The Cry of the Earth A Call to Action for Climate Justice A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference

Page created by Keith Haynes
 
CONTINUE READING
The Cry of the Earth A Call to Action for Climate Justice A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference
The Cry
of the Earth
A Call to Action
for Climate Justice
A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change
from the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference

                                2014
The Cry of the Earth A Call to Action for Climate Justice A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference
The Cry of the Earth
A Call to Action for Climate Justice

 A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change by
       The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference

                                     2014
The Cry of the Earth A Call to Action for Climate Justice A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference
2   ·   The Cry of the Earth
The Cry of the Earth A Call to Action for Climate Justice A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference
Foreword   God our Father, open our eyes to see your hand at work in
           the splendour of creation,
           in the beauty of human life.
           Touched by your hand our world is holy.
                                                                        – Opening Prayer,
                                                      Mass of 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time

           G
                   od, in whom we live and               as St Francis of Assisi showed us.
                   move and have our being,              It means respecting each of God’s
                   has given us the gift of this         creatures and respecting the
           beautiful earth. Creation flows out           environment in which we live. It
           of the heart of an infinitely loving          means protecting people, showing
           Creator. Touched by God’s hand, our           loving concern for each and every
           world is holy.                                person, especially children, the
              Our earth is also complex. Its             elderly, those in need, who are
           systems of life are interdependent            often the last we think about.
           and finely balanced. Small changes
           in one part of the planet’s rhythms        In 2009 the Irish Bishops published
           and systems can have significant, if       The Cry of the Earth. It aimed to
           not dramatic, consequences for the         stimulate and resource dialogue and
           whole of the earth and its creatures.      reflection on the critical questions
           Hence global climate change is one         posed by the challenge of climate
           of the most critical issues of our time.   change. The reflection was inspired
           How we respond to climate change           by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s
           will have consequences for the future      Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate,
           of every person and every form of life     published earlier that same year.
           on the earth.                              The letter emphasised that the
              From the beginning of his papacy,       ‘environment is God’s gift to
           Pope Francis has kept this message         everyone, and in our use of it we
           at the heart of his teaching. In the       have a responsibility towards the
           homily of his inauguration Mass            poor, towards future generations and
           he explained that protection of the        towards humanity as a whole.’
           environment is the responsibility of           On the role of the Church, Pope
           everyone:                                  Benedict stated: ‘The Church has a
                                                      responsibility towards creation and
              It means protecting all creation,       she must assert this responsibility
              the beauty of the created world,        in the public sphere’ (nn. 48 and 51).
              as the Book of Genesis tells us and     Accordingly, in The Cry of the Earth

                                                             The Cry of the Earth       ·   3
The Cry of the Earth A Call to Action for Climate Justice A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference
individuals, parish communities and     the damaging effects of climate           in many parts of the world, is prone
all people of good will were invited    change.                                   to hedonism and consumerism,
to reflect on ‘that covenant between        The second part of this reflection    regardless of their harmful
human beings and the environment,       sees our natural environment as           consequences. What is needed
which should mirror the creative love   ‘a wondrous work of the Creator           is an effective shift in mentality
of God, from whom we come and           containing a “grammar” which sets         which can lead to the adoption of
towards whom we are journeying’         forth … Criteria for its wise use, not    ‘new lifestyles’ in which the quest
(n. 50).                                its reckless exploitation’ (n. 48). It    for truth, beauty, goodness and
    This pastoral reflection proved     offers such reflections on sacred         communion with others for the sake
to be a valuable tool for those who     scripture, key ethical principles         of common growth are the factors
are concerned about the impact          and themes from Catholic Social           which determine consumer choices,
of climate change and want to           Doctrine. They inspire and guide          savings and investments. (n. 51)
take action to address its negative     our vocation as stewards of God’s             This sentiment was echoed by
consequences. As more and more          creation. While scientific knowledge      Pope Francis in his 2013 Pastoral
people in our society are becoming      is constantly evolving, the principles    Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, in
aware of the unjust impact of           that inform our approach, as              which he defines solidarity as ‘the
climate change on some of the most      Christians, to these developments         creation of a new mind-set which
vulnerable communities in our world,    remain steadfast, rooted in our faith.    thinks in terms of community and
this document has been updated for          Finally, this pastoral reflection     the priority of the life of all over the
2014, with supporting resources for     offers some practical actions. The        appropriation of goods by a few’ (n.
dialogue at parish level.               lifestyle individuals, parishes and       188).
    The first part of this pastoral     others adopt can reduce the impact            Grateful to God for the gift of his
reflection helps us to inform           of many of our day-to-day activities      creation, I encourage all people of
ourselves by examining the science      on our natural environment and,           goodwill to reflect urgently on how
associated with climate change. It      consequently, on our global climate.      we can work together to take more
includes analysis from international        In addressing the challenge of        responsible care of our planet now
groups of scientists such as the        climate change, everyone has a            and for the sake of generations yet
UN Intergovernmental Panel on           part to play. Every action taken in       unborn. They deserve no less of us.
Climate Change, the Environmental       favour of a just and more sustainable
Protection Agency of Ireland and        environment, no matter how                Cardinal Seán Brady
the experts on climate change           small, has an intrinsic value. Action     President of the
we have consulted in Ireland. An        at a global level, as well as every       Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference
overwhelming consensus exists           individual action which contributes
among credible national and             to integral human development and
international organisations working     global solidarity, helps to construct a
in this area. The precautionary         more sustainable environment and,
principal means that we should          therefore, a better world.
react now to the risk of serious harm       In 2009 Pope Emeritus Benedict
posed by the plausible link between     XVI called contemporary society to a
certain types of human activity and     serious review of its lifestyle, which,

4   ·   The Cry of the Earth
The Cry of the Earth A Call to Action for Climate Justice A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference
The Cry of the Earth   ·   5
The Cry of the Earth A Call to Action for Climate Justice A Pastoral Reflection on Climate Change from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference
‘Action at a global level, as well
    as every individual action which
    contributes to integral human
    development and global solidarity,
    helps to construct a more
    sustainable environment and,
    therefore, a better world.’
                               – Cardinal Seán Brady

6   ·   The Cry of the Earth
Introduction                                Pope Francis wrote in his World
                                          Day of Peace Message 2014:
                                                                                  Earlier, in January 2001, surveying the
                                                                                  wider ecological context, Saint John
                                                                                  Paul II called for profound ‘ecological
                                            Nature, in a word, is at our          conversion’:
                                            disposition and we are called to
                                            exercise a responsible stewardship       [I]f we scan the regions of our

