St. Raphael Parish

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
QUOTATIONS FROM THE VATICAN & USCCB

Respect for life and for the dignity of the human person extends also to the rest of creation, which is called to join man in praising God. (Pope John Paul II, 1990 World Day of Peace Message, no. 16)
Christians, in particular, realize that their responsibility within creation and their duty towards nature and the Creator are an essential part of their faith. (Pope John Paul II 1990 World Day of Peace Message, no. 15)

We cannot interfere in one area of the ecosystem without paying due attention to both the consequences of such interference in other areas and to the well-being of future generations. (Pope John Paul II, 1990 World Day of Peace Message, no. 6)

The most profound and serious indication of the moral implications underlying the ecological problem is the lack of respect for life evident in many of the patterns of environmental pollution. (Pope John Paul II, 1990 World Day of Peace Message, no. 7)

It is manifestly unjust that a privileged few should continue to accumulate excess goods, squandering available resources, while masses of people are living in conditions of misery at the very lowest level of subsistence. (Pope John Paul II, 1990 World Day of Peace Message, no. 8)

The aesthetic value of creation cannot be overlooked. Our very contact with nature has a deep restorative power; contemplation of its magnificence imparts peace and serenity. The Bible speaks again and again of the goodness and beauty of creation, which is called to glorify God. (Pope John Paul II, 1990 World Day of Peace Message, no. 14)

We face a fundamental question which can be described as both ethical and ecological. How can accelerated development be prevented from turning against man? How can one prevent disasters that destroy the environment and threaten all forms of life, and how can the negative consequences that have already occurred be remedied? (Pope John Paul II, “International Solidarity Needed to Safeguard Environment,” address by the Holy Father to the European Bureau for the Environment, L’Osservatore Romano, June 1996)

Environmental degradation makes the life of the poor intolerable. In dialogue with Christians of different denominations, we need to commit ourselves to caring for creation,  without squandering its resources, but instead sharing in them in a collaborative way. (Pope Benedict XVI, remarks after Angelus address, August 27, 2006)

The liturgy itself teaches us this, when, during the presentation of the gifts, the priest raises to God a prayer of blessing and petition over the bread and wine, “fruit of the earth,” “fruit of the vine” and “work of human hands.” With these words, the rite not only includes in our offering to God all human efforts and activity, but also leads us to see the world as God’s creation, which brings forth everything we need for our sustenance. The world is not something indifferent, raw material to be utilized simply as we see fit. Rather, it is part of God’s good plan, in which all of us are called to be sons and daughters in the one Son of God, Jesus Christ (cf. Eph 1:4-12). The justified concern about threats to the environment present in so many parts of the world is reinforced by Christian hope, which commits us to working responsibly for the protection of creation. (Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis [The Sacrament of Charity], no. 92) The environment is God’s gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole. (Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate [Charity in Truth], 2009, no. 48)

                    To be continued next week.....