San Francisco de As�s y las ense�anzas de la Iglesia sobre el ambiente

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

*Nelson Araque

English Spanish

El 4 de octubre, la Iglesia Cat�lica celebra la fiesta de uno de los santos m�s queridos y famosos: san Francisco de As�s (1182-1226). En 1979, el Papa Juan Pablo II proclam� a san Francisco �santo patrono de la ecolog�a� (Carta Apost�lica Inter Sanctos: AAS 71). El fallecido Papa expres�:

��l ofrece a los cristianos el ejemplo de un respeto aut�ntico y pleno por la integridad de la creaci�n. Amigo de los pobres, amado de las criaturas de Dios, invito a todos -animales, plantas, fuerzas naturales, incluso al hermano Sol y a la hermana Luna- a honrar y alabar al Se�or. El pobre de As�s nos da testimonio de que estando en paz con Dios podemos dedicarnos mejor a construir la paz con toda la creaci�n, la cual es inseparable de la paz entre los pueblos�.

La relaci�n ejemplar de san Francisco con la creaci�n de Dios, en la que cada criatura era sagrada, es un camino a seguir en nuestros d�as. Es un llamado a ser administradores y a cuidar la creaci�n, al reconocer nuestra interconexi�n con ella. San Francisco nos lo presenta al explicar que la mejor manera de alcanzar una paz perdurable es viviendo nuestra vida como parte de la creaci�n, no como si fu�ramos a dominarla y a saquearla. Y su ejemplo de acoger la pobreza material deliberadamente, para estar tanto en solidaridad con los pobres de su �poca y como una manera de vivir en armon�a con la creaci�n, es un modelo a seguir en un mundo donde los recursos son limitados.

En nuestros d�as, la relaci�n ejemplar de san Francisco con la creaci�n de Dios, sirve como modelo para luchar contra el efecto m�s da�ino de la crisis ecol�gica que atravesamos, el cambio clim�tico. La Alianza Cat�lica por el Clima es un esfuerzo apoyado por una docena de organizaciones cat�licas nacionales, entre ellas el Departamento de Justicia, Paz y Desarrollo Humano de la Conferencia de Obispos Cat�licos, y el Programa de Justicia Ambiental de los obispos. A trav�s de su programa de Embajadores Cat�licos del Clima, la Alianza Cat�lica por el Clima ofrece presentaciones sobre las implicaciones morales del cambio clim�tico, consistentes con la ense�anza cat�lica seg�n definida por nuestro Santo Padre en su Mensaje para la Jornada Mundial de la Paz 2010: �Si Deseas Cultivar la Paz, Protege la Creaci�n�, y en la declaraci�n de los obispos cat�licos de los Estados Unidos, "Cambio Clim�tico Global: Llamado al Di�logo, la Prudencia y el Bien Com�n".

Cada embajador se responsabiliza por promover la Promesa de San Francisco de Cuidar la Creaci�n y los Pobres: una promesa y un compromiso por individuos cat�licos, familias, parroquias, organizaciones e instituciones para vivir nuestra fe al proteger la creaci�n de Dios y abogar por quienes viven en la pobreza y enfrentan el mayor impacto del cambio clim�tico global. Para unirse a la Alianza, se comprometen a desempe�ar cada una de las seis partes de la Promesa de San Francisco:

Yo Prometo/Nosotros Prometemos:
� REZAR y reflexionar sobre el deber de cuidar la creaci�n de Dios y proteger a los pobres y vulnerables;
� APRENDER y ense�ar a otros acerca de las causas y las dimensiones morales del cambio clim�tico;
� EVALUAR c�mo cada uno de nosotros, individualmente o en nuestro hogar, centro laboral u otras entidades, est� contribuyendo al cambio clim�tico (consumo y conservaci�n);
� ACTUAR para cambiar nuestras decisiones y comportamientos que contribuyen al cambio clim�tico; y
� DEFENDER las prioridades y los principios cat�licos en los debates y decisiones en torno al cambio clim�tico, especialmente en la medida en que afectan a los pobres y vulnerables.