O
                                            over it. Yet so often we are driven      planet, we immediately see that
         ur home, planet earth,             by greed and by the arrogance            humanity has disappointed God’s
         God’s creation, is an              of dominion, possession,                 expectations. Man, especially in
         extraordinarily beautiful          manipulation and exploitation;           our time, has without hesitation
and fruitful place. It is appropriately     we do not preserve nature; nor           devastated wooded plains
called ‘the garden planet’ of the           do we respect it or consider it a        and valleys, polluted waters,
universe. We humans, with every             gracious gift which we must care         disfigured the earth’s habitat,
other species, depend totally on the        for and set at the service of our        made the air unbreathable,
proper functioning of the planet for        brothers and sisters, including          disturbed the hydrogeological and
the air we breathe, the water we            future generations.1                     atmospheric spheres, and turned
drink, the food that sustains us and                                                 luxuriant areas into deserts and
the multiple other ways in which the      Pope Benedict XVI also talked about        undertaken forms of unrestrained
earth supports us and every other         the need for ‘obedience to the voice       industrialisation, humiliating the
creature. Though the earth appears        of the earth’ when he spoke to the         flower-garden of the universe, to
very robust, we know that it can be       clergy of the Diocese of Belluno-          use the image of Dante Alighieri
quite fragile and that small changes,     Feltre and Treviso on 24 July 2007:        (Paradiso, XXII, 151). We must
over time, can have enormous                                                         therefore encourage and support
consequences for life.                      Today we all see that humans             the ‘ecological conversion’ that
                                            could destroy the foundations            in recent decades has made
                                            of our existence, the earth … We         humanity more sensitive to
                                            must respect the internal laws           the catastrophe to which it has
                                            of creation of this earth, learn         been heading. Man is no longer
                                            from these laws and also obey            the Creator’s ‘steward’, but an
                                            these laws, if we wish to survive.       autonomous despot, who is finally
                                            Therefore, this obedience to             beginning to understand that
                                            the voice of the earth, to life, is      he must stop at the edge of the
                                            more important for our future            abyss.2
                                            happiness than the voices of
                                            the moment, the desires of the        1. Message Of His Holiness Francis for the
                                                                                     celebration of The World Day Of Peace,
                                            moment.
                                                                                     Fraternity, The Foundation And Pathway To
                                                                                     Peace, No. 7, 1 January 2014.
                                                                                  2. Pope John Paul II, ‘God made man the
                                                                                     steward of Creation’, L’Osservatore Romano,
                                                                                     24 January 2001.

                                                                                           The Cry of the Earth             ·      7
8   ·   The Cry of the Earth
Part I:   What Scientists Say About
          Climate Change

          B
                  efore reflecting on the           was covered with glaciers. Such
                  ethical and religious dimension   natural causes of climate fluctuation
                  of climate change, it is          can also occur in shorter time scales,
          important that we examine some            such as happened in Europe from
          of the fundamental elements of the        the fifteenth to the mid-nineteenth
          science involved. As the scientists we    century, causing rivers like the Liffey
          consulted explain, the atmosphere         to freeze regularly each winter.
          of our planet is composed of a thin           Scientists, notably
          layer of gases which supports all         those associated with the
          life on earth. The principle gases,       Intergovernmental Panel on
          nitrogen and oxygen, are responsible      Climate Change (ipcc), believe that
          for 78 per cent and 21 per cent of        the climate change we are now
          the atmosphere respectively. There        experiencing goes beyond the range
          are minute amounts of other gases,        of natural fluctuation and that this is
          such as carbon dioxide and methane.       caused by human activity, particularly
          If our earth did not have these           the burning of fossil fuel. Ice cores
          trace gases in the atmosphere, the        taken from the Arctic and Antarctic
          average global temperature would          tell us that for the past 10,000
          be around –18 degrees Celsius, which      years, right up to the beginning of
          would be too cold to sustain life.        the Industrial Revolution 250 years
          With our present atmosphere, the          ago, there was roughly 280 parts
          average global temperature is +15         per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide
          degrees Celsius, which makes it very      (CO2) in the atmosphere. In spring of
          conducive for life to flourish.           this year the value approached 402
              Scientists also inform us that at     ppm, unprecedented over the past
          times in the history of our planet the    800,000 years. Concentrations are
          earth has been almost a ball of ice.      rising by about 2 ppm every year.
          At other times, there was no ice on           The reason why global warming
          earth and tropical creatures swam in      is called the ‘greenhouse effect’ is
          the Arctic Ocean. For 85,000 of the       that gases such as carbon dioxide,
          past 100,000 years, much of Ireland       methane, nitrous oxide and

                                                           The Cry of the Earth       · 9
hydrofluorocarbons trap infrared        ttRisk of death, injury, ill-health, or     communities in the tropics and
radiation, which would otherwise          disrupted livelihoods in low-lying        the Arctic.
pass back out into space. As long         coastal zones and small island          ttRisk of loss of terrestrial and
as the percentage of the various          developing states and other small         inland water ecosystems,
gases in the atmosphere remains           islands, due to storm surges,             biodiversity, and the ecosystem
more or less constant, a balance is       coastal flooding and sea-level rise.      goods, functions and services they
established which ensures relatively    ttRisk of severe ill-health and             provide for livelihoods.
stable climatic conditions globally.      disrupted livelihoods for large
When the percentage of greenhouse         urban populations due to inland         Many likely impacts constitute
gases increase, temperatures begin        flooding in some regions.               particular challenges for the least
to rise as human activity, especially   ttSystemic risks due to extreme           developed countries and vulnerable
the burning of fossil fuel, increases     weather events leading to               communities, given their limited
the amount of greenhouse gases in         breakdown of infrastructure             ability to cope. In most cases they
the atmosphere. The average global        networks and critical services such     have made a negligible contribution
temperature in 2008 was only 0.85         as electricity, water supply and        to this global problem.
degrees Celsius higher than it was in     health and emergency services.              By any standards this is a worrying
the late nineteenth century, and yet    ttRisk of mortality and morbidity         prospect and yet it is based on a 2
the consequences of this small change     during periods of extreme heat,         degree Celsius rise in average global
have already been considerable.           particularly for vulnerable urban       temperature. According to the
                                          populations and those working           scientists we have consulted, a rise of
Scientists on the                         outdoors in urban or rural areas.       4 degrees Celsius, which could happen
consequences of Climate                 ttRisk of food insecurity and the         unless we take remedial action soon,
Change                                    breakdown of food systems linked        would do enormous damage to
Some of the likely consequences           to warming, drought, flooding,          the life-supporting systems of the
of climate change for humans              and precipitation variability and       planet. A global temperature rise of 2
were outlined in the second part of       extremes, particularly for poorer       degrees Celsius is generally taken as
the Fifth Assessment Report of the        populations in urban and rural          the threshold beyond which recovery
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate        settings.                               would be difficult. The longer we
Change, which was published in          ttRisk of loss of rural livelihoods and   delay in making a transition to a low
three volumes over the past year.         income due to insufficient access       carbon world, the more difficult the
Some 800 of the world’s top climate       to drinking and irrigation water and    task becomes. Unless dramatic steps
scientists were involved as authors       reduced agricultural productivity,      are taken to reduce our greenhouse
and some 140,000 comments were            particularly for farmers and            gas emissions within the next decade
considered from thousands of other        pastoralists with minimal capital       it will be almost impossible to avoid
experts. Representatives of the           in semi-arid regions.                   dangerous climate change.
Irish government signed off on the      ttRisk of loss of marine and coastal          While one cannot conclude that
report as they have on every IPCC         ecosystems, biodiversity, and the       a particular climate event, such as
Assessment Report since 1990. The         ecosystem goods, functions and          Hurricane Katrina in 2005 or Typhoon
main conclusions include increased        services they provide for coastal       Haiyan in 2013, is a direct result of
risks as follows:                         livelihoods, especially for fishing     climate change, scientists say that

