‘Laudate Deum’

Laudate Deum is the title of Pope Francis’ next Apostolic Exhortation on the environment, which will be published on 4 October, the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. The Holy Father shared this on Thursday, 21 September, in the Vatican, while addressing some 200 participants in the meeting of the Rectors of public and private universities of Latin America and the Caribbean, sponsored by the Red de Universidades para el Cuidado de la Casa Común and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, on 20-21 September at the Augustinianum on the theme “Organizing Hope”, with the participation of some Prefects and Secretaries of Dicasteries of the Holy See.

The Pope reflected on various issues raised by the educators, including climate change, migration and the culture of waste. The Holy Father urged them to be creative in the formation of young people in today’s realities and challenges. He reminded them that the task of universities should not be only to “teach things”. He said, “You must train boys and girls in the three human languages, that of the head, that of the heart and that of the hands”.