"To live in peace, the social community is also asked to be inspired by the values making up the foundations of the family community", recalled Benedict XVI. This is true "for the human family living in that common house which is the Earth". This is exactly the reason why "we must take care of the environment: it has been entrusted to man for he should take care of it and cultivate it with responsible freedom. The fundamental criterion for man must always be goodness for everybody". According to the Pope, respecting the environment means not to take into consideration the material or animal nature "which is selfishly in the total service of one’s interests, because future generations have also the right to take advantage of creation". "And the poor must not be forgotten went on the Holy Father; – in many cases, they are excluded from the universal destination of the heritage of creation". It is necessary "to feel the Earth as ‘our common house’, and to choose the path to dialogue for managing it in the service of everybody". If necessary, "the number of institutions on international level may be increased, with the aim of facing the government of our ‘house’, the Earth, together; the most important thing, however, is letting consciences acquire the belief that it is necessary to collaborate in a responsible way". An aspect in which it would be necessary to intensify dialogue among Nations "is the one concerning the management of the energy resources in the Planet". (To be continued)
