Bishop of Middlesbrough Terence Patrick Drainey today welcomed the Papal Encyclical on the environment by inviting people to share responsibility for the world around us.
Speaking as Pope Francis’ long awaited document was made public, Bishop Terry said we can all make a difference by taking care of the planet and the places where we live.
“Today the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has published an Encyclical Letter entitled Laudato Sii, On the Care of Our Common Home,” Bishop Terry said.
“By means of this letter, addressed to all people of goodwill, he invites us to renew our attention to situations of environmental degradation, but also to the possibility of recovery in everyone’s own areas.
“In it, he prays that all will receive the message and grow in responsibility towards the common home that God has entrusted to us all.
“Very clearly, we see highlighted the link between climate change and the condition of those affected by poverty. In fact, it is the poorest people on our planet who will be most adversely affected by environmental degradation and climate change.
“Pope Francis has on a number of occasions highlighted that the chief cause of poverty is an economic culture that puts money and profit before people.
“We need a whole shift in our attitudes to how we produce and distribute the goods of the earth. In light of this there are a couple of old sayings we can draw upon: ‘Live simply so that others may simply live’ and ‘Think globally, act locally’.
“Pope Francis continues to challenge our present consumerist approach to economic development and challenges us not to link profit with ecological initiatives.
“He may point out that economic development is important, but this shouldn’t put the environment and the wellbeing of people at risk, or trade them off with a kind of utilitarian philosophy or ideology.
“Locally, we see some good initiatives which give some hope and encouragement. While I accept that not everyone will like them, they are at least trying to move in the right direction of creating renewable sources of energy.
“For example, we see wind farms springing up in many places and solar panels on people’s roofs.
“Two of our most recent convents have been built to very strict eco-friendly standards – the Monastery at Wass and Thicket Priory. Many local councils have now adopted the practice of recycling household and garden waste.
“These are only small things, but they are good.”
The timing of the encyclical is significant, with a number of important international events due to take place this year.
“Next month nations will gather for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In September, Pope Francis will address the UN General Assembly, as world leaders meet to agree on a new set of sustainable development goals running until 2030 (the successors to the Millennium Development Goals).
He will then become the first Pope to address the United States Congress. In December, the international community, under the remit of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, will negotiate a new international agreement on slowing and reducing the impacts of climate change in Paris.
Pope Francis has said it is important that there is “time between the issuing of the encyclical and the meeting in Paris, so that it can make a contribution.”
The title of the encyclical, or papal letter, is taken from Saint Francis of Assisi’s famous prayer, ‘The Canticle of Creation.’
The Catholic Church has always emphasised the importance of its teaching on social matters. Since 1967, through five papacies, there have been at least 20 major statements made on climate change and ecology.