Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - “From the first pages Scripture speaks of God as Creator, one who made everything out of love … creation is a call to praise God, to bless the Creator, the giver of life … Especially the commandments of the Sabbath, the Sabbath year and the jubilee year remind us that man is not the absolute master of the earth which is given to us as a gift to cultivate and safeguard with fidelity. The New Testament rereads this perspective in the light of the experience of the Risen Lord, discovering in Him the mediator for the whole of creation: through Him all things were made and in Him everything finds meaning and fullness”. This is part of a message issued by the Italian Bishops’ respective Commissions for social problems and labour and justice and peace and for ecumenism and dialogue on the occasion of the first national “Day for Safeguarding Creation”, today 1 September 2006.
For the occasion a handbook was prepared focussing on chapter 10 of the Compendium of the Catholic Social Doctrine which deals with the degradation of the planetary ecosystem, looking at several aspects: various forms of pollution, climate change, water resources crisis, reduction of bio-diversity, etc. Not lacking are references to safeguarding creation as an ecumenical task. “In the plurality of Christian traditions, to believe in God as Creator is a shared theme, on which it is possible to build common thought and reciprocal enrichment - the Message reads -. There opens therefore an important space for dialogue and meeting of Christians of different confessions to which they bring their different sensitivities in view of common growth”. The handbook also gives suggestions on how to celebrate the Day with initiatives of prayer, reflection and rejoicing in order to increase awareness in dioceses and parishes on this theme of major importance for our world today. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 1/9/2006; righe 25, parole 323)
