The cries of the planet and of humanity

Manos Unidas, the NGO of Spain’s Catholic Church, received Pope Francis’ new encyclical “Laudato si’, on the care of the common home,” a roadmap that will guide the organization’s work and further the understanding of contemporary social reality, with “enthusiasm” and “sense of responsibility”. “The encyclical, and the social magisterium of the Church as a whole, will guide us in our action and in proposals of concrete measures to ensure that everyone, the poor in particular, may lead a dignified life,” states the NGO. Follows the reflection of Manos Unidas in the light of the publication of the Pope’s encyclical. Progress and unbalance. Manos Unidas – states the NGO’s document – testifies to the progress reached by humanity, a development of all kinds of possibilities that has caused the degradation of our environment with strong unbalances. Moreover, these unbalances have directly hit people with the least resources, and several hundred million people have no access to fundamental resources to lead a sound life. In its 56 years of work for the progress of the poorest populations, Manos Unidas has concluded that the defence of human dignity and rights, and notably, the fight on hunger, “requires the full availability of natural resources for people to feed on and build their future”. Moral obligation. In various conventions and agreements the international community had acknowledged the seriousness of problems that have led to the unrestrained use of material resources coupled by water and air pollution. But all the commitments taken so far – they denounce – were to no avail, owing to the lack of efficient legal tools and to prevailing economic interests, which only few people enjoy. “The care of creation is a moral obligation that involves us. We know that our lifestyle based on consumerism and individualism contributes to the degradation of our “common home” and that the poor are those who pay the highest price – states Manos Unidas -. Our lifestyles can change to become more sustainable and more respectful of the next generations”. Caring for the human family. “Protecting natural environments also requires the care of the environment where people live: the family, the community, social life, labour, education, political participation. Caring for the environment and the human family are two indivisible aspects of our commitment for the creation of a world of justice and peace”. Everyone’s responsibility. In the encyclical “Laudato si’,” “the Pope strongly underlined the shared concern on environmental degradation of the common home, a mistreated land whose cries join those of all those mistreated in the world”. In 192 pages Francis raises attention on the close link between human and environmental degradation – noted Manos Unidas -. He demands that we acknowledge our direct responsibility in this degradation. We cannot live without bearing in mind that our way of consuming directly affects the most vulnerable brackets”. The gift of the creation. In order to understand our responsibility in the creation of this “common home” where everything (the environment, the economy, culture, ethics and spirituality) is closely connected, as highlighted by the Holy Father, “we need to rediscover the principle and the ultimate meaning of our role in creation: the love of God, from which stems the entire Creation as a gift for everyone. A gift that we cannot make use of as if it were our own property,” claims the NGO of the Spanish Church. Integral conversion. Manos Unidas welcomed Bergoglio’s invitation to “contribute, starting from its own commitment, to cultural renewal based on integral ecological conversion, starting from a ‘different approach, through politics, educational programs, lifestyle and spirituality that will give shape to the resistance to the progress of the technocratic paradigm.'” The NGO remarked, “Laudato si’ invites us to open areas of dialogue that are distant from the lack of political will and that may unable us to reach agreements on regimes of global governance, to put an end to all forms of corruption ensuring that in the end, every person’s dignity shall prevail”. Finally, Manos Unidas calls for “a change in lifestyle starting with simple daily actions that may break the logic of violence, exploitation, egoism, to put an end to poverty and world hunger”.