Bradley DiTeresi is an active presence in the Kansas City business community who has guided a number of real estate projects. A practicing Catholic, Bradley DiTeresi has a strong interest in works authored by Doctors of the Church. Among those he reads with interest is Pope Francis, who gave his third encyclical, “Fratelli tutti: on fraternity and social friendship” in October 2020.
Taking inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis begins the document with reflection on “dark clouds” of the contemporary era, including a weakening of foundational values of freedom, justice, and democracy. He also points to pressing moral issues such as indifference to the common good and a “culture of waste” that follows precepts of profit and market logic. He also points to persistent social issues, such as unemployment, racism, and human trafficking, all needing a solution.
Pope Francis finds an example of hope in the Good Samaritan. In the chapter “A stranger on the road,” he recounts the parable about overcoming cultural barriers and personal interests, and caring for those who are vulnerable and unable to defend themselves. He identifies love as a bond that creates a sense of co-responsibility and creates a world in which the fallen are lifted up. As the pontiff describes it, Christians should strive to see Christ in the faces of those who have been excluded and cast out.
