In the name of Francis

According to an interdisciplinary report jointly drawn up by the “University College” in London and by the scientific review “Lancet”, global warming is the most serious threat to environmental soundness. Silvia Guazzetti, for SIR Europe, met Msgr. Declan Lang, President of the Department for International Affairs of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, who spoke of the reflection on the protection of the Creation and global warming, promoted by the Church. Can it be said that those who don’t respect the environment, by making excessive car use or producing too much waste, are committing a sin? “Viewing the problem in these terms is too simplistic. The environmental alarm is inscribed in a larger problem regarding the significance of human beings’ relationship with other human beings and their relationship with the environment. We ought to examine our own commitment for the common good and our solidarity with the poor, who are the first to suffer the consequences of the environmental crisis. If we manage to change our global outlook, our actions will ensue accordingly and will not be a result of the circumstances nor of our emotions”.What does the religious perspective add to the debate on the environmental question? “The Church has always said that it’s important to inscribe our behaviour in the larger picture of our attitude towards others, the environment and God. It’s important for us not to act as a reaction to guilt feelings or fear. If we respect the environment, by reducing car use or by producing less waste, motivated by sincere love for the Creation, that we believe was bestowed upon us by God, we will be driven by a positive attitude. Focusing on alarming data regarding the environment risks sparking off feelings of anxiety and helplessness that hamper all actions. This is why it’s important to cultivate the religious dimension that teaches us to love the Creation as God’s gift. We must then ask ourselves how we can preserve it within an approach marked by shalom, peace and harmony. We must not make excessive car use. However, we must also bear in mind that our lifestyle prevents us from not wanting to use the car for good. The alarm on the environment should lead us to live a more serene, satisfying and healthy life”. What changed in the Church’s attitude towards the environment as compared to the past? “Today the Church feels the protection of the Creation as a priority issue. In the Christian tradition, the mundane world bears special significance because Christ was incarnated as a human being. And the concrete presence of God in the Creation makes it especially important. The Church occasionally underwent the influence of Greek dualism prescribing the separation of the material and the spiritual world, of body and soul, where the material world was viewed negatively. But Incarnation teaching whereby God must be discovered in the Creation remained a pillar. Saint Francis from Assisi bore witness to this”.As relates to the Saint of Assisi, what is the “Catholic Climate Covenant Campaign”?“It’s an initiative undertaken by American bishops that draws inspiration from the commitment of Saint Francis. It’s a promise, consisting of the prayer for the environment, the attitude towards God as the supreme architect of the Creation, and the concern for the poor. There is also a part that asks families, parishes and Catholic groups to reflect on what can be done for the environment”.Did your Bishops’ Conference assimilate this Franciscan commitment? “Not yet. We agree with it, but we haven’t endorsed it yet”. How is the English Church addressing the environmental question? “Schools are measuring the amount of CO2 they produce to see whether these levels can be decreased and the Bishops’ Conference has undertaken an initiative that coordinates all the agencies involved in this issue, like Cafod and Progressio, which are currently working separately. The Bishops are also working on a document on the environment, inspired to the 2002 document with the name “The call of creation: God’s invitation and the human response”. The document will explain how the problem of the environment can be inscribed within Catholic theology, but it will also include practical advice on the initiatives that can be taken also by individuals to prevent global warming”.This month, “the parrot and the prisoner”, a podcast radio program produced by your diocese of Clifton, was awarded with the golden “Sony Radio Awards”, one of the most prestigious award to radio programs in England. “The program lies within the framework of the ‘Let us pod’ initiative, that was the recipient of a number of national awards since it was launched in 2006. Success is due to the fact that it communicates a positive attitude towards life and that these are stories that address the key issues of mankind, and the environment is one of these”.