Fratelli Tutti: Notes on Fraternity and Social Friendship

Find a partner.
Ask the following questions:
- In what ways do we express friendship?
- What do we look for a “friend”?
- What do we expect from a friend?

Released on October 3, 2020, by Pope Francis.
Focuses on fraternity and social friendship.
Outline:
1. Dark clouds over the world (distortions of the contemporary era).
2. Strangers on the road (herald of hope in the Good Samaritan).
3. Envisaging and engendering an open world (vision of an open world).
4. A heart to open the whole world (humanitarian crises).
5. A better kind of politics (forms of charity at the service of the common good).
6. Dialogue and friendship in society (art of encounter).
7. Paths of renewed encounter (peace as connected to truth, justice, and mercy).
8. Religions at the service of fraternity in our world (journey towards peace among religions).
Explores ideals and tangible ways to advance a more just and fraternal world in ordinary relationships, social life, politics, and institutions.

A continuous reflection on how to respond to attempts to eliminate and ignore others (FT 6).
Need for a new vision of fraternity and social friendship.
COVID-19 Pandemic: exposed false securities and hyper-connectivity leading to fragmentation.

Aggressive Nationalism (FT 11):
- Influenced by various ideologies, leading to myopic, resentful, and extremist views.
- Results in loss of social sense and new forms of selfishness.
Historical Deconstructionism (FT 14):
- New form of cultural colonization: ignoring history and abandoning tradition.
- Destroys differences and causes distrust among the younger generation.
- Denies spiritual and human riches from past generations.
Throw-away World (FT 18):
- People are no longer seen as paramount value to be cared for.
Conflict and Fear (FT 25):
- Manifested through war, terrorist attacks, racial or religious persecution.
- Implies a real third world war fought in piecemeal.
Absence of Human Dignity: Fragmentation
- Attraction by Western Culture (FT 38): unrealistic expectations leading to disappointments.
- Illusion of Communication (FT 40): digital campaigns of hatred and destruction.
Issue of Unnecessary Migration (FT 129):
- Entails the need to create conditions for a dignified life and integral development.
- Response for those fleeing from grave humanitarian crises.

Loob and Kapwa: meant to preserve and strengthen relationships.
Utang na Loob: recognizing the kagandahang loob from the kapwa and responding with the same kindness.
- Involves closeness, obligation, reciprocity, respect, and satisfaction.

"Openness of heart which knew no bounds." (FT 3)
The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37):
- A man fell victim to robbers and was left half-dead.
- A priest and a Levite passed by on the opposite side.
- A Samaritan traveler was moved with compassion, cared for him, and took him to an inn.
- Jesus tells us to "Go and do likewise."
The passage resonates with the idea that nothing genuinely human fails to find an echo in the hearts of Christ's followers (FT 56).
Robbers: represent those who abandon the injured and take refuge from violence.
Passer-by: symbolize that belief and worship in God are not enough.
Injured man: reflects neglect and lack of resources.
The "globalized society often has an elegant way of shifting its gaze," looking at those who suffer without touching them (FT 76).
Despite progress, we are still 'illiterate' in accompanying, caring for, and supporting the most frail and vulnerable members (FT 64).
Each day offers a new opportunity to express our innate sense of fraternity and discover the goodness in our hearts (FT 77).

"Human beings are so made that they cannot live, develop, and find fulfillment in the sincere gift of self to others. Nor they can know themselves apart from an encounter with other persons." FT 87

Authentic human existence exists within bonding, communion, and fraternity (FT 87).
Law of ekstasis: draws people out of themselves to find fuller existence in another (FT 88).
Love rests on the charity that God infuses.
Aquinas: Love is made possible by God’s grace as a movement outwards towards others.
The beloved is somehow united to ourselves (FT 91-93).
We need love capable of transcending borders and genuine social friendship to make universal openness possible (FT 99).

A better kind of politics is needed for the development of the global community in fraternity and to practice social friendship (FT154).
Politics at the service of the common good.
Danger of Populism: disregards the meaning of "people," leading to the elimination of democracy.
The politics we need is grounded on political love that recognizes all people and forms social friendship (FT 182).
This political charity is born of social awareness that transcends every individualistic mindset.

Dialogue is necessary for encountering and helping one another (FT 198).
Reality of Pluralism: dialogue becomes a necessity (FT 211).
Consensus and Truth:
1. Human dignity to be respected in all circumstances.
2. Intellect to allow investigation of reality and basis of moral demands.
3. Agnostics and believers can find this as a non-negotiable principle.
Way forward:
- Kindness frees us from cruelty and anxiety (daily effort) (FT 224).
- Justice and mercy grounded on truth (FT227).
- To forgive but not forget.
- War and the death penalty are not meant to repair the violation of justice (FT 260).

Dialogue between different religions must not be seen as mere diplomacy.
Different faith experiences allow wisdom and allow members to be witnesses to their society.
Our Christian Identity:
- Being Catholic = to take root in every place.
- Grace and sin as an invitation to universal love.
- In places where we are a minority, to find occasions to act together for the common good and promotion of the poor.