Ten years ago, Pope Francis wrote the first environmental encyclical letter in the history of the Catholic Church. As he was writing it, so many of us who were, and still are, concerned about the sickening state of our wonderful earth home, waited with hopeful anticipation. And when it was finally completed and released to the world, I wrote a column with this lead paragraph: “It’s courageous, it’s prophetic, it’s challenging, it’s holistic, it’s wonderful: That’s what I think of Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical “‘Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home!’”
And today, my admiration for Laudato Si’ is stronger than ever. Because its message is needed now more than ever!
Quoting his patron saint, Francis of Assisi – who is also the patron saint of ecology – Pope Francis began his papal letter with a beautiful verse from the saint’s Canticle of the Creatures: “‘Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.’
“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. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will.”
Pope Francis explained, “Each year hundreds of millions of tons of waste are generated. … The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”
Siding with 97 percent of climate scientists he wrote “A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system” (see: http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/).
Pope Francis fully endorsed ongoing calls for worldwide conversion from the use of global warming fossil fuels – oil, coal, gas – to “clean renewable energy” found in wind, solar and geothermal. (see: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy).
Pope Francis wrote, “The warming caused by huge consumption on the part of some rich countries has repercussions on the poorest areas of the world, especially Africa, where a rise in temperature, together with drought, has proved devastating for farming. …
“Many of those who possess more resources and economic or political power seem mostly to be concerned with masking the problems or concealing their symptoms, simply making efforts to reduce some of the negative impacts of climate change.”
Pope Francis added that in political and economic discussions the poor seem to be brought up as an afterthought. “Indeed, when all is said and done, they frequently remain at the bottom of the pile. …
“Today, however, we have to realize that a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.
Pope Francis firmly instructed that the Church “must above all protect mankind from self-destruction.”
Our late Holy Father prophetically saw the environmental problem as part of a much larger, more serious problem: Our failure to consistently recognize the truth that everyone and everything is interconnected.
He explained, “When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself; everything is connected.”
However, because we continue to ignore the vital necessity of nurturing this interconnectedness, the ecological, social and spiritual web of life is tearing.
But if we care at all, we still have a little time to mend the tears.
For anyone interested in being a part of the solution, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home” is a must read! And here it is https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html!
Also, check out Laudato Si’ Movement: Catholics for Our Common Home (see: https://laudatosimovement.org/).
And here is a link to a wonderful follow-up video featuring Pope Francis titled “The Letter” that will surely inspire you to faithfully respond to “both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” http://bit.ly/44EwJBf.
About the Author
Tony Magliano is not a member of the AUSCP. He is an internationally syndicated Catholic social justice and peace columnist. He is available to speak at diocesan or parish gatherings. Tony can be reached at tmag6@comcast.net.