10 ·   The Cry of the Earth
severe weather patterns will happen      of wheat, rice and maize are likely       rainfall during the summer and early
more often. A fingerprint of human-      from the 2030s, with declines of          autumn months across eastern
induced climate change can now be        up to 2 per cent per decade for the       and central Ireland are predicted.
detected in some extreme weather         remainder of this century. There is       Such rainfall patterns would put
events, such as heatwaves.               growing evidence that many crops          huge pressure on public authorities,
    With climate change, sea levels      in poorer countries will be adversely     especially in terms of providing
are expected to rise significantly       affected by climate change, which         drinkable water for Dublin and other
because of thermal expansion in          could give rise to more malnutrition,     cities and large towns situated in the
the oceans and melting ice caps in       hunger and starvation.                    eastern part of the country.
Greenland and the western Antarctic,                                                   In terms of agriculture, such
in addition to run-off from thawing      Scientists on Climate Change              changes in climate would make it
glaciers on the Himalayas and the        in Ireland                                difficult to grow potatoes. It seems
Andes. A rise of a single metre          Using models that have been               that the west will be too wet and the
in ocean levels would make life          constructed from a massive amount         east will be too dry for this historic
impossible for millions of people who    of data, climate change scientists        Irish crop. Other crops, such as maize,
live in the delta area of Bangladesh.    from organisations such as the Irish      will benefit from the changes.
Many of the low-lying islands in the     Environmental Protection Agency               A study conducted in 2007 for
Indian and Pacific Oceans, such as       predict that there will be an increase    the National Botanical Gardens of
the Maldives, Tuvalu and Kiribati, are   in temperature in Ireland of between      Ireland estimates that 171 native
already feeling the effects of rising    1.5 degrees Celsius by mid-century,       plant species, making up 20 per cent
sea levels. The storms which ravaged     with a further increase of 0.5 to 1       of the total Irish flora, are vulnerable
the coast of Ireland last winter were    degrees Celsius by 2075. By 2050,         to climate change. Natural habitats
rendered more potent by slightly         the extreme south and south-west          for many threatened plants may
higher sea levels than they would        coasts may have an average January        no longer be able to support their
have been a century ago.                 temperature of 8 degrees Celsius.         indigenous species. Some of the
    Scientists estimate that climate     July temperatures are predicted to        plants and animals we take for
change could cause the extinction        increase by 2.5 degrees Celsius by        granted in the Irish landscape may
of more than one million species         2050. Maximum July temperatures of        disappear.
on earth because plants, animals or      the order of 22.5 degrees Celsius are
fish will be unable to adapt to new      likely to prevail generally, with areas
climate niches. Losses of this scale     in the central midlands experiencing
have serious consequences for future     mean maximum July temperatures
generations.                             of 24.5 degrees Celsius. There are also
    Climate change is also affecting     likely to be more heatwaves.
agriculture. The second part of              Overall, scientists predict
the Fifth Assessment Report of the       that there will be increases in
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate       precipitation, especially in the winter
Change, published in April 2014,         months. The greatest absolute
predicted that negative impacts          increases are suggested for the
on the yields for the major crops        north-west. Marked decreases in

                                                                                           The Cry of the Earth        · 11
12 ·   The Cry of the Earth
Part II:   A Christian Response to the
           Challenge of Climate Change

           T
                   he call to ‘ecological                [N]ature speaks to us of the
                   conversion’ challenges us to          Creator (cf. Rm 1:20) and his love
                   look again at our attitude            for humanity. It is destined to be
           towards the earth we inhabit. God’s           ‘recapitulated’ in Christ at the end
           earth cares for us by providing us            of time (cf. Eph 1:9-10; Col 1:19-20).
           with everything we need for our well-         Thus it too is a ‘vocation’. Nature
           being. Our responsibility to care for         is at our disposal not as a heap
           the earth and for each other comes            of scattered refuse, but as a gift
           from the call to be stewards of God’s         of the Creator who has given it an
           creation. This call to stewardship            inbuilt order, enabling man … ‘to till
           is made clear in Genesis 2:15 when            it and keep it’ (Gn 2:15). (n. 48)
           God took man and put him in the
           garden of Eden ‘to till it and keep it’.   The verse ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill
           The verbs ‘till’ and ‘keep’ used in this   the earth and conquer it’ (Gn 1:28)
           context have overtones of service          is often used to accuse Christianity
           and commitment. They infer part of         of being insensitive to the natural
           a duty of care given to us by God to       world. It is claimed that Christianity
           keep the earth from harm.                  has used this text to see other
              In his inaugural homily on 19           creatures and the earth itself as a
           March 2013, Pope Francis appealed          quarry, a resource to be plundered
           to all those who have positions of         and which is exclusively for human
           responsibility in economic, political      use. The text does give humans
           and social life, and all men and           dominion over the earth, but it is a
           women of goodwill: ‘Let us be              dominion of service, of responsibility
           “protectors” of God’s plan inscribed       and care, patterned on God’s own
           in nature, protectors of one another       dominion over all creatures.
           and of the environment.’                       As the Compendium of the Social
              This theme is echoed by Pope            Doctrine of the Church explains:
           Benedict XVI in Caritas in Veritate. As
           he explains:                                  God freely confers being and life
                                                         on everything that exists. Man

