As the Holy Father continues his reflections in the fourth chapter of his encyclical Caritas in Veritate he focuses attention on the ecological challenges and opportunities for the world. “Today the subject of development is…closely related to the duties arising from our relationship to the natural environment. The environment is God’s gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole. When nature, including the human being, is viewed as the result of mere chance or evolutionary determinism, our sense of responsibility wanes. In nature, the believer recognizes the wonderful result of God’s creative activity, which we may use responsibly to satisfy our legitimate needs, material or otherwise, while respecting the intrinsic balance of creation. If this vision is lost, we end up either considering nature an untouchable taboo or, on the contrary, abusing it. Neither attitude is consonant with the Christian vision of nature as the fruit of God’s creation.” (48) The distance between the believer and non-believer is quite wide in terms of attitude towards creation. The Knights of Columbus, for example, published a beautiful poster recently. They noted the number of species protected by civil law while the unborn human being is not and indeed, is always in danger in the womb. On the other hand, several well-meaning and yet misguided organizations went to deny any hierarchy of nature and consider the rights of animals as equal to those of men and women. It is a sad truth that whenever man dismisses God’s creative presence dysfunctional thinking enters in. Questions of propriety go unanswered as the ego of humanity strives to be the infallible and unaccountable authority over the future of the world.

Benedict XVI gives us a much better perspective: “Nature expresses a design of love and truth. It is prior to us, and it has been given to us by God as the setting for our life. Nature speaks to us of the Creator…and His love for humanity. It is destined to be ‘recapitulated’ in Christ at the end of time…This is too a ‘vocation’. Nature is at our disposal not as ‘a heap of scattered refuse’…, but as a gift of the Creator who has given it an inbuilt order, enabling man to draw from it the principles needed in order ‘to till it and keep it’…But it should also be stressed that it is contrary to authentic development to view nature as something more important than the human person. This position leads to attitudes of neo-paganism or a new pantheism –human salvation cannot come from nature alone, understood in a purely naturalistic sense. This having been said, it is also necessary to reject the opposite position, which aims at total technical dominion over nature, because the natural environment is more than raw material to be manipulated at our pleasure; it is a wondrous work of the Creator containing a ‘grammar’ which sets forth ends and criteria for its wise use, not its reckless exploitation. Today much harm is done to development precisely as a result of these distorted notions. Reducing nature merely to a collection of contingent data ends up doing violence to the environment and even encouraging activity that fails to respect human nature itself. Our nature constituted not only by matter but also by spirit, and as such, endowed with transcendent meaning and aspirations, is also normative for culture. Human beings interpret and shape the natural environment through culture, which in turn is given direction by the responsible use of freedom, in accordance with the dictates of the moral law. Consequently, projects for integral human development cannot ignore coming generations, but need to be marked by solidarity and inter-generational justice while taking into account a variety of contexts: ecological, juridical, economic, political and cultural.” (Ibid.) Many speakers in various areas of endeavor charge their audiences to “take ownership” of whatever they are promoting. In a way our Pontiff is suggesting the same. He desires that we appreciate what we have received from God. He calls us to remember the challenge of Genesis to be good stewards. When we were children the religious women who taught us not only ensured that we understood our faith, could comprehend what we read, and grasp mathematical concepts they urged us to care for our classroom, take care to keep our school clean, and look after the needs of others. Unfortunately, the lessons have at times been forgotten. Even in church, we observe bulletins strewn about. Our highways show the result of careless disposal of products
no longer needed. Not infrequently we see abandoned animals in our community. Perhaps these practices might seem minor but they certainly exhibit attitudes which are not helpful on a local or universal stage. As I was reading this papal document I regret to say that in the level of discourse in this modern era its publication will be ignored because it does not fit neatly into thirty second sound bites. Additionally, instead of encouraging rational discussion, some will seek some advantage by fitting it into their political agenda. It is my prayer that many more will see in this work the successful integration of science, philosophy and theology.

In the wake of recent commodity prices soaring in oil markets the Pope’s comments are most apt. “Questions linked to the care and preservation of the environment today need to give due consideration to the energy problem. The fact that some States, power groups and companies hoard non-renewable energy resources represents a grave obstacle to development in poor countries. Those countries lack the economic means either to gain access to existing sources of non-renewable energy or to finance research into new alternatives. The stockpiling of natural resources, which in many cases are found in the poor countries themselves, gives rise to exploitation and frequent conflicts between and within nations. These conflicts are often fought…with a heavy toll of death, destruction and further decay. The international community has an urgent duty to find institutional means of regulating the exploitation of non-renewable resources; involving poor countries in the process, in order to plan together for the future.” (49)

As the end of summer comes, may you enjoy rest in the Lord.

Vivat Jesus,

Fr. Brian