This paper was presented to the St Ignatius Christian Life Community [CLC], one of the thousands of CLC cell-groups in all five continents. The St Ignatius CLC is the oldest such group in Zambia. The current members of the group go back over 30 years of belonging to the community. While preparing to deliver this paper via Zoom on 29 November 2020, it occured to me that for members of Christian Life Community who wish to understand “The Spirit of Fratelli Tutti,” they need not look further than the ethos and spirituality of CLC. I challenged members of CLC to ask themselves: how can CLC help us to live out the Spirit of Fratelli Tutti? I reminded the participants that the number of Papal Encyclicals since the modern era is staggering. From the papacy of Pope Benedict XIV (1740–1758), to the papacy of Pope Francis, it is estimated that 299 encyclicals have been churned in the modern era but it looks like most of them ended on shelves in presbyteries around the world and did not reach the ordinary Christian in the pew. There may have been many reasons for that such as the pyramidal structure of the Church which saw the Church through the lens of the clergy. I feared that this may be the way of Fratelli Tutti if we did not do anything about it. That is why this Zoom conference was important and in many ways. It was something of a first — it was organised by lay people and delivered by a lay person. I challenged participants to go back to their families, neighbourhoods, parishes, Small Christian Communities, country, continent and even planet to ask, “What does Fratelli Tutti mean for my family, neighbourhood, parish, Small Christian Community, country, continent and even planet?”
On Fraternity and Social Friendship
Christian Life Community [CLC] and the Spirit of Fratelli Tutti
A Paper delivered by
Dr Tarcisius Mukuka
To the St Ignatius Christian Life Community in Lusaka via Zoom
On Sunday, 29 November 2020
As I was writing this letter, the Covid-19 pandemic unexpectedly erupted, exposing our false securities. Aside from the different ways that various countries responded to the crisis, their inability to work together became quite evident. For all our hyper-connectivity, we witnessed a fragmentation that made it more difficult to resolve problems that affect us all. Anyone who thinks that the only lesson to be learned was the need to improve what we were already doing, or to refine existing systems and regulations, is denying reality. It is my desire that, in this our time, by acknowledging the dignity of each human person, we can contribute to the rebirth of a universal aspiration to fraternity (Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 7‒8).
1. Introduction
My thanks to Josephine Shamwana-Lungu for inviting me to share some thoughts on the recent encyclical by Pope Francis and to you all for joining us via Zoom. Jo and I have known each other as early as 1983. About a month ago, she and I were talking over the phone enthusing about Pope Francis’ new encyclical. At that time, some priests did not even know there was a new encyclical. She told me how excited she was to be reading the new encyclical. At some point she used the phrase, “The Spirit of Fratelli Tutti” which I have incorporated in the title of my paper. It occurs to me that for members of Christian Life Community who wish to understand “The Spirit of Fratelli Tutti,” they need not look further than CLC. It’s there. This is my main point for our discussion this afternoon: namely, to ask, how can CLC help us to live out the Spirit of Fratelli Tutti ? I am excited to be sharing that “Spirit of Fratelli Tutti” with the oldest CLC in Zambia with its impressive innings of over 30 years longevity.
I suggest that the Spirit of Fratelli Tutti is what we used to call Ubwananyina [siblings of the same mother] or as the Southern Africans would say, Ubuntu, captured in the saying, Umuntu ngu muntu nga bantu [a person is a person in and through other persons]. As my friend and erstwhile colleague Hugo Hinfelaar pointed out, “the Bemba term used to translate the concept of Humanism was the traditional expression: ubwananyina. This stressed the people’s equality stemming from a common brotherhood and sisterhood as children of the same mothers and descended from the same ancestress” (Hinfelaar 1992: 151). This is the Spirit of Fratelli Tutti and this is how I propose to proceed. First, I will give a brief summary of the ethos of CLC as I was able to garner from its website. Any lacunae, I am happy for you to fill in. Second, I will explain what an encyclical is and why it is important. Third, I will give a whistle-stop tour of the eight chapters of the encyclical. Fourth, I hope to share as briefly as I can the reception of Fratelli Tutti so far. Fifth, I want to ask how Fratelli Tutti is challenging us as members of CLC and in my conclusion I hope to make some suggestions for the afterlife of Fratelli Tutti. Whether I shall manage to do this in the 15 minutes at my disposal remains to be seen.