                                                              The Cry of the Earth        · 13
and woman, created in his image            ‘The World is charged with the
   and likeness, are for that very            grandeur of God.’
   reason called to be the visible                Acknowledging God’s presence
   sign and the effective instrument          revealed through the wonder of all
   of divine gratuitousness in                living things has also been a strong
   the garden where God has                   theme in the Celtic spiritual tradition.
   placed them as cultivators and             It has featured dominantly in Irish
   custodians of the goods of                 poetry.
   creation. (n. 26)

This call on us to be stewards for all life
is made again and again throughout
the scriptures. Central to the Noah
story (Gn 11-9:17), for example, is God’s             I see his blood upon the rose
commandment to Noah to conserve
nature by taking two of every kind into
                                                      And in the stars, the glory of his eyes,
the ark (Gn 6:19). Later, after the flood,            His Body gleams amid eternal snows,
when God renews the covenant it is
                                                      His tears fall from the skies.
not merely with humankind, but with
all creation: ‘I am now establishing my
covenant with you and with all your                   I see his face in every flower;
descendants to come, and with every
living creature that was with you …                   The thunder and the singing of the birds
everything that came out of the ark’                  Are but his voice – and carven by his power
(Gn 9:10).
    Scripture also witnesses to God’s                 Rocks are his written words.
wisdom embedded in the earth
(Job 38:2). In the psalms we look at
the earth’s wonders and praise our                    All pathways by his feet are worn,
Creator (Ps 148). The belief that the                 His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea,
earth reflects the goodness, beauty,
wisdom and power of God to us is                      His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn,
firmly rooted in biblical tradition.                  His cross is every tree.
    In a sermon to agriculturalists,
Saint John Paul II said: ‘Within the
movement of nature, tranquil and                      		                                 Joseph Mary Plunkett
silent but rich in life, there continues
to palpitate the original delight of
the Creator.’ The poet Gerard Manley
Hopkins expressed it in these words:

14 ·   The Cry of the Earth
CREATION AS THE WORK OF THE                         The Kingdom of God that Jesus          and Giver of Life, is inspiring people
HOLY TRINITY                                    preached envisaged a world where           in our age to dedicate themselves to
We believe that this good and                   peace, justice and human well-being        serve others and, in the words of the
beautiful universe has been brought             would be promoted and celebrated           well-known prayer to the Holy Spirit,
forth by the community of love that is          (Is 35:1-7; Mk 1:14-15). We know           to ‘renew the face of the earth’.
the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy            that human well-being cannot be                The Spirit calls us to hear what we
Spirit. Creation itself is an act of Divine     achieved if the life systems of the        might describe poetically as the ‘cry of
love. It is given to us as a free gift. Saint   world are irreversibly damaged,            the earth’ and to give it a central place
Paul writes that ‘all things were created       because healthy creatures cannot           in our discipleship of Jesus today. This
through him and for him. He is before           survive on a sick planet.                  in turn challenges us to look again at
all things and in him all things hold               The resurrection of Christ is          our attitude to wealth, to economic
together’ (Col 1:16-17). Saint Athanasius       the beginning of a new creation            growth and how we distribute and
(296–373) expands on this theme when            (2 Cor 5:17-19). Through the reality       consume the good of this earth.
he writes that ‘the Father creates all          of the resurrection all matter is              In the words of Pope Benedict
things through the Word in the Spirit;          transformed and taken up into the          XVI in Caritas in Veritate: ‘[W]hat
for where the Word is there is the Spirit       life of the Trinity. In the words of the   is needed is an effective shift in
also and things created through the             Compendium of the Social Doctrine          mentality which can lead to the
Word have their being from the Spirit           of the Church: ‘The entrance of Jesus      adoption of new lifestyles in which the
by means of the Word’.3                         Christ into the history of the world       quest for truth, beauty, goodness and
    In the incarnation we believe that          reaches its culmination in the Paschal     communion with others for the sake
God entered into the material world             Mystery, where nature itself takes         of common growth are the factors
in a unique manner in the person                part in the drama of the rejection         which determine consumer choices,
of Jesus Christ. He fully identified            of the Son of God and in the victory       savings and investments’ (n. 51).
himself with our humanity and thus              of the Resurrection’ (n. 454). Saint           In his 1990 World Day of Peace
with all creation. The importance               Paul states that ‘God was in Christ        message, Saint John Paul II also
of nature in the life of Jesus is               reconciling the world to himself’          reflected on the link between
highlighted in a particular way in St           (Col 1:20). The Easter preface in the      certain approaches to affluence and
Mark’s Gospel. The Spirit led Jesus             Roman Missal echoes this belief            ecological devastation and human
into the wilderness, Mark tells us,             when it proclaims: ‘In Him a new age       deprivation:
‘where wild beasts and angels looked            has dawned, the long reign of sin
after him’ (Mk 1:12 and 13). It was             is ended, a broken world has been             Modern society will find no
during his sojourn in the desert that           renewed and man is once again                 solution to the ecological problem
Jesus came to full awareness of the             made whole.’                                  unless it takes a serious look at
messianic ministry he was called                    The resurrection is also a cosmic         its lifestyle. In many parts of the
to embrace. St John sums up the                 sign of hope. All creation is united          world society is given to instant
mission of Jesus when he writes, ‘I             in Christ and, therefore, has a future        gratification and consumerism
have come that they may have life,              in God. This hope is anchored in the          while remaining indifferent to
and have it to the full’ (Jn 10:10).            presence of the Spirit in our world.          the damage which these cause
                                                We believe that the Spirit, whom we           … If an appreciation of the value
3. St Athanasius, Epistle to Seraphim, 3.4.     confess in the Creed to be the Lord           of the human person and human

                                                                                                   The Cry of the Earth        · 15
Saint John Paul ii was convinced
  that humans could build a
  civilisation of love if we harnessed
  these values of simplicity, not only
  in our personal relationship with
  God and nature, but also in our
  relationship with each other.

