Following the meeting today of French President Francois Hollande and Pope Francis, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi confirmed that the Holy Father had begun work on a draft text on the topic of ecology, which could become an encyclical.
But Father Lombardi stressed the project is in an “early stage, so it is too early to make any prediction about the timing of possible publication.”
The Holy See Press Office Director said it is important to note that Pope Francis intends to put particular emphasis on the theme of “human ecology,” a phrase used by Pope Benedict to describe not only how people must defend and respect nature but how the nature of the person – masculine and feminine as created by God – must also be defended.
An earlier Vatican statement today spoke of the “cordial talks that focused on the contribution that religion makes to the common good, as well as the commitment of both France and the Holy See to maintain dialogue and constructive cooperation on questions of common interest.”
In the context of the defense and promotion of human dignity, the two men discussed “contemporary concerns such as the family, bioethical issues, the respect for religious communities and the protection of places of worship,” the Vatican said.
