This is a key connection the Pope makes and also made at the outset by Ban Ki-Moon: Environmental destruction and exclusion of the poor and vulnerable go together.

Justice key to universal fraternity; limitation of power implicit in concept of law itself; No human individual or group can consider itself absolute.

Need for greater equity: security council, financial agencies, groups created to address economic crises– will help limit abuse and usury–Usury: charge of unjust interest rates. Hitting on the topic of “oppressive lending systems … subject people to mechanisms which generate greater poverty and dependence.”

Reform always necessary …

To survive unchecked use of mankind’s own power/possibilities; speaks of “collective forms of selfishness”–very interesting phrase.

Reaffirms importance of UN mission for peace against “false universalisms” and violent forms of nationalism

Ban Ki-Moon quoting a Papal Encyclical (Laudato Si) for its support of integral sustainability.

Ban Ki-Moon (UN Secretary General) just called the UN “sacred space”; first time welcoming a Pope for the opening of the General Assembly and that the Pope addresses such an array of world leaders

Interesting: scaffolding all around the dome; our democracy needs a major rebuilding effort. This speech is not a bad start.

The young trapped in despair, violence, hopelessness: their problems are our problems.

Solidarity an absolutely key theme in this speech. He has also mentioned subsidiarity several times (a key Catholic idea re: organization of society vs. collectivism, totalitarianism and radical individualism)