16 ·   The Cry of the Earth
life is lacking, we will also lose           In such an economy, self-sacrifice             skills of farming, milling, baking and
   interest in others and the earth         would no longer be an unpopular                    winemaking. In the Eucharist we give
   itself. Simplicity, moderation and       concept. Such restraint and self-                  thanks to God for the blessings of
   discipline, as well as a spirit of       sacrifice would remind us that we                  both creation and redemption. As
   sacrifice, must become part of           are more than what we possess in                   the bread and wine are transformed
   everyday life, lest all suffer the       terms of material goods. It may even               into the body and blood of Christ for
   negative consequence of the              contribute to a better quality of life,            our nourishment, we are challenged
   careless habits of a few. (n. 13)        with people having more time to                    to promote this harmony between
                                            spend with family and friends, to                  humans and the rest of creation by
True stewardship, therefore, requires       make volunteer commitments to                      the way we live our lives.
a conversion of heart and a change of       their local community and engage in                    There is nothing new in this
attitude. Our Christian faith has always    health-promoting activity. A simpler               approach: the celebration of
placed great value on the virtue of self-   lifestyle may also be a less stressful             the Eucharist in the early church
control and moderation in the use of        lifestyle, making inner contentment                emphasised the importance of
material goods. As well as promoting        and peace more possible.                           the created world. For example,
an internal spiritual and moral                 Saint John Paul II was convinced               the liturgy associated with St Basil
freedom, a life less focused on material    that we could build a civilisation of              (330–379) used language and prayers
gain and conspicuous consumption            love if we harnessed these values of               about the gathering of the grain for
would contribute to a more just and         simplicity, not only in our personal               the making of bread and the activity
sustainable world economy.                  relationship with God and nature, but              of viniculture for making the wine.
   The power of Trinitarian                 also in our relationship with each other.          The bread ‘which earth has given and
love is captured by the                         In the words of Pope Benedict XVI:             human hands have made’ and the
poet Patrick Kavanagh in ‘The Great         ‘Every violation of solidarity and civic           wine which is ‘fruit of the vine and
Hunger’:                                    friendship harms the environment, just             work of human hands’ are changed
                                            as environmental deterioration in turn             into the very substance of the
                                            upsets relations in society’ (CV, n. 51).          crucified but risen and glorified body
Yet sometimes when the                          The celebration of the Eucharist               of the New Creation.
    sun comes through a gap                 also challenges us to share the
These men know God the                      goods of the earth with everyone,                  KEY ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
                                            especially the poor, and to be                     In recent years we have become more
    Father in a tree:
                                            concerned for the well-being of all                aware that we cannot have life to
The Holy Spirit is the rising               creation. In the Eucharist we do not               the full on a plundered, polluted and
    sap,                                    use raw wheat or grape juice, but                  ailing planet. While climate change is
And Christ will be the green                bread and wine, which involve a co-                a technical, scientific and economic
    leaves that will come                   operative relationship between the                 issue, it is also a moral one. The core
                                            fruitfulness of the earth and human                of the moral issue is that actions
At Easter from the sealed
    and guarded tomb.4                      4. The lines from ‘The Great Hunger’ by Patrick Kavanagh are reprinted from Collected Poems,
                                               edited by Antoinette Quinn (Allen Lane, 2004), by kind permission of the Trustees of the Estate of
                                               the late Katherine B. Kavanagh, through the Jonathan Williams Literary Agency.

                                                                                                         The Cry of the Earth             · 17
which we take today can undermine        question of energy consumption in          In the light of the more recent
the well-being of millions of people     particular:                                reports from the Intergovernmental
now, especially the poor, and                                                       Panel on Climate Change, we
condemn further generations to live          What is also needed is a               therefore support the position taken
in an inhospitable world.                    worldwide redistribution of energy     by the European Union to aim to
   ‘Action on a global scale as
   Catholic moral tradition and social
doctrine, based on the revelation
                                             resources, so that countries
                                             lacking those resources can have
                                                                                    keep temperature rises below a
                                                                                    2 degrees Celsius rise above pre-
   well as action at the local and
of God’s love for all creation in the
scriptures and on the inherent
                                             access to them. The fate of those
                                             countries cannot be left in the
                                                                                    industrial levels. We share the hope
                                                                                    of others who have a concern for the
   personal level can make a critical
dignity of every person, offer a
number of core principles that can
                                             hand of whoever is the first to
                                             claim the spoils, or whoever is able
                                                                                    future viability of the earth that a
                                                                                    new international treaty to reduce
   contribution to the development
guide our response to the challenge          to prevail over the rest … everyone    greenhouse gas emissions will be
of climate change. These include:            must responsibly recognise the         agreed at the forthcoming United
   of a just and responsible human           impact they will have on future        Nations Framework Convention
The Common Good                              generations, particularly the          on Climate Change Conference,
   ecology.’
The earth is our common home.                many young people in the poorer        which will take place in Paris in
We are intimately interconnected             nations, who ask to assume their       December 2015. We encourage Irish
with one another and with all the            active part in the construction of a   government representatives to
life-systems of the planet. Humans– Cardinal better world.Seán
                                                            (n. 49) Brady           strengthen their commitment to
are part of, and have a unique                                                      these vital international agreements
responsibility for, the interaction       As we explained in our pastoral letter    and to agree legally binding limits for
between all living creatures and          Towards the Global Common Good:           greenhouse gas emissions that will
the atmosphere, land and water.                                                     enable us to keep global temperature
Actions which undermine this                 Nations which embrace such             rises below 2 degrees Celsius. With
well-being, such as the unnecessary          solidarity soon recognise that         many others around the world we
and excessive burning of fossil              commitment to the common good          hope and pray that the political
fuel, have to be evaluated in light          requires a change of mindset. It       leaders meeting in Paris in December
of our responsibility for the global         requires going beyond a model of       2015 will take the courageous
common good. ‘The common good                international relations in which       decisions needed to fulfil ‘our grave
of society is not an end in itself;          nations seek their own advantage       duty to hand the earth on to future
it has value only in reference to            often at the expense of others, to     generations in such a condition that
attaining the ultimate ends of the           one in which national advantage        they too can worthily inhabit and
person and the universal common              will sometimes be limited by the       continue to cultivate it’ (CV, n. 50).
good of the whole of creation’               need to find common solutions              There are important moral
(Compendium, n. 170).                        to common problems. This in turn       dimensions to the criteria which
    In Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict    requires a spirit of co-operation      will be used for allocating global
XVI emphasises this principle of the         and a willingness to sacrifice         emissions targets among nations
‘universal common good’, highlighting        short-term gains, or even national     in the future. Care must be taken to
the need for greater global solidarity       interest, for the sake of the global   ensure that the most economically,
and civic friendship around the              common good. (n. 4)                    politically or militarily powerful

18 ·   The Cry of the Earth
‘Action on a global scale as
well as action at the local and
personal level can make a critical
The earth is our common home.
contribution to the development
We are intimately interconnected
of a just and responsible human
to one another and with all the
ecology.’
lifesystems of the planet.
                – Cardinal Seán Brady

                      The Cry of the Earth   · 19
The Creator gave the earth to the
  whole human race. Each person is
  therefore entitled to have access
  to what he or she needs in order to
  live and develop.