2. A Brief Summary of the Ethos of CLC
According to the CLC website, the Christian Life Community is a global association of Christians, men and women, adults and young people, of all social conditions, who, inspired by the life and teaching of St Ignatius of Loyola want to be disciples of Jesus Christ more closely and work with Him by realising the Kingdom of God — a kingdom of peace, love and justice. The genius of CLC was to intuit long before Small Christian Communities that “small is beautiful” by having members make up small groups but these small groups or cells are not insular. They form part of larger communities organised regionally and nationally, all forming one World Community. That is why the CLC is present in all five continents, in more than sixty countries. As for its Ignatian ethos, I will let the website speak for itself. The spirituality is uncannily like Fratelli Tutti.
The charism and spirituality of CLC are Ignatian. Thus, the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius are both the specific source of our charism and the characteristic instrument of CLC spirituality. The CLC way of life is shaped by the features of Ignatian Christology: austere and simple, in solidarity with the poor and the outcasts of society, integrating contemplation and action, in all things living lives of love and service within the Church, always in a spirit of discernment.1
I will let Manuel Martínez Arteaga, the Uruguayan Executive Secretary of CLC describe that spirit which, as my friend Josephine Shamwana-Lungu says, encapsulates “The spirit of Fratelli Tutti.” Writing in Progressio Manuel Martínez Arteaga reminds us. “Now, let’s talk about the latest embrace in these recent times. It is a type of embrace which takes on many forms, but which shares a common feature: it is a virtual or spiritual hug. Many of our national communities are living through the effects of the Covid-19 epidemic. Many of us have had to celebrate our World CLC Day on March 25 through the celebrations of the Eucharist on social networks. These community meetings are happening through different internet platforms, often through methods that we are not accustomed to using. However, this is a time that has awakened in us our creativity, our drive for community, our desire to be present and take care of each other, even at a distance. It has become a time to rediscover the important things inside our hearts, and to realise that despite the individual circumstances which we are all experiencing, we can all fill our days with deep meaning, and with a prayer that carries trust and hope: We shall embrace again.”2
3. A Papal Encyclical and Why it is Important
An encyclical is a long circular letter from the Pope sent to the bishops, priests and deacons (the three-fold ministry), consecrated persons and the Lay Faithful of the Roman Catholic Church in which an important theme regarding a pressing contemporary issue is addressed. The title of the encyclical is from the first two Latin words known as the incipit. The term comes from Latin, the official language of the Catholic Church, encyclius, that which goes round. The Latin is incidentally the root of our word encyclopaedia. This encyclical is then shared with the people of God at the national and diocesan level. It is a theological document and its language is not always easily digestible for the non-initiate or those who are not theologically literate at least up to undergraduate level. This is a big challenge to most, if not all, the ordinary Christians in the pew for whom theological matters are the equivalent of celestial higher mathematics.
Pope Francis has written three encyclicals. The first was Lumen fidei (The light of faith), which was released in 2013. Lumen fidei was largely the work of Francis’ predecessor Benedict XVI. It is the first encyclical in the history of the Catholic Church written by two Popes, begun by Pope Benedict XVI and finished by Pope Francis. Lumen fidei is about the Christian faith as the guiding light that inspires social action as well as devotion to God, and illuminating every aspect of human existence. Laudato si’ (English: May you be praised) is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. The encyclical has the subtitle “on care for our common home.” In it, the Pope takes a swing at consumerism and unbridled development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take “swift and unified global action.” When it was officially released at noon on 18 June 2015, I was part of a task force put together by St Mary’s University to come up with a theological appreciation of the encyclical. Because of the media embargo, I only managed to get an advance copy the night before which had been released to the press and only available in Italian. I worked with this copy through the night so that our theological statement could coincide with the official launching at midday Rome time and 11.00 hours UK time. On Saturday, 5 September 2020, the Vatican Press Office announced a third encyclical for Pope Francis. This third encyclical is entitled Fratelli tutti, which means “Brothers all” in Italian, focusing on the theme of human fraternity and social friendship, according to the Holy See Press Office.
