“All brothers”: Pope Francis to sign new encyclical on Oct. 3 in Assisi
Pope Francis will sign a new encyclical after Mass celebrated in the Basilica of St. Francis on 3 October. The ceremony will take place without the faithful present, in respect of the current health situation.
Pope Francis will visit the Italian town of Assisi on 3 October to sign a new encyclical.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, said the encyclical is entitled Fratelli tutti or “All Brothers” on fraternity and social friendship.
The title, whose official English-language version has not yet been released, is a reference to the writings of St. Francis: “Let us all, brothers, consider the Good Shepherd who to save His sheep bore the suffering of the Cross” (Admonitions, 6, 1: FF155).
I’m sure the content of this encyclical will be excellent. It’s such a shame about the title! It shows a complete lack of sensitivity and thought and many Catholic women will feel hurt and alienated even further by it. Will they never learn?
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Anne,these are exactly my thoughts too.If the official Italian language title is not inclusive,it’s very unlikely the yet to be released English title will be.’All Brothers’ was appropriate in the context of St Francis writing his admonition to the male members of his order…but as a title for a 21 st century papal encyclical?St Claire of Assisi wouldn’t be impressed.
Another missed opportunity.
Anne and Soline, there may still be time to kick up a racket to ensure that the usual anglophone publishers (Veritas, CTS, Redemptorist Publications etc and Vatican Documents) use an inclusive title.
Note the weasel words from the Vatican Press Agency, backing up the ‘All Brothers’ title: ‘On the evening of his election to the papacy on 13 March 2013, Pope Francis first greeted the world with the word “brothers” ‘
Well no, he didn’t. He began with, ‘Fratelli e sorelle buonasera.’ / brothers and sisters, evening all!
But I suppose the title could be worse: ‘Tutti frutti e fratelli’, recalling the second Francis’s predilection for the strawberry on the cake, rather than the Privilegium Paupertatis of Sts Clare and Francis.
I think some in the Vatican have got the message that the reaction to the title will not be good.
The defence pleads that “Fratelli” can also mean siblings and the advice is to translate it as “Brothers and Sisters”
It remains to be seen if any heed is paid to this advice, including by the Vatican itself, though it does not usually translate the title of encyclicals.
Even if this is done, one hopes that the content will be inclusive.
This is an obvious gaffe, and symptomatic of the Vatican’s cultivated out-of-touchness on all gender issues,
I wondered how the NRSV translates “brothers dwelling together in unity”. This is how they did it: “”When kindred live together in unity” (Ps 133:1).