Whenever these questions are raised, some react by accusing others of irrationally attempting to stand in the way of progress and human development. You also dwell in our hearts and you inspire us to do what is good. (#204) All is not lost. Our relationship with the environment can never be isolated from our relationship with others and with God. [161] This is not because the finite things of this world are really divine, but because the mystic experiences the intimate connection between God and all beings, and thus feels that “all things are God”. Capítulo final de la encíclica Laudato si', del papa Francisco. Elbert Hubbard. 166. «Laudato si', mi' Signore» - «Alabado seas, mi Señor», cantaba san Francisco de Asís. We have to dare to speak of the integrity of human life, of the need to promote and unify all the great values. Thanks to the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer and its implementation through the Montreal Protocol and amendments, the problem of the layer’s thinning seems to have entered a phase of resolution. Otherwise, we would not be doing the creatures themselves any good either, for we would be failing to acknowledge their right and proper place. We are speaking of an attitude of the heart, one which approaches life with serene attentiveness, which is capable of being fully present to someone without thinking of what comes next, which accepts each moment as a gift from God to be lived to the full. 108. Efforts to promote a sustainable use of natural resources are not a waste of money, but rather an investment capable of providing other economic benefits in the medium term. Yet they are the majority of the planet’s population, billions of people. We do not understand our superiority as a reason for personal glory or irresponsible dominion, but rather as a different capacity which, in its turn, entails a serious responsibility stemming from our faith. [42] The Catechism clearly and forcefully criticizes a distorted anthropocentrism: “Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection… Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness. The misuse of creation begins when we no longer recognize any higher instance than ourselves, when we see nothing else but ourselves”.[13]. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created” (Ps 148:3-5). If the present ecological crisis is one small sign of the ethical, cultural and spiritual crisis of modernity, we cannot presume to heal our relationship with nature and the environment without healing all fundamental human relationships. Others will then no longer be seen as strangers, but as part of a “we” which all of us are working to create. These problems are closely linked to a throwaway culture which affects the excluded just as it quickly reduces things to rubbish. How then can we possibly mistreat them or cause them harm? We see this in the crisis of family and social ties and the difficulties of recognizing the other. There has been a tragic rise in the number of migrants seeking to flee from the growing poverty caused by environmental degradation. We need but recall that scientific developments in GM cereals began with the observation of natural bacteria which spontaneously modified plant genomes. [22] SOUTHERN AFRICAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE, Pastoral Statement on the Environmental Crisis (5 September 1999). 3. The encyclical, dated 24 May 2015, was officially published . It is not a healthy attitude which would seek “to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it”. [75] Homily at Mass for Farmers, Recife, Brazil (7 July 1980): AAS 72 (1980): AAS 72 (1980), 926. The greatest contribution of "Laudato Si" to the environmental dialogue is, to my mind, its systematic overview . We believers cannot fail to ask God for a positive outcome to the present discussions, so that future generations will not have to suffer the effects of our ill-advised delays. Economic returns can thus be forecast more realistically, taking into account potential scenarios and the eventual need for further investment to correct possible undesired effects. 114. If politics shows itself incapable of breaking such a perverse logic, and remains caught up in inconsequential discussions, we will continue to avoid facing the major problems of humanity. It is in the Eucharist that all that has been created finds its greatest exaltation. [77], 95. A fragile world, entrusted by God to human care, challenges us to devise intelligent ways of directing, developing and limiting our power. It is as if the subject were to find itself in the presence of something formless, completely open to manipulation. 25. DIALOGUE AND TRANSPARENCY IN DECISION-MAKING. [94], 117. 223. The time has come to pay renewed attention to reality and the limits it imposes; this in turn is the condition for a more sound and fruitful development of individuals and society. Gen 3:17-19). Beginning in the middle of the last century and overcoming many difficulties, there has been a growing conviction that our planet is a homeland and that humanity is one people living in a common home. 4. With Greg Asner, Dadá Borari, Ofm Cap Fr. Underlying every form of work is a concept of the relationship which we can and must have with what is other than ourselves. Es lo que ocurre cuando los movimientos de consumidores logran que dejen de adquirirse ciertos productos […] If architecture reflects the spirit of an age, our megastructures and drab apartment blocks express the spirit of globalized technology, where a constant flood of new products coexists with a tedious monotony. This paradigm exalts the concept of a subject who, using logical and rational procedures, progressively approaches and gains control over an external object. An interdependent world not only makes us more conscious of the negative effects of certain lifestyles and models of production and consumption which affect us all; more importantly, it motivates us to ensure that solutions are proposed from a global perspective, and not simply to defend the interests of a few countries. The Catholic Church is open to dialogue with philosophical thought; this has enabled her to produce various syntheses between faith and reason. In a word, businesses profit by calculating and paying only a fraction of the costs involved. Unless citizens control political power – national, regional and municipal – it will not be possible to control damage to the environment. 