To Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation

At the beginning of each new year the pope issues a message for January 1, World Peace Day. The statement comes out a few weeks before the new year. This year's message came out yesterday. The title is powerful: "If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation." He goes on to speak of the concerns shared by those environmentalists who are worried about the effects of climate change.

I keep trying to pick out one part that sort of says it all. However, the whole thing is really worth reading and praying with as we approach the second decade of this millenium.

You can follow the link in the title above but I'll just quote this one part: from paragraph 7:

Sad to say, it is all too evident that large numbers of people in different countries and areas of our planet are experiencing increased hardship because of the negligence or refusal of many others to exercise responsible stewardship over the environment. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council reminded us that “God has destined the earth and everything it contains for all peoples and nations”. The goods of creation belong to humanity as a whole. Yet the current pace of environmental exploitation is seriously endangering the supply of certain natural resources not only for the present generation, but above all for generations yet to come. It is not hard to see that environmental degradation is often due to the lack of far-sighted official policies or to the pursuit of myopic economic interests, which then, tragically, become a serious threat to creation. To combat this phenomenon, economic activity needs to consider the fact that “every economic decision has a moral consequence” and thus show increased respect for the environment.

Two things jump out at me as I read the whole document. First: It's amazing that this comes right in the middle of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. Second: It reminds me of much of what Sisters of St. Joseph speak of when we refer to "the Dear Neighbor without distinction." As our CSSJ Federation website states: "Sisters of St. Joseph and associates today view all of creation as the Dear Neighbor. This has led many congregations to include a deeper appreciation of the universe story and the care of Planet Earth in their vision statements and actions for justice."

About a year ago the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph issued a statement about climate change. Here are a couple of excerpts:

As U. S. Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph and Associates, “We live and work that all may be One.” We are concerned for all of God’s Creation and our Sisters and Brothers everywhere. Pope John Paul II wrote, “Faced with the widespread destruction of the environment, people everywhere are coming to understand that we cannot continue to use the goods of the Earth as we have in the past. …a new ecological awareness is beginning to emerge.” (The Ecological Crisis: A Common Responsibility, December 1989)

We recognize that what we do to Earth, we do to ourselves! Therefore, as the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and Associates, we commit ourselves to support all LIFE on Earth.

There is much more to this statement. Check out the full text on the "Earth Watch" page of our website for more.