To the editor:

As archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis avoided using the trappings of office, living in a simple apartment and cooking his own food. In his 99-page encyclical, this authentic pope offers a remarkable dialogue suggesting modern society have a change of heart. He seeks to address every person about our common home and to bring the human family together.

His transformative letter urges a commitment to human welfare on a global level. One columnist observed, “Science is like a compass. It can tell us where north is, but it can’t tell us if we want to go north. That’s where our morality comes in.” A majority of American Christians view climate change as real, but less than a third understand that the world’s poor people are already being harmed by it. The pope reminds us that “Greater stewardship of God’s creation is necessary, and … a Christian, who does not protect creation, is a Christian who does not care about the work of God.”  He says: “Saving the environment is saving humanity, particularly the poor, who are disproportionately impacted by global warming.”

He expresses concerns about consumerism and unsustainable consumption, loss of biodiversity and the issues of water and climate as a common good. “We can leave our children and grandchildren a world that is still beautiful, nourishing and healthy.” It’s a hopeful call asking us to intervene in our world and reconsider our mastery and instead consider ecology through civic and political love. This pope is an extraordinary man.