In Laudato Si Pope Francis reminds us, faithful servants, of our responsibility toward the environment, our common home. He reminds us that the elements of the world are connected, and he emphasizes the dignity and importance of each person, calling special attention to the connection between the poor people of the world and the environment. In Laudato Si Pope Francis offers a reflection on some of the ills that endanger our planet: various kinds of pollution, global warming...

I first encountered Tien in Tokyo. He had traveled there from Australia, while I had come from Ireland. Both of us were Columban seminarians who had come to Japan in order to study the language and learn about missionary life. Both of us were twenty-seven years old. During the next few years as I came to know Tien, I realized that while both of us had similar dreams for the future, his past had uniquely prepared him to become a Columban missionary. One of thirteen children, Tien grew up in Vietnam as communism...