‘AS stewards of God’s creation, we are called to make the earth a beautiful garden for the human family. When we destroy our forests, ravage our soil and pollute our seas, we betray that noble calling.”
This was the reminder of Pope Francis to the Filipino faithful in his undelivered speech during his youth encounter at the University of Santo Tomas, a copy of which was distributed to the media at the Vatican Media Center at Diamond Hotel in Manila.
“This is not only because this country, more than many others, is likely to be seriously affected by climate change. You are called to care for creation, not only as responsible citizens, but also as followers of Christ,” Pope Francis said, as he urged the youth to think about “the moral dimension of our activities and lifestyles, our consumption and our use of the Earth’s resources.”
Environment Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje said the Filipino people should take the cue from Francis, whose pitch is “an important signal of encouragement” that should rally the people to take action to the potential impacts of climate change.
“He surely adds a strong voice to global efforts to combat climate change,” Paje said.
He said all Filipinos should heed the call of the pope to “act with respect toward nature.”
“We must learn to nurture and safeguard, and not exploit nature. As Pope Francis said, never destroy God’s creation because if we do, it will destroy us in the end,” he said.
Respect for the environment, the pontiff said, means more than simply using cleaner products or recycling what is being used. “These are important aspects, but not enough. We need to see, with the eyes of faith, the beauty of God’s saving plan, the link between the natural environment and the dignity of the human person,” he said.
Citing the verse from the book of Genesis 1:26-28, Francis added, “Men and women are made in the image and likeness of God, and given dominion over creation.”
The pope recalled that, three months ago, the bishops in the Philippines addressed these issues in a prophetic pastoral letter, asking everyone to think about the moral dimension of our activities and lifestyles, our consumption and our use of the Earth’s resources.
“Today, I ask you to do this in the context of your own lives and your commitment to the building of Christ’s kingdom, he said.”
“Dear young people, the just use and stewardship of the earth’s resources is an urgent task, and you have an important contribution to make. You are the future of the Philippines. Be concerned about what is happening to your beautiful land,” the pope said. The pontiff visited Tacloban City on January 17 amid heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Amang (international code name Mekkhala), the first typhoon to hit the country this year.
Tacloban was the ground zero of Supertyphoon Yolanda (international code name Haiyan), which killed at least 6,000 people, lefts 4 millions homeless and displace people when it struck on November 8, 2013.
Paje said: “The decision of Pope Francis to speak for environmental conservation and awareness is an absolutely inspiring act that makes him an influential protector of the planet.” The pontiff, who adopted the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, has brought environmental issues to the forefront since he was elected as leader of the Catholic Church nearly two years ago.
At his inauguration in March 2013, the pope immediately called all people “to respect God’s gift of creation and to exercise wise stewardship of its resources for the benefit of the whole human family,” Paje noted. According to reports, the pope’s long-awaited encyclical on the environment was almost finished and that he hoped it would be published in June, ahead of a United Nations meeting on climate change in Paris, France, in November.
Francis’s five-day state and pastoral visit to the Philippines started on January 15. He flew back to Rome last Monday from Villamor Air Base onboard Shepherd One.
Claudette Mocon-Ciriaco and Jonathan L. Mayuga
Image credits: Alysa Salen