204. These are signs that the growth of the past two centuries has not always led to an integral development and an improvement in the quality of life. Encyclical Letter Lumen Fidei (29 June 2013), 34: AAS 105 (2013), 577: “Nor is the light of faith, joined to the truth of love, extraneous to the material world, for love is always lived out in body and spirit; the light of faith is an incarnate light radiating from the luminous life of Jesus. 59. Water poverty especially affects Africa where large sectors of the population have no access to safe drinking water or experience droughts which impede agricultural production. Sadly, there is widespread indifference to such suffering, which is even now taking place throughout our world. 221. 56. [85] But human beings are not completely autonomous. These actions cultivate a shared identity, with a story which can be remembered and handed on. [21] Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise. Each organism, as a creature of God, is good and admirable in itself; the same is true of the harmonious ensemble of organisms existing in a defined space and functioning as a system. Our insistence that each human being is an image of God should not make us overlook the fact that each creature has its own purpose. [158] PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 582. This lack of physical contact and encounter, encouraged at times by the disintegration of our cities, can lead to a numbing of conscience and to tendentious analyses which neglect parts of reality. Compulsive consumerism is one example of how the techno-economic paradigm affects individuals. Due to the number and variety of factors to be taken into account when determining the environmental impact of a concrete undertaking, it is essential to give researchers their due role, to facilitate their interaction, and to ensure broad academic freedom. We seem to think that we can substitute an irreplaceable and irretrievable beauty with something which we have created ourselves. This situation has led to a constant schizophrenia, wherein a technocracy which sees no intrinsic value in lesser beings coexists with the other extreme, which sees no special value in human beings. Or when technology is directed primarily to resolving people’s concrete problems, truly helping them live with more dignity and less suffering. Developing countries which have the most important reserves on earth "continue to fuel the development . [164] For Christians, all the creatures of the material universe find their true meaning in the incarnate Word, for the Son of God has incorporated in his person part of the material world, planting in it a seed of definitive transformation. Even the fleeting life of the least of beings is the object of his love, and in its few seconds of existence, God enfolds it with his affection. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons”. Because the enforcement of laws is at times inadequate due to corruption, public pressure has to be exerted in order to bring about decisive political action. All of these reflect a generous and worthy creativity which brings out the best in human beings. “Who turned the wonderworld of the seas into underwater cemeteries bereft of colour and life?”[25] This phenomenon is due largely to pollution which reaches the sea as the result of deforestation, agricultural monocultures, industrial waste and destructive fishing methods, especially those using cyanide and dynamite. “If we scan the regions of our planet, we immediately see that humanity has disappointed God’s expectations”.[35]. 79. in Hexaemeron, I, 2, 10: PG 29, 9. But political and institutional frameworks do not exist simply to avoid bad practice, but also to promote best practice, to stimulate creativity in seeking new solutions and to encourage individual or group initiatives. This option entails recognizing the implications of the universal destination of the world’s goods, but, as I mentioned in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium,[123] it demands before all else an appreciation of the immense dignity of the poor in the light of our deepest convictions as believers. [125] BENEDICT XVI, Message for the 2010 World Day of Peace, 8: AAS 102 (2010), 45. Yet we are called to be instruments of God our Father, so that our planet might be what he desired when he created it and correspond with his plan for peace, beauty and fullness. Finally, convinced as I am that change is impossible without motivation and a process of education, I will offer some inspired guidelines for human development to be found in the treasure of Christian spiritual experience. Por ejemplo, las palabras de Lucille Ball: "Quiérete primero a ti mismo y todo lo demás caerá por su propio peso". It proclaimed that “human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development”. Interventions which affect the urban or rural landscape should take into account how various elements combine to form a whole which is perceived by its inhabitants as a coherent and meaningful framework for their lives. The rich heritage of Christian spirituality, the fruit of twenty centuries of personal and communal experience, has a precious contribution to make to the renewal of humanity. Our efforts at education will be inadequate and ineffectual unless we strive to promote a new way of thinking about human beings, life, society and our relationship with nature. We fail to see that some are mired in desperate and degrading poverty, with no way out, while others have not the faintest idea of what to do with their possessions, vainly showing off their supposed superiority and leaving behind them so much waste which, if it were the case everywhere, would destroy the planet. [73] He clearly explained that “the Church does indeed defend the legitimate right to private property, but she also teaches no less clearly that there is always a social mortgage on all private property, in order that goods may serve the general purpose that God gave them”. 