When the Pope goes outside of his bailiwick, it is the duty of Catholics to examine what he says with filial piety, with seriousness, and with an intention to conform as much as conscience, etc will allow, BUT specific suggestions about specific courses of action may properly be disagreed with.
I am all over care for the environment and for good teaching about such responsibility. I haven't found the original of what the Holy Father said in this instance, though I have read several of his other works, and I have no quarrel with what Popes have been saying since De Rerum Novarum about socialism and Marxism. In fact, I'm a little surprised that socialism and Marxism came up in your rebuke of me.
Links to the English translation were provided in posts #55 and #56. It's not too long -- about 6 pages of text when printed.
The reason I brought up socialism and Marxism is because that is the most common misconception that people have about Christianity— especially that Catholicism embraces Marxism and hates Capitalism. Take Michael Moore, for instance, and his propaganda.
The Pope is concerned with the souls of man and morality. It is immoral to pollute the earth and injure animals and create a land that would not sustain future generations. Since the earth is essential for the survival of man, how could that be out of his bailiwick? Although man has dominion over the earth, the Pope’s point is that with that we also have an obligation and responsibility. There actually is nothing controversial about the Pope’s views in a sane world with rational people.
True, specifics can be disputed, and, indeed, the search for Truth in ongoing and never ending. There are absolutes, though, underscored by Natural Law, that are fundamental to the Catholic Church that can never change.
Science, though, is always changing and I am sure that the Pope understands the science behind cloning, abortions, ecology, euthanasia, etc., all which have moral aspects which the Church can not ignore. To base a Catholic opinion on the reigning science of the day will happen since all Catholics unable to study or understand prevailing science will need guidance on the morality of the situations. I am sure the Pope understands the human fallibility and the immorality of man who use “science” to try and control people’s productivity, manipulate human emotions, and endeavor to enslave and destroy man’s soul.
I just have found the Pope’s thinking to be profound and clear and I have never disagreed with anything he has written so far (not that I have read everything). He certainly has put many years into critical thinking, time that I will never have nor will I have the inclination to do. Most people do not have the time nor resources to reflect on life and God the way the Pope has had.
Since Classical education has been dumped by most educational institutions, most people with their post modern German thinking are not even worth listening to—their moral relativism goes against Natural Law and God’s Laws and the Constitution of this country.