The Vatican News site reports that on Monday 21st August Pope Francis said he was writing a second part of his Laudato Si’ encyclical – to update it to “current issues”.

It is not yet clear exactly what issues the pope is referring to, but increasingly alarming global news of higher summer temperatures, uncontrollable wildfires, drought-stricken crops and uprooted populations, and other dangerous signs of a worsening climate, are part of the background – amidst worry that governments generally are acting too slowly to end economic dependence on fossil fuels – principally coal and oil.

“We must never forget that the younger generations have the right to receive a beautiful and liveable world from us, and that this implies that we have a grave responsibility towards creation which we have received from the generous hands of God,” said the Pope on Monday.

In a statement later on Monday, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, explained that the new updated version of Laudato Si’ will focus in particular on the most recent extreme weather events and catastrophes affecting people across five continents.

Laudato si’ is Pope Francis’ second encyclical letter. It was published on 18 June 2015, and bears the date 24 May of the same year, the Solemnity of Pentecost.  It was generally well-received by environmental lobby groups but received a mixed reception within the church and was not widely discussed at parish level in Ireland.

The document on the “care of the common home” draws its title from the incipit of St. Francis‘ Canticle of Creatures and opens with these words:

“’LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore’ – ‘Praise be to you, my Lord’. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. ‘Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs’”.

To read the complete Vatican News report, click here.