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Father Joseph Parisi

What exactly is an encyclical?

May 20, 2026
By Father Joseph Parisi
OSV News
Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News

An encyclical is a pastoral letter addressed by the pope to the whole Church. Encyclical letters generally address matters of faith or morals, encourage a particular commemoration or pious devotion, or deal with matters of Church discipline which are to be universally observed.

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