In his message for the 2017 World Day of Care for Creation, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., focuses on the Catholic Church’s recent history of environmental stewardship and asks the faithful to put differences of opinion aside when caring for the Earth. The day, observed annually on Sept. 1, was established by Pope Francis in 2015.
“The ‘World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’ is not about differing political positions, conflicting scientific theories and opinions or protests and debates,” Bishop O’Connell says in his message. “These realities have their own place in contemporary society and their own audiences who embrace the various issues and strategies they raise and propose.”
Bishop O’Connell later says, “strategies for ‘finding ways to make the earth flourish’ will continue to be discussed and debated in the halls of government, in the research laboratories and lecture halls of science, in the writings and libraries of centers of learning all over the world and rightly so.
“But the care for creation, our common home cannot and should not linger there alone. It must find its way into the concern, consideration, conversation and commitment of all of us who share this common home. And it must be part of our prayer.”
Bishop O’Connell also cites the teachings of Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI, St. Pope John Paull II and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who over the past two decades have educated the faithful on caring for our planet and our brothers and sisters.
The Bishop cites the Holy Father in reminding us to be “‘protectors’ of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment. … To protect Jesus with Mary, to protect the whole of creation, to protect each person, especially the poorest, to protect ourselves. … Let us protect with love all that God has given us!”
You can listen to Bishop O’Connell’s message as a podcast, HERE, and read the full text of his message, HERE.