Lorcan McDermott send us this update:
The Laudato Si’ book club recently finished reading and discussing Ilia Delio’s The Hours of the Universe: Reflections on God, Science and the Human Journey. In the context of a wide-ranging discussion, Delio points out that we must begin to find the living God once again by fundamentally changing our understanding of God and returning to the first book of revelation, the ‘Book of Nature’. Otherwise, we are sure to face crises on a planetary scale. Francis of Assisi found God in the cathedral of the universe, we too must learn from nature how to be a part of nature once again. She gives a well-considered assessment of Laudato Si’ and maintains that the encyclical highlights the importance of insights from both science and religion in order to move forward into a sustainable future.
We found the series of YouTube podcasts hosted by the Scottish Laity Network on the theme of the Common Good a great basis for discussion. Tom O Loughlin’s presentation on Liturgy and the Common Good was particularly informative, it is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tu5OqJ6e4I
It was also enlightening to consider the work of Rafael Luciani a Venezuelan theologian. A brief introduction to his work showed that he has some incisive observations to make on the forthcoming synod called by Pope Francis.