While welcoming the Pope’s encyclical slamming humanity’s irresponsible destruction of our global environment, and his forthright warning of what he called a veritable “hell on earth” resulting from climate change, I hope he will now also take a strong stand on the horrific ill treatment of animals in the name of “sport.” Having taken the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, he will be acutely aware of the value of kindness and humane treatment of our fellow creatures. Saint Francis considered the lesser beings his brothers and sisters, and was moved to pity by their plight, especially by mankind’s deliberate cruelty to them. In today’s world, animal cruelty still shames civilization. Bulls are literally tortured to death for human amusement. After being repeatedly stabbed with razor sharp lances to weaken them, they are taunted for the edification of the crowd before having swords plunged between their shoulder blades. Hares are terrorized and tormented, serving as live bait in competitions between pairs of salivating blood thirsty greyhounds. Foxes are hounded until their lungs give out and exhaustion delivers them to the pack to be torn to shreds. A previous pope, Pius V, issued a decree in 1567 entitled An Injunction forbidding bullfights and similar sports with wild animals (Super prohibition agitationis Taurum & Ferarum). While that decree has never been revoked it would be hugely beneficial if Pope Francis were to renew the official papal disapproval of recreational animal cruelty and dispel any doubts as to where the Catholic Church stands in relation to blood sports. Such a move would greatly advance the cause of animal protection; in line with Pope Pius the Fifth’s largely forgotten and ignored pronouncement and the shining example of the present pope’s namesake. I am sure Saint Francis of Assisi would agree that animals targeted by blood sports are subjected to a man made “hell on earth.” A few well chosen words from Pope Francis would help to dispatch these obscenities to their rightful place: the dustbin of history. www.banbloodsports.com