20 ·   The Cry of the Earth
nations of the world are not in a         In the words of the Compendium            Graziano da Silva, whom I had
position to take advantage of those       of the Social Doctrine of the Church:     occasion to meet at the beginning
countries that have fewer resources.      ‘The climate is a good that must be       of my ministry as Bishop of Rome.
Christians across the world have a        protected and reminds consumers           On that occasion he made it clear
vital role in forming the conscience      and those engaged in industrial           to me that the situation worldwide
of their governments on this issue.       activity to develop a greater sense       is particularly difficult, not only
    In the race to secure the             of responsibility for their behaviour’    because of the economic crisis but
diminishing amount of fossil fuel         (n. 470). Governments, industry and       also due to problems associated
and other resources in the world,         individuals have a responsibility         with security, the great number of
we must ensure that the poor are          to promote and protect the                continuing conflicts, climate change
not trampled under foot.                  environment. ‘God gave the earth          and the preservation of biological
                                          to the whole human race for the           diversity.’
The Universal Destination of the sustenance of all its members,
Goods of the Earth                        without excluding or favouring            Subsidiarity
God, the Creator, gave the earth to       anyone. This is the foundation of the     This principle holds that each person
the whole human race. Each person         universal destination of the earth’s      or group should take the appropriate
is therefore entitled to have access to goods’ (Compendium, n. 171).                action at a personal or local level
what he or she needs in order to live         The universal destination of goods    when addressing an issue common
and develop.                              requires a common effort to obtain        to all. In our earlier pastoral letter,
    Pope Paul VI emphasised this truth for every person and for all peoples         Towards the Global Common Good,
when he reminded us that:                 the conditions necessary for integral     we wrote that, where climate
                                          development, so that everyone can         change was concerned, ‘it is a moral
    God intended the earth and            contribute to making a more humane        imperative that the measures set
    everything in it for the use of all   and sustainable world. In the words       out in the National Climate Change
    human beings and peoples. Thus,       of the Compendium, this ‘requires         Strategy 2000 are implemented
    under the leadership of justice       that the poor, the marginalised and in    with greater speed’. All of us have
    and in the company of charity,        all cases those whose living conditions   our part to play in implementing that
    created goods should flow fairly      interfere with their proper growth        strategy: homes, schools, seminaries
    to all. All other rights, whatever    should be the focus of particular         and theological institutes, parishes,
    they may be, including the rights     concern. To this end, the preferential    businesses and governments. In this
    of property and free trade, are to    option for the poor should be             pastoral reflection we renew that
    be subordinated to this principle.    reaffirmed in all its force’ (n. 182).    appeal. As part of this document we
    They should in no way hinder it; in       In an address to the Food and         have outlined practical steps that
    fact, they should actively facilitate Agriculture Organisation (fao) in         every individual, family and parish can
    its implementation. Redirecting       Rome on 20 June 2013, Pope Francis        take to help achieve this objective.
    these rights back to their original   made a very clear connection                 We also said in Towards the Global
    purpose must be regarded as an        between climate change and food           Common Good that ‘whether it is
    important and urgent social duty. security in the world’s poorest               the type of energy we use to heat
    (Populorum Progressio, n. 22)         countries. He said: ‘I greet the          our homes, the method we use to
                                          Director-General, Professor José          dispose of our waste, or the form

                                                                                           The Cry of the Earth        · 21
of transport we use to get to work,      Distributive Justice                      is sometimes known as the
every decision we make in favour         This principle challenges rich nations,   ‘polluter pays principle’. This
of a more sustainable environment        which over the past 150 years             principle stipulates that those
is a decision in favour of the global    have been responsible for most of         most responsible for causing
common good’ (n. 7).                     the greenhouse gas pollution, to          environmental pollution ought to be
   ‘Action on a global scale as
Solidarity
                                         provide adequate compensation
                                         for any unpreventable climate
                                                                                   held most liable for its consequences.
                                                                                       For example, it is projected that
   well as action at the local and
As Christians we cannot consider
ourselves or our obligations in
                                         change damages they cause. An
                                         example of this principle at work is
                                                                                   Africa, which is responsible for less
                                                                                   than 3 per cent of global greenhouse
   personal level can make a critical
isolation from others or from the
endangered earth and its creatures.
                                         the Adaptation Fund, set up under
                                         the United Nations Framework
                                                                                   gas emissions, will suffer most from
                                                                                   the impact of climate change with
   contribution to the development
Solidarity gives expression to           Convention on Climate Change              more droughts, disrupted water
this interdependence between             (unfccc) to help poor nations adapt       supplies and sea level rises. This
   of a just and responsible human
individuals, the wider human             to climate change that is already         would be a massive injustice to
community and all creation, which        occurring. It is important that           the people and ecosystems of that
   ecology.’
has never been as evident as it          this Adaptation Fund is properly          continent.
is today. But this solidarity is not     resourced. Similarly, resources and           In addition, countries such as
a vague feeling of compassion.           carbon-free technologies must be          Ireland, which are major polluters,
Rather, in the words of Saint John – Cardinal
                                         made availableSeán         Bradyto
                                                           to poor countries       need to drastically cut their carbon
Paul II, it is a ‘firm and persevering   enable them to achieve sustainable        emissions as quickly as possible.
determination to commit oneself to       development without these                 This must involve serious cuts
the common good of all … because         countries having to opt for a carbon-     in greenhouse gas emissions,
we are all really responsible for all’   intensive route to economic growth.       through mandatory caps, carbon
(Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, n. 38).          Unfortunately, our missionaries        taxes and, possibly, cap-and-trade
    This responsibility extends to the   and development workers suggest           programmes. Care is also required
whole of creation and to all the finely  to us that little of substance is         regarding policies of switching areas
balanced life systems of our world,      happening in this vital area of           of agriculture to biofuel production.
which may be threatened by even          making clean, non-carbon based            There is a fundamental moral
marginal changes in the earth’s climate technologies available to people in        dilemma to be faced in any policy
and by human behaviour. This includes developing nations.                          that involves burning food crops
having a humane and responsible             In the words of Pope Benedict          to supply energy for the rich and
attitude towards the well-being and      XVI: ‘The technologically advanced        developing nations of the world,
sustainability of other species. As Pope societies can and must lower their        when hundreds of millions of people
Benedict XVI points out: ‘Just as human domestic energy consumption,               are suffering from hunger.
virtues are interrelated, such that the  either through an evolution in                Similarly, ‘[T]he hoarding of
weakening of one places others at risk, manufacturing methods or through           resources, especially water, can
so the ecological system is based on     greater ecological sensitivity among      generate serious conflicts among
a plan that affects both the health of   their citizens’ (CV, n. 49).              the peoples involved. Peaceful
society and its good relationship with      A key dimension of distributive        agreement about the use of resources
nature’ (CV, n. 51).                     justice in this context is what           can protect nature and, at the same

22 ·   The Cry of the Earth
‘Action on a global scale as
The European epa’s document,
well as action at the local and
Transport and Environment:
personal level can make a critical
Facing a Dilemma 2006, confirmed
contribution to the development
that transport emissions in
of a just and responsible human
Ireland had increased faster than
ecology.’
any other country in Europe.
               – Cardinal Seán Brady

                      The Cry of the Earth   · 23
In 1979, Saint John Paul II
  proclaimed St Francis of Assisi as
  the patron saint of ecology.

