Analyzing Inclusivity in Pope Francis’ Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship) and its Implications to Catholic Education
Authors: Piscos James Lotero 
Published: February 2023

During the many issues that confront the world today ranging from the Covid-19 pandemic to various forms of discrimination that result to hate crimes and other forms of marginalization, Pope Francis issued a social teaching entitled Fratelli Tutti, On Fraternity and Social Friendship. This encyclical draws inspiration from St. Francis’ concept of fraternitas and human solidarity. The study employed an analysis inspired by Paul Ricoeur’s hermeneutical framework which consists of the world behind the text, the world of the text, and the world before the text, to examine its content, context, and application. The research analyzes the document itself, its structure, genre, style of writing and key social encyclical concepts namely human dignity, solidarity and the common good against the backdrop of a “throw-away culture”, an individualistic understanding of freedom and exclusivity. The document educates people to cross borders and build bridges through new ways of encounter. The encyclical assesses current events, lays out the gospel value of inclusivity, presents new perspectives to walk the talk, inspires authentic conversion and calls everyone to action. Fratelli Tutti brings the message of social friendship that can be applied in the context of Catholic education to enrich its three pillars namely instruction, research, and extension.ReferencesAubert, R. (1998). Leo XIII. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leo-XIII#ref77088 on 8 November 2020.BBC (2020). Pope Francis on Iraq visit calls for end to violence and extremism. https://www .bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56282598.Biography Newsletter (2018). Francis. https://www.biography.com/religious-figure/popefrancis.Beale, S. (2013). 7 Papal Encyclicals That Changed the World. https://catholicexchange. com/7-papal -encyclicals-that-changedthe-world.Bell, Mark. (2020) Fratelli Tutti: Pope Francis' Encyclical and Implications for Labour Law. https://uklabourlawblog.com/2020/10/22/fratelli-tutti-pope-francis-encyclical-and implicationsfor-labour-law-by-mark-bell/.Benedict the XIV. (1740). Ubi Primum, “On the Duties of Bishops” in Papal Encyclicals Online. https://www.papalencyclicals.net/ben14/b14ubipr.htm on 7 November 2020.Cheney, G. (2020). Be Revolutionary: Some Thoughts of Pope Francis. https://www. academia.edu/15265042/Be_Revolutionary_Some_Thoughts_from_Pope_Francis.Fallible Man (1986). trans. C. A. Kelbley. Fordham University Press. Francis. (2020) Fratelli Tutti, On Fraternity and Social Friendship. http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html..Friel, C. (2020) Fratelli Tutti and the Crisis of Liberalism. https://www.academia. edu/44346648 /Fratelli_Tutti_and_the_Crisis_of_Liberalism on 12 November 2020.Gjani, M. (2020). Aletheia. https://aleteia.org/2020/10/04/what-is-asocial-encyclical-popes-new-letter-is-part-of-this-treasury/ on 2 Maech 2021.History as Narrative and Practice, interview with P. Kemp. (1985). Philosophy Today (fall).Horan, D. (2020) iRelationship leads us to peace: Three key Franciscan themes in 'Fratelli Tutti'. National Catholic Reporter. file:///C:/Users/Admin/Downloads/Relationship_ Leads_us_to_Peace_Three_Key%20(1).pdf on 12 November, 2020.Laudati Si, Ptraise be to You- On Care For Our Common Home. (2015) http:// www. vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_ enciclica - laudato-si.html on 11 November 2020.Leo the XIII. (1891). Rerum Novarum, “On Capital and Labor”. http://www.vatican.va/ content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum.html on 7 November, 2020.Lumen Fidei, The Light of Faith. (2013). http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/ encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20130629_enciclica-lumen-fidei.html on 11 November 2020 .Mcguire, J. 7 Basic Points: Humanae Vitae Summary. https://www.hli.org/resources/7-basic-points-humanae-vitae-summary/ on 10 November 2020.Moss, W. (2020). Reading Pope Francis's "Fratelli tutti" through Carl Sandburg. https://www. academia.edu/44418894/Reading_Pope_Franciss_Fratelli_tutti_through_Carl_Sandburg on 12 November 2020.O’Reilly, P. (2020). Pope Francis’ Reforms. https://www.academia.edu/search?utf8=%E2% 9C%93&q=Pope+Francis+thoughts on 12 November, 2020.Paul the VI. (1968). Humanae Vitae. http://www.vatican.va/content/paulvi/en/encyclicals/ documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanaevitae.html on 10 November 2020.Piro, I. (2020). Fratelli tutti: Short summary of Pope Francis’ Social Encyclical. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-10/fratelli-tutti-pope-fraternity-social-friendship-shortsummary. html on 11March 2021.Pius XI. (1930). Casti Connubii, “On Christian Marriage”. http://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19301231_casti-connubii.html on 10 November 2020.Pоpоvа, G. (Ed) (2019). Philosophical Hermeneutics: Between Gadamer and Ricoeur – Chavdar Dimitrov.NotaBene 45. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335004013_ Philosophical_Hermeneutics_Between_Gadamer_and_Ricoeur on 11 November 2020.Providentissimus Deus, “On the Study of Holy Scripture”. (1893). https://www.papalencyclicals.net/leo13/l13provi.htm on 8 November 2020Quadragesimo Anno, “On the Reconstruction of Social Order”. (1931). http://www.vatican.va/ content/pius-i/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19310515_quadragesimo-anno.htm on 7 November 2020.Rice, D. (2015). The Papal Encyclical: What is an encyclical? USA Today. https://www.usatoday. com/story/news/world/2015/06/16/pope-francis-encyclical/28814437/ on 6 November 2020.Ricoeur, P. (1979). Response to My Friends and Critics. – In: C.E. Reagan (ed.). Studies in the Philosophy of Paul Ricoeur. Ohio University Press.Stefon, M. (2016). Francis in Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francis-I-pope/additionalinfo#history on 10 November 2020.Stevens, M. (1994) Redemptor Hominis in The New Dictionary of Catholic Social Thought. In Dwyer, J. (Ed). Liturgical Press: 817-822.The Model of the Text: Meaningful Action Considered as a Text. (1984). Social Research 51.Villafana, A. (2018). Environmental Mobilization: Pope Francis’ Encyclical. https://www. academia. edu/31950900/Environmental_Mobilization_Pope_Francis_Encyclical on 12 November 2020.