Si buscan una manera de celebrar la fiesta de san Francisco, les invito a que visiten http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/la-promesa-de-san-francisco. Este es su primer paso para cuidar la creaci�n y a los pobres.

Si desean conocer m�s sobre el programa de embajadores cat�licos del clima, visiten http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/about-us/catholic-climate-ambassadors.

Comments from readers

Evalina Lebron - 10/06/2011 07:04 PM

With all due respect, I think you have fallen into the trap of those who are trying to misguide us about climate changes. I am not a scientist and neither are you. St. Francis would have not preached what you are preaching. We are called to take care of God's creation but we are not the creator's of global warming. It seems to me you have fallen into the trap of those who are saying that we are the cause.

Michele MacEachern - 10/06/2011 02:45 PM

Deacon Lee, I must object to a number of points you raise. First of all, Nelson does not adhere to anti-Catholic views nor does he claim to be a scientist. No one is denying that the earth has experienced traumatic weather cycles, beginning millions of years ago. Knowledable contemporary scientists in this field cannot help but acknowledge the empirical evidence of current and dangerous levels of carbon dioxide and other serious pollutants in the environment. In this century we have the capacity to greatly accelerate serious global health problems through our own careless use of creation. Just one illustration is reckless depletion of rain forests and sprawling over-development. These practices are greatly limiting the existence of trees and plants which convert CO2 to oxygen.

Nelson made no mention of either contraception or abortion as solutions. On the contrary, as a teacher of Morality at a Catholic high school, he reinforces the teachings of our Church daily to an age group that needs the very sound guidance he provides. Surely no person of faith would see those "solutions" as justifiable. Regarding working for legislative reform, this has been encouraged by the USCC for decades, and not just during presidential elections.

As for dear St. Francis, no one can extrapolate with certainty from his own few words and quiet life to the complexity of the present world situation. By the way, his most significant gift to the Church is his "Rule" , which is is not about animals and plants, but speaks of a simple vowed life in community. He was charged by our Lord to "Rebuild my Church", not tame the wolf of Gubbio.

But even the Baltimore Catechism taught me that all creatures have souls- finite and nonrational though they be. One would be hard pressed to argue that they should take precedence over even one human being.

As St. Francis did say, "peace and good".

Deacon Steven M. Lee - 10/06/2011 08:09 AM

Nelson: I respectfully disagree with your position, and believe your blog may cause confusion among the faithful regarding these issues. Global warming or "climate change" as it is now called is the hypothesis or theory that the carbon dioxide generated by human activities is causing the planet to warm significantly. I believe, as do many reputable scientists, that climate change is a hoax. Even before God created man to inhabit the planet, earth has alternatively warmed and cooled throughout history. We have had ice ages, as well as times when the polar ice caps on both poles were melted. Climate is constantly in change. Moreover, the leading scientists who provided the data upon which the "climate change" is based admitted to falsifying the data in order to try and give credibility to this theory. St. Francis would support truth, not fraud.

Moreover, the agenda of most persons and groups proposing solutions to "climate change" is very un-Catholic. Human beings produce carbon dioxide every time they breathe. The bottom line is that virtually all of these climate change groups seek to limit the world's population by contraception and abortion, and their "women's health" programs are aggressively imposed upon the world's most poor and vulnerable. St. Francis would not approve or support this, nor is it Catholic to approve or support this. Believing in "climate change" and fighting for legislation and other measures limiting carbon dioxide output is not a choice one must make as a good Catholic, nor is it one that St. Francis would make if he were alive today.

Finally, you correctly point out that all of God's creation is sacred, and that "every creature is sacred," but this can also engender confusion. There is a fundamental difference between man, who possesses an eternal soul, and other creatures. Every human person is infinitely more valuable than any animal. There is a professor at Harvard advocating "creature equality", who places animals on the same level as humans. Already we have laws in this country which give greater protection to certain species of unborn whales than to unborn children. Let's be clear on this point: "Animals do not have souls." Yes, we should treat animals with care, and we should avoid unnecessary cruelty to animals. However, the interests of an animal or even an entire species of animals should never take precedence over the needs of people. God bless you.

