Laudato si’ at university time
It therefore took almost eight years for the teachings of the encyclical to be Laudato si’, published in 2015, enter deeply into the circles of Catholic theology. In France, the country’s various Catholic universities now offer introductory courses on the encyclical, but also in-depth theological and pastoral training. They are thus trying to catch up with what has been practiced for a long time in many faculties in the Anglo-Saxon world: ecological questions are taken seriously, to the point of devoting entire sectors and university programs to them.
In Rome too, things are moving into high gear. On January 25, nine universities and pontifical schools jointly launched a first online course – for the moment, in English only – which consists of monthly sessions of one and a half hours, so as to cover the six chapters of the encyclical by June. “Through this initiative,” confides Salesian academic Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam, “we hope to promote a massive movement of people from the grassroots and from all sectors of life, to care for our common home and the most vulnerable among us.”
To be found, alternating with Véronique Badets, every Saturday at 7:52 a.m. on RCF radio.