139. [62] We understand better the importance and meaning of each creature if we contemplate it within the entirety of God’s plan. Viable future scenarios will have to be generated between these extremes, since there is no one path to a solution. The expansion of these crops has the effect of destroying the complex network of ecosystems, diminishing the diversity of production and affecting regional economies, now and in the future. Large cities dependent on significant supplies of water have experienced periods of shortage, and at critical moments these have not always been administered with sufficient oversight and impartiality. Such sobriety, when lived freely and consciously, is liberating. We thank you for being with us each day. [32] FIFTH GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN BISHOPS, Aparecida Document (29 June 2007), 471. The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all. Te limitan, y yo no quiero límites (Madonna) La reina del pop nos brindó a lo largo de su carrera muchas frases motivadoras para la historia. Nature is usually seen as a system which can be studied, understood and controlled, whereas creation can only be understood as a gift from the outstretched hand of the Father of all, and as a reality illuminated by the love which calls us together into universal communion. Industrial waste and chemical products utilized in cities and agricultural areas can lead to bioaccumulation in the organisms of the local population, even when levels of toxins in those places are low. DIALOGUE FOR NEW NATIONAL AND LOCAL POLICIES. It sometimes happens that complete information is not put on the table; a selection is made on the basis of particular interests, be they politico-economic or ideological. 45. This allows us to respond to the charge that Judaeo-Christian thinking, on the basis of the Genesis account which grants man “dominion” over the earth (cf. 158. In different ways, developing countries, where the most important reserves of the biosphere are found, continue to fuel the development of richer countries at the cost of their own present and future. We see this in the story of Noah, where God threatens to do away with humanity because of its constant failure to fulfil the requirements of justice and peace: “I have determined to make an end of all flesh; for the earth is filled with violence through them” (Gen 6:13). Creation is of the order of love. This is the way human beings contrive to feed their self-destructive vices: trying not to see them, trying not to acknowledge them, delaying the important decisions and pretending that nothing will happen. [80] The prologue of the Gospel of John (1:1-18) reveals Christ’s creative work as the Divine Word (Logos). * Frases cortas sobre la sostenibilidad; 09.09. He was completely present to everyone and to everything, and in this way he showed us the way to overcome that unhealthy anxiety which makes us superficial, aggressive and compulsive consumers. In this universe, shaped by open and intercommunicating systems, we can discern countless forms of relationship and participation. We have to accept that technological products are not neutral, for they create a framework which ends up conditioning lifestyles and shaping social possibilities along the lines dictated by the interests of certain powerful groups. Should we not pause and consider this? [93] JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991), 38: AAS 83 (1991), 841. Even now we are journeying towards the sabbath of eternity, the new Jerusalem, towards our common home in heaven. We can be silent witnesses to terrible injustices if we think that we can obtain significant benefits by making the rest of humanity, present and future, pay the extremely high costs of environmental deterioration. Some countries have areas rich in water while others endure drastic scarcity. [68] Cf. 205. [117] Some authors have emphasized the values frequently found, for example, in the villas, chabolas or favelas of Latin America: cf. Rather, all creatures are moving forward with us and through us towards a common point of arrival, which is God, in that transcendent fullness where the risen Christ embraces and illumines all things. Lonely valleys are quiet, pleasant, cool, shady and flowing with fresh water; in the variety of their groves and in the sweet song of the birds, they afford abundant recreation and delight to the senses, and in their solitude and silence, they refresh us and give rest. It needs to be said that, generally speaking, there is little in the way of clear awareness of problems which especially affect the excluded. This is seen clearly in the dramatic exchange between God and Cain. Attempts to resolve all problems through uniform regulations or technical interventions can lead to overlooking the complexities of local problems which demand the active participation of all members of the community. The Earth Charter asked us to leave behind a period of self-destruction and make a new start, but we have not as yet developed a universal awareness needed to achieve this. Particular appreciation is owed to those who tirelessly seek to resolve the tragic effects of environmental degradation on the lives of the world’s poorest. These ancient stories, full of symbolism, bear witness to a conviction which we today share, that everything is interconnected, and that genuine care for our own lives and our relationships with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others. This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. For believers, this becomes a question of fidelity to the Creator, since God created the world for everyone. 