Leaked version of papal encyclical is not final draft, Vatican says
June 15, 2015
An Italian journal has published a leaked version of the forthcoming encyclical Laudato Si. But the Vatican has said that the published version is not the final text of the papal document.
L'Espresso published a full 192-page text of Laudato Si, the encyclical on the environment, which is scheduled for release on June 18. The text was apparently leaked by an official of the Roman Curia.
A Vatican spokesman decried the leak as a "heinous act." In a more formal statement, the Vatican press office announced:
An Italian text of a draft of the Pope’s Encyclical Laudato Si has been published. Please note that it is not the final text, and that the rules of the Embargo remain in place. We ask journalists to respect professional standards, which call for waiting for the official publication of the final text.
[CWN will report on the content of the encyclical when the official version is released.]
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Further information:
- Papa Francesco, in esclusiva l'enciclica sull'ambiente 'Laudato si', mi' Signore' (L'Espresso)
- Statement from the Director of the Press Office (VIS)
- Pope Francis’ Climate Change Encyclical Leaked Four Days Early by Italian Magazine (Time)
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Posted by: Thomas429 -
Jun. 16, 2015 3:42 AM ET USA
I wonder if the Vatican is doing an "Alpha Release". The computer companies do it with software. The get to see how well it is received and how well it works. I for one would like to see it. I do not want to discard it out of hand.
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Posted by: bernie4871 -
Jun. 15, 2015 8:27 PM ET USA
"Heinous" to release an early version or not, 192 pages is ridiculous in my opinion. Not one in a million will read it. The Cdl. Abp of Washington put out a 62 page "Pastoral Letter" on being a Catholic in the world today. Just who do they think reads their stuff? Even a Doctoral thesis on changing weather attempts to convey its message in fewer words. But what the heck, its just the disease of the day - words, words, words. And in this case the pope is just jumping on the Left's band wagon.
