Articles by Mary G. Taylor

“Read in a trinitarian key, Laudato Si’ is a song, a hymn to the Creator God.” One of the deepest and most rich commentaries on the pope’s encyclical, essential for understanding the unity of its many dimensions.

This article was published in June, 2016.

Integral Ecology: Face-to-Face with the Infinite Beauty of God

In her comprehensive reading of Pope Francis’ Laudato si’, Mary Taylor shows how the Pontiff transcends the dialectic between technocracy and environmentalism in the direction of an “integral ecology” that respects both the solidarity and the difference between the human being and the rest of the cosmos. Man is at once a part of nature and its steward, and natural ecology and “human ecology” therefore stand or fall together.

This article was published in April, 2016.

“The Communio Connection”

Reading Laudato Si’ in light of relational, trinitarian Communio thought. The first half of Mary’s essay introduces us to Communio in light of Laudato Si’. The second looks more closely at how to read Laudato Si’ in light of the Communioinfluences, especially related to key language and themes in the pope’s encyclical.

This article was published July 6th, 2015.

“Creation’s Order of Love: How (Not) to Read Laudato Sí”

This article was published July 6th, 2015 online by ABC Australia, Religion and Ethics

Mary discusses the expectations generated previous to the publication of the Papal Encyclical, Laudato Sí, and explains why it can be expected to be in harmony with the whole of Catholic theology and doctrine.

“Dante’s Horizon: The Logic of Creation and Macro-Relationships”

This presentation was given for the “Human and Natural Ecology: Ecological, Political, and Cultural Implications” Conference that was sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the St. Paul Seminary from June 3-5, 2015.

In this presentation, Mary explains why all social problems, and particularly environmental ones, can only find their solution in the recognition of man’s existence in Christ and the rediscovery of that existence, and all of creation, as a gift.

“Guest Commentary: Anticipating the Papal Encyclical”

This article was published in the May 2015 edition of the Fairfield County Catholic.

In anticipation of Pope Francis’ new Encyclical, Laudato Sì, Mary discusses three things that will not be found in it, despite recent speculation from other commentators, and why the “ever ancient, ever new” doctrine of the Church is always possible to develop but never fundamentally change.

“The Seven C’s of Christian Ecology”

Interview, March 31, 2015, Ave Maria Radio International Radio, Madrid, Spain. These are the notes for that interview.

“Love that Moves the Sun: Catholicism’s Deeper Ecology”

ABC Australia, Religion and Ethics, March 16, 2015

In a response to an article by Clive Hamilton, Mary addresses certain speculation that Pope Francis’ upcoming Encyclical will somehow break with Tradition while presenting a synthesis of three divergent ecological approaches or trajectories, the last of which is the Catholic approach which she calls “Covenantal Relationalism”.

“The Need for a New ‘Environmentalism’ Embracing Human Life”

Presentation at the “Family, Motherhood, and Development Goals” Conference on the Millennium Development Goals. United Nations Commission on the Status of Women Parallel Event, United Nations Plaza, New York, March 2014.

“Stratford Caldecott: Ecology on One’s Knees” – The Beauty of God’s House: Essays in Honor of Stratford Caldecott (Ed. Francesca Aran Murphy)

Cascade Books, May 23, 2014, Chapter 9

In this chapter dedicated to the late Stratford Caldecott’s vision of creation and ecology, Mary describes the connection between the particular being and beauty of all things and the mystery of infinite Love that are bound into one unity.

“Faith Is Obvious: A Catholic Apologetics of Creation.”

Communio International Review Catholic, 2014, 41.1, Spring 2014: Apologetics.

In this article, Mary explores the spiritual meaning of nature, both philosophically and theologically, as she develops a profound apologetics of creation based on the mystery of the child.

“Peace on Earth: Impact of Pacem in Terris Persists”

Newspaper – Fairfield County Catholic, December 2013

Report on 50th anniversary conference and celebration for the encyclical “Pacem in Terris” in Rome, to which we were invited by the Pontifical Council on Justice and Peace.

“Christ and Creation”

Presentation at the conference “Jesus and Nature: Catholic Perspectives on Environmental Issues,” sponsored by Creatio at World Youth Day. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. July 2013.

Quaerere Deum: Communio Contemplatives and the Soul”

Presentation at the Soul Conference, Centre for Theology and Philosophy, Oxford, June 2013.

“Religious Liberty”

Presentation for the Connecticut Gospel of Life Society. October 2012.

Deeper Ecology: A Catholic Vision of the Person in Nature”

Communio International Catholic Review, 38:4, Winter 2011

“Catholic Ecology Affirms Life”

Interview, October 2011, Fairfield County Catholic newspaper

“Healing the Rift? Christians and Ecology”

Second Spring: International Journal of Faith and Culture, 14:17-23, 2011.

“Finding Christ in the Beauty of Creation”

Presentation at World Youth Day, Madrid, August 2011, as part of the official Agenda Cultural y Liturgica.

“Environmental Solidarity and Life”

Presentation at the “What is Life? Theology, Science, and Philosophy” conference sponsored by the Centre for Theology and Philosophy and the Pontifical University of John Paul II, Krakow, Poland, June 2011.

“Benedict XVI and a New Vision for Ecology”

Presentation at the Environmental Challenge conference at the Promisek Lay Benedictine Diocesan Community in Bridgewater, CT. May 2011.

“Environmental Solidarity and the Person: Overcoming Anthropocentrism /Biocentrism and Postmodern Ambiguity”

Presentation at the Yale Human Rights and Environment Dialogues Symposium, Yale University, April 2011.

“Environmental Solidarity: Towards a New Catholic Approach to Ecology”

Response remarks at ecological conference at Blackfriars College, Oxford. October 2010.

Q and A on Benedict XVI and Evangelization

Presentation of a paper for Tracey Rowland (International Theological Commission), “Evangelization in the Thought of Benedict XVI” and led the discussion and Q and A at the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Annual Convention, Providence RI, September 2009.

“Euthanasia”

Presentation in a series of two talks for the Connecticut Gospel of Life Society, Summer and Fall 2009.

“Physician Assisted Suicide”

Presentation at Catholic Concerns Day, State Capitol, Hartford, CT for the Archdiocese of Hartford. April 2008.

“Apologetics for the New Evangelization”

Six-part lecture course for the St. Cyril Of Jerusalem program of the Diocese of Bridgeport. Summer 2007.

“Benedict XVI’s Deus Caritas Est”

Presentation for the Directors of Religious Education at their annual meeting, Diocese of Bridgeport. September 2007.

“Loving the Lord with Heart and Mind” and “Why Be Catholic?”

Presentation as part of the St. Augustine Lectures for the Diocese of Bridgeport. March 2007.