In February 2024, bishops, theologians, and lay leaders convened at the University of San Diego for the third ecclesial event, “The Way Forward.” This gathering aimed to encourage open dialogue within the Catholic Church and support the direction established by the Second Vatican Council and Pope Francis. This year’s discussions centered on putting into action the principles of Francis’s significant encyclical on environmental stewardship, Laudato Si’.
As Catholics from coast to coast gathered for “The Way Forward,” many weighed in on the importance of Laudato Si’ and the challenges faced in tackling climate change in a country as polarized as America.
“I think, in part, Laudato Si’ has been subsumed in the polarization that exists in our country that’s so pronounced,” said Cardinal Robert McElroy, Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego. “Also, the climate denial that is so rampant in our country but is not in other countries. I go to all different parts of the world and it is uniquely powerful here in the United States, for particular reasons of politics and economics.”
Victor Carmona, an associate professor of theology and religious studies at the University of San Diego, explained that Pope Francis’ holistic world view makes it easier for him to discuss theology and the ethical and political repercussions.
“Pope Francis has an integral worldview that brings together spirituality, theology, and ethics,” Carmona said. “And I think many Catholics in the U.S. have some difficulties assuming and just seeing that connection from the get-go. When I gave a talk on Laudato Si’ at a local Mexican American Catholic parish here in San Diego, it just made common sense. Lemme repeat that. It just made common sense. The idea is basically this awareness that Catholicism in Latin America assumes this integral understanding of reality.”
Emilce Cuda, a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America at the Holy See, emphasized that listening is just as important as speaking when bridging a political and cultural divide.
“The ecological crisis is environmental and social crisis, and usually we speak about the earth, but it’s not easy to listen,” Cuda said.
Many presenters weighed in on the importance of the environment and nature in Latin American culture — a great influence on Argentinian Pope Francis.
“I was quite struck by one of the segments today, which talked about Latin America,” said Bishop Mark O’Connell, who has been serving as the bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston in Massachusetts since 2016. He has been the vicar general and moderator of the curia of the archdiocese since 2023. “Pope Francis comes from that part of the world, and there is a disconnect, perhaps, between how we in the United States hear Pope Francis’ message.”
For this reason, many presenters at “The Way Forward” urged Hispanic communities in the U.S. Catholic Church to lead the way, share their thoughts and experiences, and help teach the rest of the Church.
“The issue of climate change is already polarized in our politics, and what we can distinctively bring as a Catholic community and where the bishops can lead is bringing a distinctly Catholic voice to this discussion,” said Michael Sean Winters, a conference organizer with Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.
Eager to hear more about what Catholic experts around the world had to say about climate, faith, and polarization? Watch the video summary of “The Way Forward” below.
