As the oil well continues to pollute the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, it may be time to look back on this and other matters of environmental justice. In November 1991, the US bishops said the following in their pastoral statement, Renewing the Earth: "…[H]umans, made in the image and likeness of God, are called in a special way to 'cultivate and care for it (Earth)' (Genesis 2:15). Men and women, therefore, bear a unique responsibility under God: to safeguard the created world and by their creative labor even to enhance it. Safeguarding creation requires us to live responsibly within it, rather than manage creation as though we are outside it. The human family is charged with preserving the beauty, diversity, and integrity of nature, as well as with fostering its productivity." Thus, our faith teaches us that such environmental disasters are contrary to God's will for us.
For more on Renewing the Earth, go to www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/bishopsstatement.shtml.
Also, if you'd like to donate to help those who are most affected by the spill (fisherman and their families), Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans is taking donations on their web site. Go to www.ccano.org and click the link on the right side of the page. (By the way, British Petroleum has contributed $1 million to help in Catholic Charities' efforts; however, much more is needed.)
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