At the time the announcement was made, I hoped that by the time it was published, the title of the encyclical would be adjusted to “Fratelli e Sorelle tutti” [Brothers and sisters all] but given the justification given by Andrea Tornielli, I doubted whether that would be forthcoming. This is how the announcement was made, “Nel pomeriggio di Sabato 3 ottobre 2020 il Santo Padre Francesco si recherà ad Assisi per firmare la nuova Enciclica ‘ Fratelli tutti ’ sulla fraternità e l’amicizia sociale” [In the afternoon of Saturday 3 October 2020, the Holy Father Francis will travel to Assisi to sign the new encyclical ‘All Brothers’ on fraternity and social friendship].3 The title of the new encyclical comes from the writings of St. Francis of Assisi, the namesake of Pope Francis. The specific line in question comes from Admonition VI, one of twenty-eight exhortations or mini-homilies that St. Francis delivered to his brother friars. Typically, these short texts offer a practical reflection on some passage from Scripture. Admonition VI begins, “Let all of us, brothers, consider the Good Shepherd Who bore the suffering of the cross to save His sheep”4 [ Attendamus, omnes fratres, bonum pastorem, qui pro ovibus suis salvandis crucis sustinuit passionem ].5 In defence of St Francis, the admonition was addressed to his “brothers” [ fratres ]. He could hardly be accused of gender bias and in using the admonition as the incipit of his encyclical, Pope Francis is just quoting verbatim. As is now well known, the third encyclical was published on 4 October 2020.
4. A Whistle-Stop Tour of the Eight Chapters of Fratelli Tutti
The encyclical is divided into 8 chapters and the subtitles will suffice to give us a flavour of this new social encyclical, with Spanish subtitles in square brackets: Introduction (par 1‒8), Chapter 1: Dark clouds cover the world (par 9‒55) [ Las Sombras de un Mundo Cerrado ], Chapter 2: A stranger on the road (par 56‒86) [ Un Extrano en el Camino ], Chapter 3: Envisaging and engendering an open world (par 87‒127) [ Pensar y Gestar un Mundo Abierto ], Chapter 4: A heart open to the world (par 128‒153) [ Un Corazón Abierto al Mundo Entero ], Chapter 5: A better kind of politics (par 154‒197) [ La Mejor Política ], Chapter 6: Dialogue and friendship in society (par 198‒224) [ Diálogo y Amistad Social ], Chapter 7: Paths of renewed encounter (par 225‒270) [ Caminos de Reencuentro ] and Chapter 8: Religions at the service of fraternity in our world (271‒287) [ Las Religiones al Servicio de la Fraternidad en el Mundo ].6 Given the convergence of themes, it would be remiss if I did not give a brief summary of the chapters of Fratelli Tutti mentioned above.
i. Chapter 1, “Dark Clouds over a Closed World,” of the encyclical paints a picture replete with manipulation and misunderstanding of concepts such as democracy, freedom, justice; the loss of meaning of social community and history; selfishness and indifference toward the common good; the prevalence of a market logic based on profit and the culture of waste; unemployment, racism, poverty; the disparity of rights and its aberrations such as slavery, trafficking, women subjugated and then forced to abort, organ trafficking etc. Quite clearly, this is a lethal cocktail of a dysfunctional world requiring drastic solutions. In the context of a post Covid-19 era, there cannot be any return to business as usual.
ii. Chapter 2, “A stranger on the road” is dedicated to the famous figure of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25‒37). In it, the Pope emphasises that inan unhealthy society such as ours — what Peter Morrall has referred to as “Insane Society” (Morrall 2020) — that turns its back on suffering and is “illiterate” in caring for the frail and vulnerable needs to be converted and practice what St Paul calls agathōsýnē 7 in Gal 5.22 — meaning inherently good, intrinsic goodness (especially as a unique quality and condition); as relating to believers, the goodness that comes from God and showing itself in spiritual, moral excellence. Chapter 2 reminds us that we are in an era in which “we are all called to become neighbours to others by overcoming prejudices, personal interests, historic and cultural barriers.” For the Pope, just as for the new Instruction from the Congregation for the Clergy, “Pastoral conversion of the parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church” we are co-responsible in creating a society that is inclusive, integrative and uplifting “those who have fallen” by the wayside or are suffering. Such acts of love build bridges because “we were made for love” (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 88).