24 ·   The Cry of the Earth
time, the well-being of the societies    of their children or grandchildren     Summit in Rio De Janeiro in 1992. As
concerned’ (CV, n. 51).                  and ask themselves if the way this     a result, 154 nations signed the un
    ‘The protection of the               generation is using fossil fuels       Framework Convention on Climate
environment, of resources and of         or managing the other precious         Change. No mandatory limits on
the climate obliges all international    resources of the planet is going to    carbon emissions were set at this
leaders to act jointly and to show       have a detrimental effect on the       stage. This did not happen until the
a readiness to work in good faith,       lives of future generations, the       meeting at Kyoto in Japan in 1997.
respecting the law and promoting         answer can only be yes. Failure to act     Even though the ipcc scientists
solidarity with the weakest regions      now could cause immense suffering      said that greenhouse gas emissions
of the planet’ (CV, n. 50).              for future generations.                needed to be cut by between 80–95
    Many people believe that religions       This principle is closely connectedper cent within the next thirty-five
have much to contribute when it          to the precautionary principle and     years to stabilise the global climate,
comes to educating people about the      the virtue of prudence. We need        countries have not been willing to
reality of climate change. Recently,     to take action now to ensure the       put global needs beyond national
Christiana Figueres – the Costa          viability of the earth for future      self interest. Several failed attempts
Rican diplomat who is the Executive      generations. It is ‘incumbent upon     to legislate for reductions in Irish
Secretary of the unfccc – called on      the competent authorities to make      greenhouse gas emissions have now
religious leaders to speak out on        every effort to ensure that the        occurred and no mid-century targets
climate change. She pointed out that     economic and social costs of using     are contained in the current draft
the traditional corporal works of        up shared environmental resources      law going through the Oireachtas.
mercy – such as overcoming poverty,      are recognised with transparency       International commitments bind
caring for the sick, feeding the         and fully borne by those who incur     Ireland to reducing its greenhouse
hungry – will become more difficult      them, not by other peoples or future   gas emissions by 20 per cent
in a climate changed world.              generations’ (CV, n. 50).              compared with 2005 within the next
                                                                                six years. Failure to do so may result
Intergenerational Justice                HONOURING INTERNATIONAL                in fines and a further burden on the
Climate change points to the ethical     COMMITMENTS                            hard-pressed taxpayer. Currently
issues involved in inter-generational    Many of these principles, drawn from Ireland has one of the highest per
justice. ‘Projects for integral          Catholic moral tradition and Social    capita greenhouse gas emission
development,’ Pope Benedict XVI          Doctrine, are reflected in various     rates in Europe and the latest data
reminds us, ‘cannot ignore coming        international agreements which         does not indicate that the required
generations, but need to be marked       have been made on climate change       reductions are occurring.
by solidarity and inter-generational     since 1990.                                We all have a responsibility
justice, while taking into account           Since climate change affects every to ensure that meeting our
a variety of contexts: ecological,       part of the earth, adherence to these international targets and developing
juridical, economic, political and       international agreements is critical   more environmentally sensitive ways
cultural’ (CV, n. 48).                   if the challenge of climate change     to progress our economy remains
    At a concrete level this issue       is to be addressed. Climate change     a key collective priority for each of
is very clear. When parents or           figured frequently in the speeches     us as well as for government policy.
grandparents look into the eyes          of the heads of state at the Earth     Special pleading, or seeking to get

                                                                                        The Cry of the Earth      · 25
the rules relaxed to suit us, is not          linked to our duties towards the        creation – animate and inanimate
the way to go as each country can             human person, considered in             – which, with the exception of the
identify particular emission sectors          himself and in relation to others. It   Celtic saints, is probably unique
as a special case.                            would be wrong to uphold one set        in the whole European Christian
                                              of duties while trampling on the        tradition.
DEVELOPMENT AND                               other. (CV, n. 51)
ENVIRONMENT                                                                           RESPECT FOR CREATION IN IRISH
Ireland has a proud record                 ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI                       CHRISTIAN TRADITION
of missionaries as well as                 A model and source of inspiration          Celtic saints such as Patrick,
development personnel working              for many in their Christian vocation       Bridget, Ciarán, Gobnait, Kevin, Imy,
to alleviate poverty in many               towards the environment is St              Columba and Colomban were very
countries across the world. We             Francis of Assisi. In 1979, St John        sensitive to the presence of God
realise that sometimes, in the             Paul II proclaimed St Francis of Assisi    in creation. Many legends grew up
past, development was promoted             the patron saint of ecology. Three         around Colomban, especially at the
without taking due account of              years later, on 28 March 1982, World       monastery in Luxeuil in eastern
its impact on the environment.             Ecology Day, John Paul II wrote that       France. Squirrels and doves were
Concern for development and                St Francis ought to be an example          pictured playing in the folds of his
environmental protection must              for Catholics today, ‘not to behave        cowl. Birds also approached him and
go hand-in-hand. The focus that            like dissident predators where             nestled in the palms of his hands.
Trócaire, the Irish Catholic Agency        nature is concerned, but to assume         Even wild beasts were said to have
for World Development and many             responsibility for it, taking all care     obeyed his commands. In his sermon
Irish missionary communities have          so that everything stays healthy           ‘Concerning the Faith’ he wrote, ‘If
placed on climate change in recent         and integrated, so as to offer a           you wish to understand the Creator,
years will continue into the future        welcoming and friendly environment         learn about his creatures.’
as a vital part of the Irish Christian     even to those who succeed us’.                 In the Celtic tradition, creation
contribution to integral human                 Francis did not look at the natural    itself and each creature, however
development.                               world from a utilitarian perspective.      small, testfies to God as the source
    As Pope Benedict XVI points out,       He did not see it as merely providing      of all life. This was also a dominant
the road to authentic and integral         food, clothing and shelter for             theme in the life of another great
human development implies a                humans. Rather, his response to the        Celtic and Franciscan theologian,
concern for the overall moral tenor        gift of creation was joy, wonder,          Blessed John Duns Scotus. In 2008,
of society:                                praise and gratitude. One of the           we celebrated the 700th anniversary
                                           great legacies of Francis is that he       of his death in ad 1308. For Scotus,
   The book of nature is one and           expanded the concept of ‘neighbour’        the universe was so wondrous as to
   indivisible: it takes in not only       to include not only the human race,        be compared to a beautiful canticle,
   the environment but also life,          but the whole of creation and its          a symphony of joy and harmony.
   sexuality, marriage, the family,        creatures.
   social relations: in a word, integral       In his ‘Canticle of the Creatures’,
   human development. Our duties           Francis shows a kinship with and
   towards the environment are             deep insight into the heart of all

