"Fratelli tutti": Chapter Six

A major theme that our current pope has emphasized throughout his pontificate is the call to encounter. That is, looking beyond ourselves to the needs of others. This idea proposed by Pope Francis is nothing novel, as our Lord does this repeatedly in sacred Scripture. However, what Pope Francis does is simply remind the pilgrim church that what our Lord does, we, as his disciples, are also called to do. Encounter presupposes two things—the willingness to enter into genuine dialogue and friendship—the two things which are at the heart of this chapter.

The Holy Father opens the sixth chapter of his encyclical, Fratelli tutti, entitled “Dialogue and Friendship in Society” by distinguishing what true dialogue is from what it is not. Pope Francis begins by stating that dialogue is the action of “Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another,” and trying “to find common ground” with others. He goes on to say that much of the progress in our world today is owed to the patient dialogue of individuals who are often not given credit in our news outlets (198).

The culture in which we live is ever changing, and because of this the Holy Father argues that we too must approach the reality in which we live with new and innovative ways to engage one another. Withdrawing from conflict, seeking refuge, or reacting violently to conflict are not the answers, as he points out. Instead, when faced with conflicts, the solution that Pope Francis puts forth is to enter into authentic dialogue. When speaking about dialogue the pontiff says that dialogue is not simply “parallel monologues” where people speak at each other in antagonistic tones. Nor is dialogue “the feverish exchange of opinions on social networks, frequently based on media information that is not always reliable” (200).

Pope Francis explains that the majority of our media platforms today can be obstacles to dialogue rather than bridges to unity. This is due to the fact that most encourage individuals to retract deeper into their own views, interests and ideas by surrounding themselves with individuals who are like-minded. The pope insinuates that this is a dangerous practice that fuels the erroneous mentality that those who do not share the same views are flat-out wrong and therefore, have nothing to offer to the discussion. He laments that rather than connecting the world, the media has been used as a weapon to divide people through manipulation by government, economic, political, and even religious organizations, as well as other spheres that share these forms of communication (201). While this might be the reality of some media platforms, the Holy Father encourages us that this does not and should not be the case. The pope exhorts that “the heroes of the future will be those who can break with this unhealthy mindset and determine respectfully to promote truthfulness, aside from personal interest.” He follows this exhortation by hoping that, “such heroes are quietly emerging, even now, in the midst of our society” (202).

The pontiff sees that the authentic social dialogue that our society desperately needs is one that, “involves the ability to respect the other’s point of view and to admit that it may include legitimate convictions and concerns.” In order to achieve a more fruitful debate, he says that others should be able to freely articulate their positions as a means to contribute to the conversation given what they bring to the table by virtue of their own identity and experiences. Candidly, the pope comments that when we are open to genuine dialogue, we improve in our capacity to better understand the position of the other side, even if it is a stance we cannot accept as our own. Genuine dialogue makes it possible to be frank and open while trying to find a common ground. The Holy Father invites those who are willing to enter into genuine dialogue to “work and struggle together” (203).

The call to enter into the difficulty and hard work that it takes for individuals to achieve genuine dialogue shows that the pontiff is not suggesting relativism as a solution. Rather, he points out that the error of relativism, often under the pretense of tolerance, ultimately leaves the decision making of what is of moral value to those who wield greater power rather than those who hold to “objective truths and sound principles'' (206). The pope declares that if our society is to continue then we must “respect the truth of our human dignity and submit to that truth,” rather than give in to the current “reduction of ethics and politics to physics,” where the concept of good and evil has been replaced with the concept of “benefits and burdens” (207, 210). Pope Francis argues that genuine dialogue is the surest way in which our pluralistic society can realize what should always be held to be true and respected (211).

The frequent plea throughout the pontificate of Pope Francis has been for growth in our culture where the “art of encounter" is able to overcome differences and divisions. He uses the image of a polyhedron that has many facets representing the differences that exist between people. Polyhedrons form one unit that is greater as a whole than when it is divided. Using this image, the pope challenges us to see how differences can be a strength when we come together to coexist, complement, enrich and illuminate each other (215). The Holy Father goes on to define culture as “something deeply embedded within a people.” He states that in order for the “art of encounter” to become part of our culture, it must first become a cherished conviction within each one of us, thus making it a part of this new culture that the pope is advocating (216). A lasting benefit to this new culture embedded within the “art of encounter” would be a peace (217) that is established by recounting the rights of others.

In the final section of this chapter, the Holy Father urges us to recover the quality of kindness that has been lost in our consumerist and individualistic society. He encourages us to fight against the temptation to see our brothers and sisters as obstacles to our happiness (222). Rather, we are called to see them as having a right to happiness as well. The encyclical states that this reality can be achieved when we begin to take the focus off ourselves. We do this by showing interest in others through simple gestures such as greetings, smiles or words of encouragement (224).

The pontiff mentions St. Paul and his description of kindness as being a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Kindness brings forth words of “comfort, strength, consolation and encouragement” as opposed to words that tear people down, dishearten or upset individuals (223). This particular fruit of the Holy Spirit is what the pope suggests can free us from the cruelty that plagues human relationships. The Holy Father believes that the virtue of kindness, once integrated into our culture, will have the power to affect the way things are discussed and will change lives and relationships for the better. In closing, he states that kindness brings forth the pursuit for consensus (224) which ultimately brings about a deeper friendship and respect for others.

(Father Rusty Bruce currently serves as associate pastor of St. Hilary of Poitiers Church parish in Mathews and the Community of St. Anthony in Gheens.)