” “A joint declaration

“It’s not too late”. Humanity in our time may still consign the planet “to the future of our children”. With this invocation ends the “joint Declaration” signed by John Paul II and Bartholomew I on 10 June. The act of signature occurred through a video link that united the Holy Father – who had remained in Rome – with the Palazzo Ducale in Venice where the signing ceremony took place. The signing of the Declaration concluded the Symposium on “The Adriatic Sea. A sea at risk, unity of intentions” which for five days and on the initiative of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, had brought together some 250 delegates on board a cruise ship. “The joint Declaration – explain the promoters of the meeting in a press release – is a manifestation of the desire of the Churches of East and West to engage in dialogue”. In addressing the Symposium, John Paul II recalled the Prayer Day for peace in the world at Assisi. “Your Holiness – said the Pope to the ecumenical patriarch – then replied to the invitation and had the kindness to participate in it. Today, it is I who have the pleasure of joining with you in this significant act. I believe that these exchanges between us are genuine gifts of the Lord, indicating to us that the spirit of collaboration is capable of finding new expressions to give solidarity and concreteness to the testimonies of communion that the world expects from us”. The positive role of religions was also underlined by the Patriarch of Venice, Angelo Scola in his welcoming address to the participants in the Symposium. “After the terrible terrorist attacks of 11 September – he said – men of religion have been invited to sideline their faith, suspected as it is of being one of the main causes of the clash between civilizations that seems to threaten the dawn of the third millennium. This commendable initiative shows, on the contrary, that religions – in proportion as they avoid any ideological tendency – far from being stumbling blocks, are precious resources for the construction of civilization in reciprocal dialogue”. The sadness of the Churches. Concern for the sufferings of humanity and the desire to work together “for the good of every human being and responsibility for the creation”. These are the reasons that prompted the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church to enter the field – with a symposium and a joint declaration – to urge “men and women of good will” to promote respect for and the safeguard of the creation. “In this moment of history – write John Paul II and Bartholomew I – we are saddened to see the daily sufferings to which large numbers of people are subjected due to violence, hunger, poverty and disease. We are also concerned by the negative consequences for humanity and for the whole of creation that derive from the degradation of some basic natural resources such as water, air and land, caused by an economic and technological progress that does not recognize and does not take account of its limits”. The role of religions. The Pope and the Patriarch recall that “respect for the creation descends from respect for life and human dignity” and that “in this perspective, Christians and all other believers have a specific role to play”, by educating people in “ecological conscience that is above all responsibility for themselves, for others and for the creation”. The leaders of the two Christian Churches appeal for three commitments. “First – they write – we must re-acquire humility and recognize the limits of our possibilities and, even more important, the limits of our knowledge and judgement”, so that the actions of man may not alienate humanity from “God’s plan for the creation”. Second, humanity today must be conscious that “our children and the future generations have the right to a better world, a world free from degradation, violence and bloodshed, a world of generosity and love”. Third, the Pope and the Patriarch ask God to “illuminate people so that everywhere attention may be shown to the duty to respect and safeguard the creation”. Responsible use of science and solidarity of the rich countries. The Declaration concludes with the enunciation of a series of “ethical principles”: thinking of the “world of our children”, before acting; using science and technology “in a constructive way, recognizing that the discoveries of science must always be evaluated in the light of the centrality of the human person, of the common good and the intrinsic goal of the creation”. “It will be love for our children – write John Paul II and Bartholomew I – that indicate to us the road to be followed for the future”. The leaders of the two Churches lastly urge that we be “more humble with regard to the idea of possession and be open to pleas for solidarity”. “Everyone – says the Declaration – has a role to play” but in response to the requests for justice and solidarity, “the more affluent societies must support a greater burden; they are asked to make a greater sacrifice than the one that the poorer countries can offer”. An important ecumenical step. The solution to the environmental crisis “begins in people’s hearts and asks for a change in lifestyles and an act of repentance for what we have done”. So said Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for the Unity of Christians, who together with Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, participated in the Symposium of the Patriarchate. In an interview granted to “GVRadio” – the radio station of the diocese of Venice – Cardinal Kasper called the Declaration “an important ecumenical step”. Christians, but also Moslems – explained the Vatican representative – believe in God as the creator of the world: “It’s not we who are the masters of nature, but we have a responsibility for it: the creation was placed in our hands for us to make responsible use of it”. And yet, on the contrary, “not only have we destroyed nature, but we have even poisoned it. Now we must change. This is our responsibility today”. Maria Chiara Biagioni