penny, the good Cardinal has found a voice to defend beloved gaia against the environmental boogey-man. (aka humankind)
Wildfires! Hurricanes! Floods! Oh my!
So, to fix this, he suggests talking it out and "better" politics, whatever the heck that means.
And just who has to do this "bettering of politics and dialoguing?" Catholic Universities, duh!
But how? Primarily, through concern for the poor, and “research projects, educational curricula, public programming, institutional infrastructures, policies, and practices, and political and social involvements as colleges and universities.”
A very mean priest I know, who I label as mean because he basically bullies us as he exhorts us to study scripture, go to confession, learn doctrine, meditate, read encyclicals and lead our families in a sacrificial way, recently recommended, in an intimidating way mind you, that some of us men should read E Supremi, the first encyclical of Pope St. Pius X.
Needless to say, it wasn't Laudato Si. Instead, what we read came off as a thoroughly Catholic manifesto for the reclamation of the human race for Christ the King. Which worldings cannot stand.
In E Supremi, we find a solid, easy to read, and dare I say - practical treatment of a game plan. Central to the entire document, is the idea that what is in one's heart and mind matters. And further? If you don't have the Church's doctrine taken to heart and the right ideas filling your mind, you must remedy that situation.
What a strange day we live in when our cardinals sound like Captain Planet and we are catechized with recycle, reduce, reuse instead of conforming one's life and mind to the desires of Our Father.
Cliff's notes from E Supremi:
(Emphasis Mine)
Paragraph 3 - "For who can fail to see that society is at the present time, more than in any past age, suffering from a terrible and deeprooted malady which, developing every day and eating into its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction? You understand, Venerable Brethren, what this disease is - apostasy from God"
Paragraph 4 - "We proclaim that We have no other program in the Supreme Pontificate but that "of restoring all things in Christ" (Ephes. i., 10), so that "Christ may be all and in all" (Coloss. iii, 2)."
Paragraph 8 - "But, Venerable Brethren, we shall never, however much we exert ourselves, succeed in calling men back to the majesty and empire of God, except by means of Jesus Christ...... Hence it follows that to restore all things in Christ and to lead men back to submission to God is one and the same aim. To this, then, it behoves Us to devote Our care - to lead back mankind under the dominion of Christ; this done, We shall have brought it back to God."
Paragraph 10 - "As to the means to be employed in attaining this great end, it seems superfluous to name them, for they are obvious of themselves. Let your first care be to form Christ in those who are destined from the duty of their vocation to form Him in others. We speak of the priests, Venerable Brethren."
Paragraph 11 - "This being so, Venerable Brethren, of what nature and magnitude is the care that must be taken by you in forming the clergy to holiness! All other tasks must yield to this one."
Paragraph 12 - "Yet who can fail to see, Venerable Brethren, that while men are led by reason and liberty, the principal way to restore the empire of God in their souls is religious instruction? "
Paragraph 14 - "It is true, Venerable Brethren, that in this arduous task of the restoration of the human race in Christ neither you nor your clergy should exclude all assistance. We know that God recommended every one to have a care for his neighbor (Eccli. xvii., 12)...... Our predecessors have long since approved and blessed those Catholics who have banded together in societies of various kinds, but always religious in their aim. We, too, have no hesitation in awarding Our praise to this great idea, and We earnestly desire to see it propagated and flourish in town and country. But We wish that all such associations aim first and chiefly at the constant maintenance of Christian life, among those who belong to them. For truly it is of little avail to discuss questions with nice subtlety, or to discourse eloquently of rights and duties, when all this is unconnected with practice. The times we live in demand action - but action which consists entirely in observing with fidelity and zeal the divine laws and the precepts of the Church, in the frank and open profession of religion, in the exercise of every kind of charitable works, without regard to selfinterest or worldly advantage..... For it continues to be true that "piety is useful for all things" (I. Tim. iv., 8) - when this is strong and flourishing "the people will" truly "sit in the fullness of peace" (Is. xxxii., 18)."
It goes like this.
Good pious Bishops beget good pious priests, who then beget good pious men who beget a fullness of peace in the world.
Simple right?
But, is it even carbon neutral?
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