"We are losing our attitude of wonder, of contemplation, of listening to creation and thus we no longer manage to interpret within it what Benedict XVI calls 'the rhythm of the love-story between God and man.'" Pope Francis shared this comment as a precursor to his May 2015 papal encyclical, Laudato si' (literally “Praise be to you”) defining his profound concern about the ever-growing harm that humanity is doing to our planet.
Just a few days ago, Pope Francis made the extraordinary announcement of a new Work of Mercy, Care for our Common Home. "A moral and spiritual crisis," Pope Francis calls on every person to contemplate and act to reverse the damage to our environment. This new work of mercy is truly a game changer on multiple levels.
It is easy to focus solely on the service side when considering how to practice a work of mercy - the proverbial bandage to fix the wound in the present moment. However, it is also necessary to look at the work that needs to happen in the infrastructure so that the bandages are no longer needed, otherwise, the problem could soon outgrow the resources.
Complementary to both the existing seven corporal and seven spiritual works of mercy, this new work of mercy directs us to both gain a deep knowledge of the problem and take both short- and long-term action. Care for our Common Home calls us to not only respond in service, answering the immediate needs of the earth and our neighbors, but also to look with resolve and dedication to the necessary systemic changes.
As a new work of mercy, we don't have our normal spectrum of people or organizations to look to for existing examples of how to practice this work of mercy. Since this is a radically new way of thinking, we need to look to those who are paving the way to both educate and encourage the rest of us on ways we can begin practicing what Pope Francis has called us to do.
Complementary to both the existing seven corporal and seven spiritual works of mercy, this new work of mercy directs us to both gain a deep knowledge of the problem and take both short- and long-term action. Care for our Common Home calls us to not only respond in service, answering the immediate needs of the earth and our neighbors, but also to look with resolve and dedication to the necessary systemic changes.
As a new work of mercy, we don't have our normal spectrum of people or organizations to look to for existing examples of how to practice this work of mercy. Since this is a radically new way of thinking, we need to look to those who are paving the way to both educate and encourage the rest of us on ways we can begin practicing what Pope Francis has called us to do.
Explicitly mentioned in Pope Francis's September 1 announcement of this new work of mercy was the Archbishop and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians. Truly a leader of groundbreaking work and a representative of new interfaith viewpoints, Bartholomew I has been advancing his ideas on how we must look at our ecological challenges through a spiritual and cultural as well as an economic lens.
The New York Times has nicknamed Patriarch Bartholomew "The Green Patriarch" for his sermons and publications on his views that caring for the environment is a religious imperative. He is well known for bringing together secular experts from the scientific and business communities along with religious experts to explore a common approach to better protect all aspects of our environment. A good example is a recent conference he sponsored featuring of a debate featuring Jane Goodall and other scientists along with theologians on the "urgent need to protect God’s creation from the damage we humans inflict on it with our behavior towards nature."
"Poverty is not caused by the lack of material resources. It is the immediate result of our exploitation and waste. There is a close link between the economy of the poor and the warming of our planet. Conservation and compassion are intimately connected. The web of life is a sacred gift of God — ever so precious, yet ever so delicate. Each of us dwells within the wider ecosystem; each of us is a part of a larger, global environment. We must serve our neighbor and preserve our world with both humility and generosity, in a perspective of frugality and solidarity."
Patriarch Bartholomew is one of few voices counterbalancing the more dominant consumption-oriented messages we all hear from our political and business leaders. He encourages us to separate and distinguish “between what we want and what we need.” His cautionary messages go even further, insisting that in order to live a moral life, we must not sin against other people but also not to harm all parts of our planet. As with any spiritual trailblazer, especially in a highly secularized world, Patriarch Bartholomew's words still have many miles to go to be broadly shared and adopted, let alone become a regular practice of his own followers. Pope Francis's encyclical and new work of mercy have now elevated this conversation to a worldwide effort.
Care for our Common Home also reveals how caring for our planet is especially urgent when we look at how it impacts the most needy. The Catholic Climate Covenant works through education and advocacy to help us form as Catholics to respond to the institutional challenges of caring for our common home. Take some time to look through their site. See what you may not already know. Look particularly at the advocacy components and what you can do to effect institutional change. Spend some time in prayer.
The New York Times has nicknamed Patriarch Bartholomew "The Green Patriarch" for his sermons and publications on his views that caring for the environment is a religious imperative. He is well known for bringing together secular experts from the scientific and business communities along with religious experts to explore a common approach to better protect all aspects of our environment. A good example is a recent conference he sponsored featuring of a debate featuring Jane Goodall and other scientists along with theologians on the "urgent need to protect God’s creation from the damage we humans inflict on it with our behavior towards nature."
"Poverty is not caused by the lack of material resources. It is the immediate result of our exploitation and waste. There is a close link between the economy of the poor and the warming of our planet. Conservation and compassion are intimately connected. The web of life is a sacred gift of God — ever so precious, yet ever so delicate. Each of us dwells within the wider ecosystem; each of us is a part of a larger, global environment. We must serve our neighbor and preserve our world with both humility and generosity, in a perspective of frugality and solidarity."
Patriarch Bartholomew is one of few voices counterbalancing the more dominant consumption-oriented messages we all hear from our political and business leaders. He encourages us to separate and distinguish “between what we want and what we need.” His cautionary messages go even further, insisting that in order to live a moral life, we must not sin against other people but also not to harm all parts of our planet. As with any spiritual trailblazer, especially in a highly secularized world, Patriarch Bartholomew's words still have many miles to go to be broadly shared and adopted, let alone become a regular practice of his own followers. Pope Francis's encyclical and new work of mercy have now elevated this conversation to a worldwide effort.
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