The opening weeks of the second Trump administration have roiled the waters of American society in unprecedented ways. Trump’s deployment of his presidential power through hundreds of Executive Orders and other administrative actions have constituted not a faithful execution of the laws of the United States, but an abrupt departure from sound constitutional order.
“Moving the needle” on such daunting challenges is never easy, but history demonstrates that energetic moral leadership often does make a major difference in the struggle for change. A visionary pope really can alter the regnant ethical discourse and propose new priorities. The clarion call of Pope Francis to oppose climate change before it is too late emphasizes two things that religion (and especially the Catholic Church) does extraordinarily well: educating for values and fostering moral formation. The ongoing engagement of Pope Francis and other Catholic leaders in the United Nations COP process will surely continue to accentuate the urgent need for precisely these transformations.
Voices from around the world have expressed great appreciation and directed many words of praise for the latest encyclical released by Pope Francis. Whatever your religious affiliation, you may be interested in the profound messages regarding social justice that the pope proposes in this document. Allow me to offer seven insights that may assist your understanding of Fratelli Tutti, published in early October 2020.
