Dear readers, the tenth anniversary of the encyclical on full ecology falls this year Laudato yessigned by Pope Francis on May 24, 2015. It seems like an era does, but the more it appears evident today how Bergoglio has caught, with a prophetic gaze, a great topic.
He talks to us, with a believer sensitivity, an illustrious climatologist, Antonello Pasini, in the service on p. 18. Pope Leo In turn he collected the witness by Pope Francis on the ecological theme: he returned to you on several occasions, in particular with the message for the X World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation 2025 (which falls on September 1), entitled Seed peace and hope. On July 2, he also wanted – for the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si ‘ – the publication of the text for the mass for the custody of creation.
“Environmental justice», Writes the Pontiff,” represents an urgent necessity, which goes beyond simple protection of the environment. It is actually a question of social, economic and anthropological justice ».
Leo XIV then specifies: “For believers, in addition, environmental justice is a theological need, which for Christians has the face of Jesus Christ, in which everything has been created and redeemed”.
“In a world where the most fragile are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation, and pollution, the care of creation becomes a question of faith and humanity”.
It is now really time to make the words follow the facts. But can we really do something? Many ask for it.
An anecdote of the theologian Dorothee Sölle clarifies him: “For every banana I eat, I defraud those who cultivate them of most of their salary”. The message is clear: it’s up to us to be aware of our choices.
According to a WWF report released on 24 July for the Overshoot Day, for that date we have already consumed the “annual ecological budget of the planet”. The solutions? Sustainable nutritioncircular economy, green mobility.
“We are the times; as we are like this are the timesPope Leone said, citing Sant’Agostino. Our responsibility is needed. Which is “loyalty to the earth” (D. Bonhoeffer). Even so you live in Jesus’ disciples in this time.
(Image at the top: photo Istock)