On May 21st, Pope Francis took yet another stand for liberal thinkers everywhere, after encouraging his fellow Christians?to become more environmentally-aware and to take the threat of climate change more seriously.
“Safeguard Creation,” Pope Francis said, while delivering an address before a crowd in Rome, “because if we destroy Creation, Creation will destroy us.? Never forget this.”
“Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will or, even less, is the property of only a few,” Francis explained.? “Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude.”
He also likened our decimation of the planet to self-idolatry, labeling it a sinful act.
“When we exploit Creation, we destroy the sign of God’s love for us.? In destroying Creation we are saying to God, `I don’t like it!? This is not good!’? `So what do you like?’? `I like myself!’? Here, this is sin.? Do you see?”
Earlier in May, the Vatican held a summit on environmental issues, called “Sustainable Humanity, Sustainable Nature, Our Responsibility,” with the goal of having the science community help the Catholic Church come up with ways it could help address the issues of climate change.
In a joint statement published by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, workshop participants said that??”human action which is not respectful of nature becomes a boomerang for human beings that creates inequality and extends what Pope Francis has termed `the globalization of indifference’ and the `economy of exclusion’ (Evangelii Gaudium), which themselves endanger solidarity with present and future generations.”
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), who was joined with other lawmakers from around the globe,?recently sat down with Pope Francis to discuss climate change in Rome.? On Thursday, Markey said the Pope reaffirmed his belief that climate change is a serious problem and a “moral issue.”
“The Pope, and all people of faith, understand that climate change is a moral issue, and that we are called to respond to this personal and planetary challenge,” Markey said.? He?also added that “it was an honor and a privilege to meet with Pope Francis and other Vatican leaders to share our common concern about the challenge of our time, climate change.”
edited by tw
