Eight years ago, Pope Francis issued Laudate SI as an Encyclical Letter on climate change and the environment. Laudate Deum is a short update to Laudate SI expressing concern at how little is being done to address his concerns saying "With the passage of time, I have realized that our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point."

Pope Francis states clearly that "despite all attempts to deny, conceal, glass over or relativize the issue, the signs of climate change are here and increasingly evident." He is disturbed by the amount of false information and denialism on this subject noting that he encounters "scarcely reasonable opinions" even within the Catholic Church.

He urges us to take "Responsibility for the legacy we will leave behind" and to "move beyond the mentality of appearing to be concerned but not having the courage needed to produce substantial changes." He also feels that we need "a different framework for effective cooperation".

This reads like an extended editorial and is relatively short at 30 pages and can easily be read in one hour. It is a good summary of why everyone should feel concern for the environment. There is only been cursory mention of this work in the newspapers. So, one of the advantages of today's internet is that such letters from the Pope are easily available on-line in a wide variety of languages. ( )