Pope John Paul II, 1990 World Day of Peace Message, no. 16
Background
"Honoring creation is another way to honor God who created all that is. If we value our relationship with God and God’s creation, climate change must be for us a profoundly spiritual, ethical, and moral issue. The human contribution to climate change represents one of the clearest examples of how human activity is damaging God’s creation. We need to recover spiritual values that respect God’s creation…It is a moral issue because while the poor have contributed the least to climate change, they will suffer its worst consequences. Catholic Social teaching, based on biblical and Church teaching, call us to consider first how our actions affect poor and vulnerable people. We have a special obligation to respond to our brothers and sisters in need." Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, A Catholic Approach to Climate Change
Action
- Use energy efficient light bulbs and equipment
- Carpool or use public transportation
- Recycle
- Buy local products
- Conduct an energy audit at your home or parish
Links
USCCB: Environmental Justice Program
Catholic Climate Covenant
National Religious Partnership for the Environment
Repeated Social Teaching
We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of God’s creation. Care for the earth is a duty of our faith and a sign of our concern for all people. We should strive to live simply to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We have a moral obligation to protect the planet on which we live – to respect God’s creation and ensure a safe and hospitable environment for human beings, especially children at their most vulnerable stages of development. As stewards called by God to share the responsibility for the future of the earth, we should work for a world in which people respect and protect all of creation and seek to live simply in harmony with it for the sake of future generations. Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, 2007, 54.
