Fratelli tutti

Fratelli tutti

Fratelli tutti is an apostolic exhortation-style encyclical promulgated by Pope Francis on 3 October 2020 on the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi and subtitled "On fraternity and social friendship". It synthesizes themes from Laudato si' and engages international debates involving figures such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Dag Hammarskjöld, Martin Luther King Jr., and institutions including the United Nations, European Union, World Health Organization, Caritas Internationalis, and Jesuits. The document situates papal teaching within conflicts like the Syrian Civil War, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background and development

Fratelli tutti was developed amid global crises involving leaders and bodies such as Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, Boris Johnson, G20, IMF, and World Bank. Drafting drew on theological and philosophical traditions represented by Thomas Aquinas, Augustine of Hippo, Karl Rahner, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope John Paul II, and consulted Vatican offices like the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Secretariat of State, and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Preparatory dialogues referenced documents from Vatican II, the Second Vatican Council, and encyclicals such as Rerum Novarum, Pacem in Terris, and Caritas in Veritate. The encyclical was announced after papal meetings with leaders of Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb, representatives of World Council of Churches, Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople, and NGOs including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Content and themes

The text addresses social and political questions involving entities like United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Joseph Ratzinger (as a theological reference), and thinkers such as Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Gustavo Gutiérrez, Jacques Maritain, and John Henry Newman. Major themes include fraternity and social friendship across divides exemplified by the histories of Argentina, Italy, Spain, and Latin America; hospitality toward migrants in contexts like Moria refugee camp, Libya, and Mediterranean Sea crossings; opposition to death penalty debates in jurisdictions like Texas and Philippines; critique of exclusionary nationalism as seen in episodes involving Brexit and Alt-right movements; appeals for multilateralism via United Nations General Assembly mechanisms, Paris Agreement, and Sustainable Development Goals. It also treats nonviolence and peacemaking with reference to Pope John XXIII's diplomacy, Oscar Romero's martyrdom, and mediation in the Colombian peace process.

Reception and impact

Global responses ranged from praise by figures like Antonio Guterres, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's supporters, and Cardinal Wilton Gregory to critique from commentators aligned with American Catholic bishops, Polish bishops, and political actors such as Viktor Orbán and Jair Bolsonaro. Media coverage by outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, La Repubblica, Le Monde, and El País highlighted its positions on social justice, migration, and global solidarity. Academic analysis appeared in journals associated with Georgetown University, Harvard Divinity School, University of Notre Dame, Boston College, and Pontifical Gregorian University. NGOs and networks like Caritas Internationalis, Jesuit Refugee Service, International Catholic Migration Commission, and Doctors Without Borders invoked the encyclical in advocacy on refugee policy, health equity amid COVID-19 pandemic, and economic recovery debates tied to G20 stimulus measures.

Implementation and responses by the Catholic Church

Catholic institutions at diocesan and congregational levels—including the Archdiocese of New York, Archdiocese of Milan, Archdiocese of Manila, Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, USCCB, and religious orders such as the Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, and Benedictines—developed pastoral programs inspired by the text. Seminaries at Pontifical Gregorian University, Pontifical Lateran University, Catholic University of America, and University of Notre Dame introduced study modules; parish initiatives partnered with Caritas Internationalis, Catholic Relief Services, and Cafod. Episcopal conferences used the document to inform positions on migration policies in debates before bodies like European Commission, US Congress, Indian Parliament, and regional courts including the European Court of Human Rights.

Criticisms and controversies

Criticism emerged from theologians, politicians, and commentators including Cardinal Raymond Burke, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, Cardinal Ryszard Nycz, Cardinal Robert Sarah, and public intellectuals connected to National Review and First Things. Disputes focused on passages addressing Amoris laetitia-style pastoral questions, economic policy critiques of neoliberalism invoked against Milton Friedman-influenced policies, treatment of Israel and Palestine in light of international law, and statements on civil disobedience related to movements like Black Lives Matter. Some canonists and diplomats debated its interpretative weight compared to prior magisterial documents, prompting responses from Vatican officials including Pietro Parolin and theologians at Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Category:Papal encyclicals