Francis doesn't like the Papacy. We know this. He seems to take pains to reduce the dignity and power of the 'Papacy' wherever possible (bear with me if you're a sedevacantist).

But this encyclical was *co*-authored by him and BXVI! In fact, most of it was written by BXVI, and Francis put some touches on it.

So, who is the Pope?? That last guy that abdicated? No? Then why did he write most of *your* encyclical.

If you weren't a sede, what would this even mean for Ex Cathedra? That a Pope does this?

This isn't the same as VII, where the Council (under John) wrote encyclical and Paul VI promulgated them, this is saying "Here's my new encyclocal" *and it is not*

This is right to the heart of the whole 'collegiality' thing too, encyclical by committee under VII, and now encyclical by 'pope and vice pope', and my 'brother pope' and I jointly publish this.

It's a poke right in Christ's eye, if He meant His Church to be governed this way he'd have said "Peter, *and that guy over there* feed my sheep" but he didn't

Taking liberties with the Papacy isn't just about 'style' it is defying God and this is really blatant.

I hate to break the news, but a great many encyclicals have been written by non-popes.  Oftentimes in history, the first drafts of an encyclical are written by others.  In sane times, the pope worked with the curia and the theologians in the Vatican to ensure the wording of the encyclicals were clear and concise.  In the end, the pope made final edits and released the encyclical in his own name thus ensuring the protection of the Holy Ghost.

Other objections notwithstanding, a pope who does not write an encyclical from beginning to end is not a problem.  That is, by the way, why there is a class of docuмent called a "Motu Proprio" which is a docuмent that is completely written on the initiative of the Holy Father.