iii. Chapter 3, “Envisaging and engendering an open world,” Pope Francis exhorts us to go “outside the self” — to be missionary — in order to find “a fuller existence in another” (Ibid), opening ourselves up to the other according to the dynamism of charity which makes us tend toward “universal fulfilment” (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 95). This call to an open world is made in the light of the plight of migrants forced to flee war-torn areas such as Syria or simply migrants, in South America, fleeing brutal dictatorships. Their efforts are often met by countries closed to migrants. Countries, such as the United Kingdom, once marked by the commonwealth spirit of openness are now become insular.
iv. Chapter 4, entitled “A heart open to the whole world” and focuses on those fleeing from war, persecution, natural catastrophes, unscrupulous trafficking, and those who are ripped from their communities of origin. This chapter spells out the principles of chapter 3 driven by the dynamism of charity. The Pope reiterates the constant message of his pontificate epitomised in the ministry of his Almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski that migrants are to be welcomed, protected, supported and integrated. But the Pope introduces an important caveat that unnecessary migration — mainly and purely for economic advancement — needs to be avoided by creating concrete opportunities to live in dignity in the countries of origin.
v. Chapter 5, “A better kind of politics” represents one of the most valuable expressions of charity because it is placed at the service of the common good (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 180) and recognises the importance of people, understood as an open category, available for discussion and dialogue (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 160). This is the populism indicated by Francis, which counters that “populism” which ignores the legitimacy of the notion of “people” by attracting consensuses in order to exploit them for its own service and fomenting selfishness in order to increase its own popularity (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 159). But a better politics is also one that protects work, an “essential dimension of social life” (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 162). In Zambia, in the light of the 2021 General Elections, we are in dire need of “a better kind of politics.” The Church in Zambia can help the nation to spell out what “a better kind of politics” might look like by election time in 2021 — a better kind of politics that disavows ochlocracy or mob rule, the rule of government by a mass of unruly, uncouth and unelected people and the intimidation of the citizenry by largely illiterate party cadres at the behest of the head of state who is effectively the Cadre-in-Chief.
vi. Chapter 6, “Dialogue and friendship in society” is for me, the pièce de résistance of Fratelli Tutti, given that my predilection for Scripture should have led me to chapter 2. The chapter proposes solutions to the dreary picture painted in chapter one. The Pope proposes the concept of life as the “art of encounter” (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 215), quoting Vinicius de Moraes’ Samba da Benção, from the recording Um encontro no Au bon Gourmet, Rio de Janeiro (2 August 1962). Marcus Vinícius da Cruz e Mello Moraes (19 October 1913 – 9 July 1980), to give him his full set names. He was nicknamed O Poetinha (The little poet), was a Brazilian poet, lyricist, essayist and playwright. Along with frequent collaborator Antônio Carlos Jobim, his lyrics and compositions were part of the birth of bossa nova [new trend or new wave] music. He recorded several albums and also served as a diplomat. The Pope is indebted to him for the use of the phrase “Life, for all its confrontations, is the art of encounter” [Portuguese: A vida é a arte do encontro, embora haja tanto desencontro na vida ] cited in the encyclical (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 215). There is an intended pan on “encounter” [ encontro ] and “confrontations” [ desencontro ] lost in translation. It is maintained in the Spanish original as is to be expected, encuentro and desencuentro. For the Pope, this is an encounter with everyone, even with those on the world’s peripheries and with original peoples, because “each of us can learn something from others. No one is useless and no one is expendable” (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 215). Then, of particular note, is the Pope’s reference to the miracle of“kindness.” The Spanish word translated as “kindness” is “amabilidad” while the French has “bienveillance.” A better English translation of “amabilidad” is amiability. The French “bienveillance” meaning benevolence, is closer to the intended significance of amabilidad than kindness. In the words of the encyclical, this is an attitude to be recovered because it is a star “shining in the midst of darkness” and “frees us from the cruelty that at times infects human relationships, from the anxiety that prevents us from thinking of others, from the frantic flurry of activity that forgets that others also have a right to be happy” in the contemporary era (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 222‒224).
