By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News
A video series to assist the diocese in reflecting on Pope Francis’ latest papal encyclical recently continued with a conversation led by Bishop Mark Hagemoen.
The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon said the video series is envisioned as a way to help the diocese engage in the new papal document on human fraternity and social friendship: Fratelli Tutti.
“This social encyclical is a great work of Pope Francis which comes to us at a very important time the in the Church and in the world,” said Bishop Hagemoen, expressing a hope that the series will help generate ongoing discussion in families and in parishes about the encyclicals insights and challenges.
In the latest instalment in the video series, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools teacher Celine Cyrenne, Sr. Marta Piano of the Verbum Dei missionary society, and Fr. Stefano Penna, rector of St. Paul Co-Cathedral in Saskatoon joined Bishop Mark Hagemoen to reflect on the challenges and opportunities presented by the new letter.
Themes explored by the panel in the video conversation – which took place in November 2020 at the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Saskatoon – include challenges and opportunities for evangelization. “The encyclical sites many ways in which communication and relationship with others is an even greater challenge – now made even more difficult because of the pandemic,” noted Bishop Hagemoen.
Panelists reflected on the call to care and love the ‘stranger’ in a global and polarized world (Fratelli Tutti, Chapter 2 and 3) and the call to build encounter and relationship (Fratelli Tutti, Chapter 6 and 7).
They also discussed new realizations, challenges and opportunities that the encyclical raises at the local level – in the diocese, parishes, schools, families and communities.
Videos and more materials related to Fratelli Tutti are posted at: rcdos.ca/fratelli-tutti
The first instalment in the diocesan video series was an October 2020 conversation about Chapter 5 of Fratelli Tutti, entitled “A better kind of politics,” which calls for a social and political order based on “social charity” and “political love.” That first video conversation featured Myron Rogal, coordinator of Justice and Peace for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon; Dr. Brett Salkeld, Theologian for the Archdiocese of Regina; Matthew Marquardt, President and Founder of Catholic Conscience; and Brendan Steven, Executive Director of Catholic Conscience.
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