Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement today welcoming Pope Francis’ new encyclical, Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship.

Archbishop Gomez’s full statement follows:

“On behalf of the Catholic Church in the United States, I welcome the Holy Father’s new encyclical letter on human fraternity. Like Laudato Si’ before it, Fratelli Tutti is an important contribution to the Church’s rich tradition of social doctrine.

“Pope Francis’ teaching here is profound and beautiful: God our Father has created every human being with equal sanctity and dignity, equal rights and duties, and our Creator calls us to form a single human family in which we live as brothers and sisters. 

“God’s plan for humanity, the Pope reminds us, has implications for every aspect of our lives — from how we treat one another in our personal relationships, to how we organize and operate our societies and economies.

“In analyzing conditions in the world today, the Holy Father provides us with a powerful and urgent vision for the moral renewal of politics and political and economic institutions from the local level to the global level, calling us to build a common future that truly serves the good of the human person.

“For the Church, the Pope is challenging us to overcome the individualism in our culture and to serve our neighbors in love, seeing Jesus Christ in every person, and seeking a society of justice and mercy, compassion, and mutual concern.

“I pray that Catholics and all people of goodwill reflect on our Holy Father’s words here and enter into a new commitment to seek the unity of the human family.”

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