Our Catholic Social Teaching theme for this half-term is: Care for Creation
By showing ‘Care for Creation,’ we know that all life on earth is sacred and holy and we are responsible and accountable for it.
Respect for the dignity of life extends not just to every human being on earth, but to the universe in its entirety.
All of God’s creation is sacred and reflects something of who God is.
Caring for this earth is part of what it is to be a Christian.
The Catholic Church has a long tradition of teaching about the God-centredness of the earth, which clearly focuses on the responsibility all people have for caring for creation.
This highlights the need to recognise the interdependence of all creation for the Common Good.
It is only through a new awareness of our need for a common understanding which promotes global cooperation and sharing of the world’s resources that the sacredness of creation and all peoples can be protected and respected.
What does Scripture say?
Genesis 2:15 –
‘Humans are commanded to care for God’s creation.’
Daniel 3:56-82 –
‘Creation proclaims the glory of God.’
Matthew 6:25-34 –
‘God loves and cares for all creation.’
1 Corinthians 10:26 –
‘Creation and all created things are good because they are created by God.’
What does the Church say?
Charity in Truth: Caritas in Veritate –
‘The environment is God’s gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole…Our duties towards the environment are linked to our duties towards the human person, considered in himself and in relation to others.’
What does Pope Francis say?
‘Please, let us be protectors of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment.’
Laudato Si (24th May 2015) –
‘A scientific consensus says climate change is real and caused at least in part by human activity.
A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system. In recent decades, this warming has been accompanied by a constant rise in the sea level and, it would appear, by an increase of extreme weather events, even if a scientifically determinable cause cannot be assigned to each particular phenomenon.’
Laudato Si animation:
In our classes, we will be learning how we can best care for God’s creation and work together for the common good.