Put an end to the senseless war on creation, standing alongside the victims of environmental injustice. This is the Pope's warning in his message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which will be celebrated on 1 September, presented today in the Vatican. The theme, dear to Bergoglio, "the care of our common home" announced at the beginning of his pontificate with the 2015 encyclical Laudato Sì. This week is dedicated to the parable inspired by the Holy Father by St. Francis of Assisi, and that the Pope addressed to the victims of the flood in Emilia Romagna.
"We heed the call to stand by the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to end this senseless war on creation. We see the effects of this war in so many rivers that are drying up", the cry of pain of the Pontiff who points the finger at "rapacious consumerism, fed by selfish hearts" that "is distorting the planet's water cycle".
Bergoglio goes into detail about the climate issue that will concern the UN summit dedicated to the protection of the environment, looking with concern at the "unbridled use of fossil fuels" and the "felling of forests" that "are creating a rise in temperatures and causing serious droughts. Appalling water shortages are increasingly plaguing our homes, from small rural communities to large metropolises. In addition, predatory industries are depleting and polluting our drinking water sources with extreme practices such as hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas extraction, mega-uncontrolled extraction projects and intensive animal farming."
The Holy Father, in his message, invites us to take courageous steps: "The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change affirms that urgent climate action can ensure that we do not miss the opportunity to create a more sustainable and just world. We can, we must prevent the worst consequences from occurring. Let us join hands and take courageous steps so that justice and peace may flow throughout the Earth."
The Pontiff indicates the path that the Church must follow: "How can we contribute to the powerful river of justice and peace in this Season of Creation? What can we, especially as Christian Churches, do to heal our common home so that it is teeming with life again? We must resolve to transform our hearts, our lifestyles and the public policies that govern our societies."
Francis invites us to respect the environment in everyday life: "We try to be as attentive as possible to our habits and economic choices, so that everyone can feel better: our fellow human beings, wherever they are, and also our children's children. We collaborate in God's ongoing creation through positive choices: making the most moderate use of resources as possible, practicing joyful sobriety, disposing of and recycling waste, and resorting to increasingly available products and services that are ecologically and socially responsible."
Twitter/@Tg3web
Flood in the Conselice
The Pope, in his message, then calls for the transformation of public policies that "govern our societies and shape the lives of the young people of today and tomorrow. Economic policies that favor scandalous riches for a few and for many conditions of degradation decree the end of peace and justice".
"The world leaders present at the COP28 summit, scheduled in Dubai from November 28 to December 30 this year, must listen to the science and begin a rapid and fair transition to end the era of fossil fuels. According to the commitments of the Paris Agreement to curb the risk of global warming, it is nonsense to allow the continued exploration and expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. Let us raise our voices to stop this injustice to the poor and to our children, who will suffer the worst impacts of climate change. I appeal to all people of good will to act on the basis of these guidelines on society and nature", the pontiff concluded.