26 ·   The Cry of the Earth
I arise today:              Christ in the heart of
in vast might, invocation      every person, who may
    of the Trinity,            think of me!
belief in a Threeness       Christ in the mouth of
confession of Oneness          everyone, who may
meeting in the Creator.        speak to me!
                            Christ in every eye, which
I arise today:                 may look on me!
might of Heaven             Christ in every ear, which
brightness of Sun              may hear me!
whiteness of Snow
splendour of Fire           I arise today:
speed of Light              in vast might, invocation
swiftness of Wind               of the Trinity
depth of Sea                belief in a Threeness
stability of Earth          confession of Oneness
firmness of Rock.           meeting in the Creator.

Christ with me,                                   From
Christ before me,             ‘The Lorica of St Patrick’
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ under me,
Christ over me,
Christ to right of me,
Christ to left of me,
Christ in lying down,
Christ in sitting,
Christ in rising up,

                                The Cry of the Earth   · 27
IS THERE HOPE?                            us all to a lifestyle which is more         work opportunities will present
Is there hope? The Fourth                 sustainable.’                               themselves as we move from a
Assessment of the ipcc, published in          Yet in the midst of this crisis there   carbon-intensive economy to a low
May 2007, claims there is hope. The       is also a wonderful opportunity. It is      carbon one. Ireland is ideally situated
report argues that the world has          an opportunity to create a more just        for researching, developing and
the technology and wealth to act          and sustainable world, to develop a         implementing alternative sources
decisively to stop global warming.        more simple and balanced style of           of energy from wind, waves and the
Extreme climate change can be             life. In short, it is an opportunity to     tidal movement of the sea.
avoided, but it is clear that if we are   become more Christ-like, especially             Responding to climate change
to act prudently, in the interests        in our attitude to the poor and to the      will also provide opportunities for
of future generations, serious            goods of this earth.                        working with other Christians and
and concerted action involving                Catholics can rejoice in the            people of other faiths as we confront
governments, businesses, scientists,      fact that the Holy See is taking            together a problem that will affect
theologians, inventors and all sectors    a leadership role in promoting              everyone, especially the poor.
of civil society must begin now.          environmental awareness. Every                  However, time is running out.
    It is clear from the Fourth           Catholic institution, diocese, parish       We need to act now for ourselves,
Assessment report of the ipcc that        and school should follow this good          for future generations and for the
we are at a critical moment in the        example by measuring their current          integrity of God’s creation. We ‘must
history of our planet. The potential      carbon footprint over coming                defend not only earth, water and
implications of climate change are        months and then devising ways of            air as gifts of creation that belong
such that it can be aptly described       reducing their use of carbon by a           to everyone. [We] must above
as a crisis. If this generation fails     specific amount per annum.                  all protect mankind from self-
to tackle climate change, then it is          The challenges posed by                 destruction’ (CV, n. 51).
unlikely that any future generation       environmental sustainability
will be able to undo the damage.          and climate change also provide
Every human being and every               an opportunity to build a more
creature in successive generations        peaceful, just and sustainable
will suffer. As Cardinal Seán Brady       human society while, at the same
said in his Christmas message for         time, protecting crucial ecosystems
2007: ‘Then there is the challenge of     across the globe. It opens up the
global warming and climate change.        possibilities for bringing forth a
The future of children born in            new civilisation of love, based on
Bethlehem, Belfast, Dublin or Dubai       solidarity, where the needs of others,
this day is by no means certain           especially the poor, are met and
unless we alter our behaviour             humanity develops a new love and
towards the environment as a              respect for the earth and all the
matter of urgency. The simplicity         peoples of the earth.
of the stable into which the Son              If this happens, many of the
of God was born should challenge          changes will be positive. New

28 ·   The Cry of the Earth
God, our Creator,
You have given us
the earth,
and the sky and the seas.

Show us the way
to care for the earth,
not just for today
but for ages to come.
Let no plan or work
of ours damage
or destroy
the beauty
of your creation.

Send forth your spirit
to direct us,
to care for the earth
and all creation.
Amen.

     The Cry of the Earth   · 29
Proclaiming this Message in
                              Parishes

                              The primary objective of this             of the world’s poorest people
                              pastoral letter is to reconnect           (www.trocaire.org).
                              us with our responsibilities as         ttForm a study group who,
                              stewards of the earth, entrusted to       together, might pray and study
                              us by our Creator. It is not enough       resources such as this Cry of
                              to assume that climate justice is         the Earth pastoral letter, the
                              a matter for hierarchy or leaders         parish pastoral programme
                              alone. Instead, each parish and           that supports it, as well as Pope
                              community of believers must own           Francis’ new encyclical.
                              this injustice and play our part        ttGather a group of like-minded
                              in prayer, solidarity and action          people and set up a social justice
                              towards a solution for the common         group in your parish that would
                              good.                                     focus from time to time on
                                 There are a number of ways             environmental/ecological issues.
                              in which we can integrate an            ttSet up a social justice group in
                              environmental message into our            your diocese.
                              parish, rituals and daily communal      ttSuggest that your local parish
                              and personal lives. These might           pastoral council should have
                              include setting up a group in the         an environmental officer as
                              parish to study the bishops’ pastoral     a permanent role on their
                              reflection.                               committee.
                                 The following resources may be       ttHold a parish Novena/Mission
                              helpful:                                  during September/October
                                                                        focused upon the theme of
                              ttTrócaire has produced a                 ‘Creation & Climate Justice’.
                                pastoral resource to accompany        ttRe-think how your parish might
                                this pastoral letter. For more          celebrate the theme of ‘harvest’
                                information please see Trócaire’s       (include the voice of farmers and
                                website for more stories and            people overseas as an example,
                                information on how climate              and consider how climate change
                                change is already affecting some        is affecting their lives).

30 ·   The Cry of the Earth
You can also read