1) The spiritual perspective is now part of the discussion on the environment. 26. This makes it difficult to reach a balanced and prudent judgement on different questions, one which takes into account all the pertinent variables. It is a matter of openness to different possibilities which do not involve stifling human creativity and its ideals of progress, but rather directing that energy along new channels. The principle of the maximization of profits, frequently isolated from other considerations, reflects a misunderstanding of the very concept of the economy. The laws found in the Bible dwell on relationships, not only among individuals but also with other living beings. [106] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2417. Consequently the most one can expect is superficial rhetoric, sporadic acts of philanthropy and perfunctory expressions of concern for the environment, whereas any genuine attempt by groups within society to introduce change is viewed as a nuisance based on romantic illusions or an obstacle to be circumvented. By stimulating wonder before the profound mystery of creation, faith broadens the horizons of reason to shed greater light on the world which discloses itself to scientific investigation”. In the family we learn to ask without demanding, to say “thank you” as an expression of genuine gratitude for what we have been given, to control our aggressivity and greed, and to ask forgiveness when we have caused harm. The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us. “The Holy Spirit can be said to possess an infinite creativity, proper to the divine mind, which knows how to loosen the knots of human affairs, including the most complex and inscrutable”. Yet at times they also shield us from direct contact with the pain, the fears and the joys of others and the complexity of their personal experiences. Completely at odds with this model are the ideals of harmony, justice, fraternity and peace as proposed by Jesus. Environmental education should facilitate making the leap towards the transcendent which gives ecological ethics its deepest meaning. We are convinced that “man is the source, the focus and the aim of all economic and social life”. [68] At times we see an obsession with denying any pre-eminence to the human person; more zeal is shown in protecting other species than in defending the dignity which all human beings share in equal measure. [20] The Major Legend of Saint Francis, VIII, 6, in Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, vol. . Nor must the critique of a misguided anthropocentrism underestimate the importance of interpersonal relations. [12] Address to the Bundestag, Berlin (22 September 2011): AAS 103 (2011), 664. 175. Den neunstrophigen Text schrieb der später des sexuellen Missbrauchs beschuldigte katholische . 150. [37] Saint John Paul II stated that the special love of the Creator for each human being “confers upon him or her an infinite dignity”. 50. 66. Chaplet of Creation Following the structure of the Rosary, this 5-part prayer offers praise to God for creation and the Earth that is filled with God's presence. The world which came forth from God’s hands returns to him in blessed and undivided adoration: in the bread of the Eucharist, “creation is projected towards divinization, towards the holy wedding feast, towards unification with the Creator himself”. But the cost of the damage caused by such selfish lack of concern is much greater than the economic benefits to be obtained. Many people will deny doing anything wrong because distractions constantly dull our consciousness of just how limited and finite our world really is. Alternatives exist which at least lessen the impact of these projects, like the creation of biological corridors, but few countries demonstrate such concern and foresight. They are not recognized by international conventions as refugees; they bear the loss of the lives they have left behind, without enjoying any legal protection whatsoever. 158. We do not only exist by God’s mighty power; we also live with him and beside him. In light of this reflection, I will advance some broader proposals for dialogue and action which would involve each of us as individuals, and also affect international policy. Similarly, wetlands converted into cultivated land lose the enormous biodiversity which they formerly hosted. He was far removed from philosophies which despised the body, matter and the things of the world. Nor does it imply a divinization of the earth which would prevent us from working on it and protecting it in its fragility. 29. 213. 237. God, who calls us to generous commitment and to give him our all, offers us the light and the strength needed to continue on our way. For “the current model, with its emphasis on success and self-reliance, does not appear to favour an investment in efforts to help the slow, the weak or the less talented to find opportunities in life”.