Evalina Lebron - 10/06/2011 07:04 PM: With all due respect, I think you have fallen into the trap of those who are trying to misguide us about climate changes. I am not a scientist and neither are you. St. Francis would have not preached what you are preaching. We are called to take care of God's creation but we are not the creator's of global warming. It seems to me you have fallen into the trap of those who are saying that we are the cause.

Michele MacEachern - 10/06/2011 02:45 PM: Deacon Lee, I must object to a number of points you raise. First of all, Nelson does not adhere to anti-Catholic views nor does he claim to be a scientist. No one is denying that the earth has experienced traumatic weather cycles, beginning millions of years ago. Knowledable contemporary scientists in this field cannot help but acknowledge the empirical evidence of current and dangerous levels of carbon dioxide and other serious pollutants in the environment. In this century we have the capacity to greatly accelerate serious global health problems through our own careless use of creation. Just one illustration is reckless depletion of rain forests and sprawling over-development. These practices are greatly limiting the existence of trees and plants which convert CO2 to oxygen.

Nelson made no mention of either contraception or abortion as solutions. On the contrary, as a teacher of Morality at a Catholic high school, he reinforces the teachings of our Church daily to an age group that needs the very sound guidance he provides. Surely no person of faith would see those "solutions" as justifiable. Regarding working for legislative reform, this has been encouraged by the USCC for decades, and not just during presidential elections.

As for dear St. Francis, no one can extrapolate with certainty from his own few words and quiet life to the complexity of the present world situation. By the way, his most significant gift to the Church is his "Rule" , which is is not about animals and plants, but speaks of a simple vowed life in community. He was charged by our Lord to "Rebuild my Church", not tame the wolf of Gubbio.

But even the Baltimore Catechism taught me that all creatures have souls- finite and nonrational though they be. One would be hard pressed to argue that they should take precedence over even one human being.

As St. Francis did say, "peace and good".

Deacon Steven M. Lee - 10/06/2011 08:09 AM: Nelson: I respectfully disagree with your position, and believe your blog may cause confusion among the faithful regarding these issues. Global warming or "climate change" as it is now called is the hypothesis or theory that the carbon dioxide generated by human activities is causing the planet to warm significantly. I believe, as do many reputable scientists, that climate change is a hoax. Even before God created man to inhabit the planet, earth has alternatively warmed and cooled throughout history. We have had ice ages, as well as times when the polar ice caps on both poles were melted. Climate is constantly in change. Moreover, the leading scientists who provided the data upon which the "climate change" is based admitted to falsifying the data in order to try and give credibility to this theory. St. Francis would support truth, not fraud.

Moreover, the agenda of most persons and groups proposing solutions to "climate change" is very un-Catholic. Human beings produce carbon dioxide every time they breathe. The bottom line is that virtually all of these climate change groups seek to limit the world's population by contraception and abortion, and their "women's health" programs are aggressively imposed upon the world's most poor and vulnerable. St. Francis would not approve or support this, nor is it Catholic to approve or support this. Believing in "climate change" and fighting for legislation and other measures limiting carbon dioxide output is not a choice one must make as a good Catholic, nor is it one that St. Francis would make if he were alive today.

Finally, you correctly point out that all of God's creation is sacred, and that "every creature is sacred," but this can also engender confusion. There is a fundamental difference between man, who possesses an eternal soul, and other creatures. Every human person is infinitely more valuable than any animal. There is a professor at Harvard advocating "creature equality", who places animals on the same level as humans. Already we have laws in this country which give greater protection to certain species of unborn whales than to unborn children. Let's be clear on this point: "Animals do not have souls." Yes, we should treat animals with care, and we should avoid unnecessary cruelty to animals. However, the interests of an animal or even an entire species of animals should never take precedence over the needs of people. God bless you.