To be allies with creation

The Viterbo conference on ecology in the light of faith

Aliados de la creación

Allies of creation

Verbündete der Schöpfung

Foto: Ilabaca © 2005

El planeta Tierra, una realidad viva Planet Herat, a living reality Planet Erde – eine lebendige Wirklichkeit
Un gran pacto de paz con toda la creación A “peace treaty” with all creation Ein “Friedensvertrag” mit der ganzen Schöpfung
Temblorosos te aclaman tierra y mar: Santo, santo, santo Señor All creation joyfully singst he glories of the Father… Heilig, heilig, heilig Herr, rauschen zitternd Land und Meer… Fotos: Ituzaingó © 2005

ROME, Fr. Alberto Eronti. From September 23^rd to October 9^th, a conference of singular importance regarding the future of the Earth will take place in Viterbo, Italy. It has to do with the Conferences entitled: "Objective: Man-Environment." Nobel Prize winners, scientists, ecologists, and politicians will "concern themselves with the environment." For some people, this theme elicits anxiety, in others it creates a deep preoccupation for the short term future, and in the majority it brings forth curiosity. In the Church hierarchy and in many of its thinkers, the theme has been considered for quite some time already and there are many documents, publications and warnings. Just as "globalization" is an incorporated word in the common vocabulary, "ecology" and all that the word means today has also become a familiar word.

From the tidal waves, which for us occurred in the far East,….. the increasing desertion of vast lands from the North of Africa with the ensuing hunger of defenseless peoples,….. the devastating fires from last summer in Europe due to a persistent drought and high temperatures….. to the dramatic battle with hurricane "Katrina"…..a great deal is heard and talked about. In other regions of the world it is recognized that "the climate is changing," that certain phenomena "did not occur before." Among the many questions which arise from this, there is a recurrent one within the scope of faith: Why does God permit this? There is a strong tendency to marginalize God from life, but when these or other events happen, we then "ask" Him.

The planet Earth, a living reality

Let us see how we can approach simply the understanding of this problem and its possible solutions. The planet Earth is a living reality. Much of that life occurs on the surface before our eyes. But there is also life in the center of the Earth. This is life which we generally do not see but which from time to time erupts and often in a dramatic way through the eruption of volcanoes, earthquakes, and tidal waves. We know these phenomena can occur and many times can be announced by technical means or by the "warnings" of nature itself. It must be noted that some very underdeveloped populations from the East did not have any deaths from the last tidal wave because "they knew how to interpret the movements of nature": when the ocean receded, instead of collecting sea shells or staying behind to watch the phenomenon, they ran toward high ground fleeing from the shore. That is: nature "speaks," and what is important is to "listen to" and "interpret" its message.

On the other hand, the phenomena we can see with our eyes are not always nor only "movements of nature." In them flows, in minor or major proportions, the erroneous actions and sometimes voracious mistakes of mankind. From the dawning of the Industrial Revolution until now, man has covered the earth with scars. Some data: the North Pole has lost more than 7% of its ice; gasses from carbon dioxide have increased some 30% producing the so called "hole in the ozone layer"; in the 20^th century, man has moved more than 40 million tons of earth and rock per year (almost more than 40 times more than what is produced by erosion from the wind); the use of chemical fertilizers with additives which are not apt for the life of man; the destruction of forests, in particular the Amazon; the desertion….. The number of hurricanes and typhoons did not increase, but the intensity has increased to about 70% (see Katrina).

A kind of great peace treaty with all of creation

Ecological concern is one of the signs of our times. Believers and nonbelievers seem to agree on the necessity to defend the environment because the future of mankind is in jeopardy; but this future has already begun and many of its signs are not absolutely visible. We are standing before an ethical problem with planetary dimensions. On January 1, 1990, John Paul II highlighted that social peace which is the result of peace with the Creator, also demands a kind of great peace treaty with all of creation. In this context the Pope spoke about forming a responsible and solidarity conscience regarding the environment. It was not nature which broke the equilibrium on the surface of the earth, but mankind. From this point of reference, the Pope’s question: "Can we remain on the sideline before the perspectives of an ecological breakdown which makes uninhabitable and enemies to mankind the vast areas of the planet?" (NMI N0. 51)

Often, to justify the exploitation of nature, reference has been made to the story of creation in the book of Genesis (1, 28) when God tells man: "Grow and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, dominate the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the living things which move about the earth." The problem is that frequently man understood "subdue" and "dominate" as the right to use and abuse. This is not the interpretation from the biblical text: The man, "an image of God", to whom has been entrusted the destiny of what has been created, is not called to be an arrogant and despotic man but only a quartermaster and manager, administrator and tutor. This is the conviction of the biblical man who confesses: "The heavens belong to God and the earth He has entrusted to man" (Psalm 115,16). If the function to dominate is important, the way to exercise dominion is no less important; it should be responsible and loving like the dominion of God.

Dominating creation by serving it and not destroying it

Reflecting on what has been said and taken in the context of the Viterbo Conferences, I see that the Father of the Family perceived this theme already at the beginning of the 20^th century. He also guided us on the way to respond to this reality. In 1912, our Father said to the young men: "…..Are the cultured and civilized populations sufficiently prepared and mature enough to make good use of the enormous material progress of our times? Or, is it more accurate to affirm that our times have become enslaved by their own conquests? Yes, that is how it is. The dominion we have over the powers and strengths of nature have not grown in proportion to the dominion of the instinctive and "animalness" which exists in the heart of man. This tremendous discrepancy, this immense crack continuously becomes greater and deeper….." (Prefounding Document, No. 12). Two years later, in the talk of the Founding Document (no. 11) he will guide us in the response to this reality as a demand of the Covenant of Love: "You now have the best opportunity. And do not think it is something extraordinary if you reach to the highest (your demands)…..This sanctification I demand of you (…..) through the faithful and most faithful fulfillment of your obligations (state of life). Through what has been said we reach a conclusion: In the first place, we are before an ethical and moral challenge which, according to the magisterium of the Church, demands: to dominate creation by serving it and not destroying it. It has to do with a dominion which is responsible and full of admiration. In the second place we are before a pedagogical challenge of self-education, of family education, and of social education.

Here is an anecdote to understand that it is not enough to have a good intention and to be superficial, but that conviction to act is demanded of us: In Florence, a demonstration by ecologists and "verdes" (ecology party) took place in favor of nature and as it ended and they left the "campus" they left behind a covering of bottles and cans. It was a distressing panorama. In the distance could be seen the almost empty containers which the city had placed for the depositing of the trash. No, it is not enough to demonstrate. "Something more" is needed: to be allies of creation.

Translation: Carlos Cantú La Feria, Texas USA