Alternative Perspectives and Global Concernes (ap-gc.

net)
In collaboration with……

Live Roundtable Webinar

Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic Stress

Laudato si' Message for the Community of Mankind

All of us are linked by unseen bonds and together form a kind of universal family, a sublime
communion which fills us with a sacred, affectionate and humble respect. Laudato si’

COVID-19 pandemic poses striking moral and spiritual questions against people and their
routine life. What is the meaning of life? What kind of life worth living? Where are we
going? Who we are and how we define ourselves in relation to those who have been
affected by this pandemic? Do we have a duty for others? Who are others? Are they fellow
citizens or the members of the community of mankind? A glans at the media shows that
motivated by a sense of responsibility, either natural, or moral, or spiritual, there are many
who not only sympathize with the affected people but also are thinking about the future of
our common destiny. Encyclical Letter Laudato si' of the Holy Father Francis on Care for Our
Common Home published in 2015, not only already warned us of the detrimental global
transformations destroying the heritage of mankind, more importantly, provides a deeply
constructive source of inspiration for our responsibility in the care of our common home
and destiny. The holist perspective introduced in Encyclical appeals to a moral duty for
safeguarding human life, on the one hand, and the entire nature and ecology on the other.

This roundtable discusses the following questions about the timeless message of Laudato si’
for the community of mankind:

 How to create a rooted dialogue with people on the actualization of the sacred
mission for caring our common human community?
 What policies and measures would be appropriate in addressing the situation of
rapidification? Would this situation mean reforms or the fundamental changes in the
complex systems in human life?
 Given the cosmopolitan moral appeal of the letter, what would be practical
measures for the actualization of this moral appeal to various levels of the society?
 One of the central parts of the encyclical is the decline in the quality of life. Who
should take the responsibility to restore the quality and the meaning of life?
Governments, International institutions? Communities, People? Who? How?
 In what way could Laudat si’ become a source of inspiration in fostering capacity-
building, empower marginalized individuals, and restoring their dignity?
 What about the global inequality? Pope calls all to take this issue very seriously.
What are the best possible strong responses to this malaise in the community of
mankind?
This topic and exemplary questions raised will be discussed by our distinguished participants
who are experts in religion and spirituality, philosophy and ethics, welfare and human
development, as well as social policy and protection. This roundtable format webinar will be
held via a zoom teleconference and will be broadcasted live on our social media channels. It
will also be recorded for offline media.

Date: Friday, May 22, 2020

Time: 13h00 (in Ottawa)
Registration and Participation is free of charge

The panelistes
1. John Dorner, Envrionmental stewardship for the Archdiocese of Ottawa

2. Dr. Mahmoud Masaeli

Executive Director, APGC and global ethics professor
Visiting Fellow, University of Ottawa

3. Agnes Richard, Coordinator Global Catholic Climate Movement Canada (GCCM)

4. Dr. Joe Gunn, Executive Director, Centre Oblat for Justice 

5. Richard Pommainvill, moderator of the panel

Schedule
Maximum time allotment - 80 minutes Time horizon in Ottawa, Canada).

13:00 – 13:05. The moderator will introduce the meeting and welcome words.

13:05 – 13: 35. Each panelist will take five minutes each to present themselves and address
the subject from their general and specialists’ perspectives.

13:35 – 13:50. Panelists will have another five minutes each to answer maximum of two
questions from the moderator.

13:50 – 14:10. Interactive Session: Questions from the general public and answer by the
Panelists. The moderator will keep questions to a maximum of six and time slot not to
exceed twenty minutes.

If there were fewer questions from the public and time still permits, the panel will continue
for another 10 minutes.

14: 20: Closing