vii. Chapter 7, “Paths of Renewed Encounter,” reiterates the value and promotion of peace by underscoring that peace is connected to truth, justice and mercy. Far from the desire for vengeance, it is “proactive” and aims at forming a society based on service to others and on the pursuit of reconciliation and mutual development (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 227‒229) citing the example of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa (cf. Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 229). Thus, peace is an “art” that involves and regards everyone and in which each one must do his or her part in “a never-ending task” (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 232). Forgiveness is linked to peace: we must love everyone, without exception.
viii. Chapter 8, “Religions at the service of fraternity in our world,” emphasizes that terrorism is not due to religion but to erroneous interpretations of religious texts, as well as “policies linked to hunger, poverty, injustice, oppression” (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 282‒283). This journey of peace among religions is possible and that it is therefore necessary to guarantee religious freedom, a fundamental human right for all believers (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 279). Critics, no doubt, will cite the fate of the underground Church in China as a case in point. In the context of the conversion of the parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church, Catholic parishes and dioceses that are converted would greatly contribute to the new world order being proposed by the new encyclical. The Pope, for his part quotes the Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, 5 times in the encyclical, together with whom they declared “that religions must never incite war, hateful attitudes, hostility and extremism, nor must they incite violence or the shedding of blood. These tragic realities are the consequence of a deviation from religious teachings. They result from a political manipulation of religions and from interpretations made by religious groups who, in the course of history, have taken advantage of the power of religious sentiment in the hearts of men and women… God, the Almighty, has no need to be defended by anyone and does not want his name to be used to terrorise people” (Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 285). The Pope was citing from the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.”8 Michael Sean Winters rightly asks, “If this pandemic does not shake us out of our post-modern cultural and moral and spiritual lethargy, what will? Pope Francis is throwing the Catholic Church and the whole world a lifeline. Will we grab it?”9
[...]
1 Christian Life Community (2020), “Christian Life Community (CLC),” http://www.cvx-clc.net/l-en/aboutUs.html (Accessed on 28.11.2020)
2 Manuel Martínez Arteaga (2020), Editorial, Progressio [Number 1, 2020], page 1
3 Sala Stampa della Santa Sede (5 September 2020), “Dichiarazione del Direttore della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Matteo Bruni, 05.09.2020,” http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2020/09/05/0443/01017.html (Accessed on 05.09.2020)
4 Daniel P. Horan (5 September 2020), “The Origin and Context of Pope Francis’s Forthcoming Encyclical Title,” Medium, https://medium.com/@DanielHoran/the-origin-and-context-of-pope-franciss-forthcoming-encyclical-title-984619ab5f01 (Accessed on 06.09.2020)
5 Opuscula Omnia Sancti Francisci Assisiensis (n.d), “Cap. VI: De imitatione Domini,” http://www.franciscanos.org/esfa/omfra.html#adm (Accessed on 07.09.2020)
6 Pope Francis (4 October 2020), Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti of the Holy Father Francis On Fraternity and Social Friendship, http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papafrancesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html (Accessed on 04.10.2020)
7 Cf. Gal 5.22 NRSV, “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness.” Agathōsýnē means inherently good or intrinsic goodness (especially as a unique quality and condition; as relating to believers, it is the goodness that comes from God and showing itself in spiritual and moral excellence. The NRSV translates as generosity.
8 Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb (2019), “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” Abu Dhabi (4 February 2019): L’Osservatore Romano, 4‒5 February 2019, p. 6
9 Michael Sean Winters (4 October 2020), “‘ Fratelli Tutti ’ challenges our country and our Church,” National Catholic Reporter, https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/distinctly-catholic/fratelli-tutti-challenges-our-country-and-our-church (Accessed on 04.10.2020)
- Quote paper
- Dr. Tarcisius Mukuka (Author), 2020, Christian Life Community and the Spirit of "Fratelli Tutti". On Fraternity and Social Friendship, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/965277
-
Upload your own papers! Earn money and win an iPhone X. -
Upload your own papers! Earn money and win an iPhone X. -
Upload your own papers! Earn money and win an iPhone X. -
Upload your own papers! Earn money and win an iPhone X. -
Upload your own papers! Earn money and win an iPhone X. -
Upload your own papers! Earn money and win an iPhone X.