[139]. They also invite other creatures to join us in this praise: “Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. Yet we can once more broaden our vision. [162] Standing awestruck before a mountain, he or she cannot separate this experience from God, and perceives that the interior awe being lived has to be entrusted to the Lord: “Mountains have heights and they are plentiful, vast, beautiful, graceful, bright and fragrant. It also entails a loving awareness that we are not disconnected from the rest of creatures, but joined in a splendid universal communion. A healthy politics needs to be able to take up this challenge. It becomes almost impossible to accept the limits imposed by reality. Their behaviour shows that for them maximizing profits is enough. They may not affirm such theories with words, but nonetheless support them with their deeds by showing no interest in more balanced levels of production, a better distribution of wealth, concern for the environment and the rights of future generations. So, before considering how faith brings new incentives and requirements with regard to the world of which we are a part, I will briefly turn to what is happening to our common home. [56] This contemplation of creation allows us to discover in each thing a teaching which God wishes to hand on to us, since “for the believer, to contemplate creation is to hear a message, to listen to a paradoxical and silent voice”. Rather, it may simply become a ploy which permits maintaining the excessive consumption of some countries and sectors. The replacement of virgin forest with plantations of trees, usually monocultures, is rarely adequately analyzed. [130] Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (24 November 2013), 222: AAS 105 (2013), 1111. 200. A good part of our genetic code is shared by many living beings. International negotiations cannot make significant progress due to positions taken by countries which place their national interests above the global common good. Nothing in this world is indifferent to us. There is a subtle mystery in each of the movements and sounds of this world. We must not think that these efforts are not going to change the world. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded. The universe unfolds in God, who fills it completely. 152. Often, what was handed on was a Promethean vision of mastery over the world, which gave the impression that the protection of nature was something that only the faint-hearted cared about. [94] Cf. [145] When people become self-centred and self-enclosed, their greed increases. The German bishops have taught that, where other creatures are concerned, “we can speak of the priority of being over that of being useful”. If in a given region the state does not carry out its responsibilities, some business groups can come forward in the guise of benefactors, wield real power, and consider themselves exempt from certain rules, to the point of tolerating different forms of organized crime, human trafficking, the drug trade and violence, all of which become very difficult to eradicate. [101] Cf. The mindset which leaves no room for sincere concern for the environment is the same mindset which lacks concern for the inclusion of the most vulnerable members of society. He is spirit and will, but also nature”. For example, a path of productive development, which is more creative and better directed, could correct the present disparity between excessive technological investment in consumption and insufficient investment in resolving urgent problems facing the human family. [95] JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991), 37: AAS 83 (1991), 840. The ultimate purpose of other creatures is not to be found in us. Results take time and demand immediate outlays which may not produce tangible effects within any one government’s term. Change is something desirable, yet it becomes a source of anxiety when it causes harm to the world and to the quality of life of much of humanity. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (Mt 20:25-26). Some countries have made significant progress in establishing sanctuaries on land and in the oceans where any human intervention is prohibited which might modify their features or alter their original structures. He comes not from above, but from within, he comes that we might find him in this world of ours. Saving banks at any cost, making the public pay the price, foregoing a firm commitment to reviewing and reforming the entire system, only reaffirms the absolute power of a financial system, a power which has no future and will only give rise to new crises after a slow, costly and only apparent recovery. 47. This frequently leads to an overproduction of some commodities, with unnecessary impact on the environment and with negative results on regional economies. Sources of fresh water are necessary for health care, agriculture and industry. Christian spirituality proposes a growth marked by moderation and the capacity to be happy with little. Raniero Cantalamessa, Pope Francis. Reducing greenhouse gases requires honesty, courage and responsibility, above all on the part of those countries which are more powerful and pollute the most. We all know that it is not possible to sustain the present level of consumption in developed countries and wealthier sectors of society, where the habit of wasting and discarding has reached unprecedented levels. Although change is part of the working of complex systems, the speed with which human activity has developed contrasts with the naturally slow pace of biological evolution. Similarly, every seven years, a sabbatical year was set aside for Israel, a complete rest for the land (cf. Why should this document, addressed to all people of good will, include a chapter dealing with the convictions of believers? But our industrial system, at the end of its cycle of production and consumption, has not developed the capacity to absorb and reuse waste and by-products.

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