The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) was a watershed event in the history of the Catholic Church, a critical self-examination that sought at once to rediscover the most ancient sources of Christian thought and practice and to bring these traditions into the modern world. While few question the idealism and vision of Vatican II, its legacy is contested. Has the Catholic Church fulfilled the promise of the council? Has it successfully reclaimed the scriptural call to justice? Has it truly shifted its gaze to the "joys and hopes, grief and anguish" of our troubled world? Reflecting on both the vision of the council and its uneven reception, Turning to the World ponders the impact of Vatican II on interreligious dialogue, peace-building, and care for the environment. Focusing specifically on the Canadian and Latin American experiences, contributors work from diverse disciplinary perspectives to examine developments in the Catholic Church's understanding of freedom, conscience, and the common good. The volume also appraises the effects of the Church's turn to the world in its hope to voice the pressing needs of the human family, especially in contexts of great poverty and injustice and among peoples adversely affected by the modern and postmodern economies of greed. Exploring the legacy of Vatican II, Turning to the World offers a unique perspective on the influence, reception, developments, and applications of the council from the 1960s to the teachings of Pope Francis.

A close, longtime associate of Pope Benedict presents a unique theological and personal portrait of the Pope that gives wonderful insights to both his teachings, and the man himself. This work on the new Pope important in its unique approach to the thought and person of who this Pontiff is for Christians everywhere to better understand him, his leadership and his role as the most respected spiritual teacher in the world.

8. The Holy See and Palestine -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index

This volume represents a collection of essays by emerging and well-established Catholic scholars on Laudato si’, Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment. All contributors are connected with the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, the only Vatican approved Higher Institute of Religious Sciences in the English-speaking world. When it appeared, Laudato si’ was widely welcomed by many, and strongly criticised by others. All agreed that the encyclical was an important voice in the environmental debate. As this book suggests, however, Laudato si’ is more than an encyclical on the environment: it is a thorough examination of the human condition in the early twenty-first century. Essays in this volume focus on the philosophical, textual, ecological, anthropological and theological aspects of Laudato si’, place it in a specific history of ideas, and contemplate its meaning for the modern world. Laudato si’ has been widely discussed in religious and secular circles alike, and this book will enhance the understanding of the text for both.

“In the heart of this world, the Lord of life, who loves us so much, is always present. He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward. Praise be to him!” – Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ In his second encyclical, Laudato Si’: On the Care of Our Common Home, Pope Francis draws all Christians into a dialogue with every person on the planet about our common home. We as human beings are united by the concern for our planet, and every living thing that dwells on it, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. Pope Francis’ letter joins the body of the Church’s social and moral teaching, draws on the best scientific research, providing the foundation for “the ethical and spiritual itinerary that follows.” Laudato Si’ outlines: The current state of our “common home” The Gospel message as seen through creation The human causes of the ecological crisis Ecology and the common good Pope Francis’ call to action for each of us Our Sunday Visitor has included discussion questions, making it perfect for individual or group study, leading all Catholics and Christians into a deeper understanding of the importance of this teaching.

Edited by Ronald J. Rychlak, American Law from a Catholic Perspective is one of the most comprehensive surveys of American legal topics by major Catholic legal scholars. Contributors explore bankruptcy, corporate law, environmental law, family law, immigration, labor law, military law, property, torts, and several different aspects of constitutional law, among other subjects. Readers will find probing arguments that bring to bear the critical perspective of Catholic social thought on American legal jurisprudence. Essays include Michael Ariens’s account of Catholicism in the intellectual discipline of legal history, William Saunders’s assessment of human rights and Catholic social teaching, Hadley Arkes’s look at the place of Catholic social thought with respect to bioethics, and many others on major legal topics and their intersection with Catholic social teaching. American Law from a Catholic Perspective is essential reading for all Catholic lawyers, judges, and law students, as well as an important contribution to non-Catholic readers seeking guidance from a faith tradition on questions of legal jurisprudence. Based on well-developed and established ideas in Catholic social thought, the evaluations, suggestions, and remedies offer ample food for thought and a basis for action in the realm of legal scholarship.

During his papacy, Pope Benedict XVI was called ‘the green pope’ because of his ecological commitments in his writings, statements, and practical initiatives. Containing twelve essays by lay, ordained, and religious Catholic theologians and scholars, along with a presentation and a homily by bishops, Environmental Justice and Climate Change: Assessing Pope Benedict XVI's Ecological Vision for the Catholic Church in the United States explores four key areas in connection with Benedict XVI’s teachings: human and natural ecology/human life and dignity; solidarity, justice, poverty and the common good; sacramentality of creation; and our Catholic faith in action. The product of mutual collaboration by bishops, scholars and staff, this anthology provides the most thorough treatment of Benedict XVI’s contributions to ecological teaching and offers fruitful directions for advancing concern among Catholics in the United States about ongoing threats to the integrity of Earth.