Pastoral aids and letters to educate in respect for the environment. Ecological schools in the mountains to guide students in the discovery of nature, ecological symposia and centres for study and research: these are just some of the projects promoted by the Christian Churches in Europe in the environmental field. We give a brief survey of them below. Italy. A tool for reflection to help the churches and Christian communities to “rediscover the beauty of the ‘garden’ created by God and entrusted to man”. That’s the aim of the aid “Responsibility for the creation” produced by the CEI Office for social and labour problems and the national Service of the cultural project, in collaboration with the Lanza Foundation. The document is divided into three sections. The first with the title “A planet at risk” presents an analysis of the main ecological issues of our time. The second with the title “For the safeguard of the creation” attempts to summarize the reflections of the magisterium of the Catholic Church on the environmental question. The third and concluding part of the document is devoted to reporting some pilot projects promoted by Catholic institutions, religious communities, associations and movements, such as scales of justice, fair and equitable trade and ethical banks. Hungary. It’s called “school of the forest” and offers lower secondary school children the chance to spend one or two weeks in a natural environment, to enable them to discover the beauties of forests and mountains. The project is promoted by the Franciscan province of St. John of Capestrano in Hungary. The classical lycée in Esztergom has even incorporated this programme into its curriculum. Students spend a whole week in the mountains of Gerecse in the centre-north of the country. The programme includes the study of various skills: how to use the compass, how to read maps, woodcarving, knowledge and collection of medicinal plants. “The main purpose of the project explain the organizers is to bequeath the spirituality of St. Francis to the young”. Croatia. The year 2001 was distinguished by two important ecological events. An international symposium of ecumenical character on “ Ecology of the heart – ecology of nature” was held in Zagreb on 4-5 June. Various institutions of the churches in Croatia and Germany (Catholic, Orthodox and Evangelic) contributed to its organization. Another important event was the “ Day of Bread” which has been celebrated in October for ten years now. Slovakia. Very important for the diffusion of an ecological mentality in the basic Christian communities was the pastoral letter of the bishops on “Christian lifestyle and maintenance of the creation“, following which special ‘ecological’ groups were formed in many parishes to promote alternative lifestyles and to educate young people in the environmental question. In consonance with the Orthodox world, Slovakian Catholics also celebrate the Day of the Creation on 1st September. Russia. Some two years ago the Catholic Church established the “St. Francis of Assisi Christian Ecological Centre”, founded after a long period of private activities in the ecological field by scientists, clergy and lay people. The centre promotes research and studies on the conditions of human life and on the biosphere; proposes technical and financial solutions to ecological problems; sponsors projects for the transmission of environmental culture among the young; and intervenes at the political level for the safeguard of the environment, human rights and sustainable ecological management. England and Wales. The commitment to a greater responsibility for the creation unites all the Christian Churches in the country. The Catholic Church forms part of the Environmental Issues Network (EIN), an association of various Christian organizations aimed at facilitating the exchange of environmental news and information and promoting ecumenical cooperation also in this field. In preparation for the UN Conference Rio+10 on sustainable development, scheduled to be held in Johannesburg from 26 August to 4 September, the EIN is drawing up a communiqué on the centrality of environmental justice, which will also be distributed among the young. The Catholic bishops have urged all Christians to follow the work of the Summit with close attention. Switzerland. Activities in defence of the creation, projects for energy saving and for climate protection, and the pledge to put into practice the United Nation’s Agenda 21 for the protection of the environment: these are some of the initiatives spearheaded by OeKU, the ecumenical work group of the Swiss Churches for the environment. Established in 1986, the association’s main aim is to sensitize the ecclesial community on environmental problems. It also acts on behalf of the Swiss Episcopal Conference as the official body responsible for the environment. Over the last year, OeKU has suffered some setbacks in terms of the reform of the law on animal protection and the proposal to ban cars on Sundays. It publishes a quarterly bulletin and also runs its own Internet site: www.kirchen.cher/oeku. Germany. Twenty-two diocesan delegates, a work group under the auspices of the Episcopal Conference, a “church and environment” project, Church-run aid projects and associations that claim a total membership of over 4 million: these are the many protagonists of the Church’s pastoral programme aimed at the defence of the environment. “Assuming responsibility for the creation in the free energy market” is the title of the document that the Commission for the environment of the German Episcopal Conference has published with the objective of promoting the use of “clean” energy in parishes and in ecclesiastical structures, through the installation of solar energy and photovoltaic plants. Some Catholic associations promote the diffusion and consumption of regional and biological products and fair and equitable trade, paying particular attention to projects aimed at upholding the principle of “sustainable development”.
