Praise God for All His Creatures
Dear Rev. Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, and Lay faithful,
The mother earth's resources are being plundered because of short-sighted approaches to the economy, commerce and production. The loss of forests and woodlands entails the loss of species which may constitute extremely important resources in the future. The so-called 'development projects' unleash considerable damage on the ecosystem and pave the way for climate change which in common usage, describes global warming, i.e., the ongoing increase in global average temperature and its effects on Earth's climate system. In this context, Pope Francis by his Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum has the loudest wake-up call for all of us.
Laudate Deum (Praise God) is an Apostolic Exhortation by Pope Francis, published on 4 October 2023. The text is divided into 73 paragraphs. The first thing to note is that Laudate Deum is strikingly short for a document that clocks in at around 8,000 words, compared to the 40,000 words of Laudato si. The document's opening words or "incipit” in Latin, relate to St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. 'Praise God for all his creatures,' Laudate Deum begins. This is the message that St. Francis of Assisi conveyed through his life, canticles, and actions. Unlike Laudato si', which began with a direct quotation from St. Francis' "Canticle of the Creatures," Laudate Deum seems to start with a paraphrase attempting to capture the essence of the saint's work.
Pope Francis' update to his encyclical, Laudato Si', titled Laudate Deum, is a heartfelt warning against the malicious ideology driving environmental decay. The letter is filled with pastoral concern, like a father worried for his children's future. There's a notably urgent tone throughout Laudate Deum. Eight years after the publication of Laudato Si', Pope Francis said that the world has failed to respond adequately to the challenges he identified in the encyclical. Pope Francis urges urgent action against the climate crisis and denounces climate change denial in writing. He writes that over time he realized their responses were inadequate as the collapsing world nears the breaking point. The "technocratic paradigm” that Pope Francis criticized in Laudato Si' is still causing significant damage. He says that artificial intelligence and technological innovations begin with the idea of expanding human abilities and possibilities infinitely through technology. The technocratic paradigm feeds upon itself in a monstrous way.
Pope Francis criticizes the weakness of international consensus and multilateral agreements like COP21 in curbing global temperature rises. He offers a detailed critique of recent United Nations climate change conferences, broadly seeing them as failures except for the 2015 edition in Paris, which produced an agreement that observers believe was influenced by the encyclical Laudato Si'. The Pope is looking ahead to the upcoming conference, which will take place from November 30th to December 12th in the United Arab Emirates. He appears disinterested in the venue, citing the UAE's reputation as a major fossil fuel exporter and the presence of new oil and gas projects.
Despite feeling disheartened by the global institutions' inefficiency, he strongly believes that it would be self-destructive to give up hope. Doing so would mean putting all of humanity, particularly the impoverished, at risk of facing the devastating effects of climate change. In a nutshell, in Laudate Deum, Pope Francis warns of the dangerous lure of technology's power. Pope Francis sheds light on this obscure ideology in the final paragraph of the document. He stipulates, "For when human beings claim to take God's place, they become their own worst enemies.”
According to Pope Francis, the key to healing lies within individuals and their families. Pope Francis stated that personal changes made by individuals and families are what will reverse this trend. I completely agree that personal changes can have a significant impact on our culture. It's important to remember that every individual effort counts towards creating a better future. However, in order for these changes to truly last and make a lasting impact, we must work together to create a cultural shift towards positivity and progress. However, it is necessary to recognize that effective solutions require major political decisions at the national and international levels, rather than relying solely on individual efforts, Pope Francis acknowledged.
Pope Francis calls for a renewed vision of solidarity, where Catholics stand alongside their poor and exploited brothers and sisters as prophets of a better world with sustainable development as the mantra of progress and profit. We are called to collaborate with Christ's liberating grace present in the world, alive in our hearts, communities, and Earth. How can we promote environmental protection in our community? Let us avoid buying disposable goods such as paper towels, plastic bottles, and plastic bags. Start a composting and recycling programme in our communities where there are none. This will help to cut down our waste production. Let us support local businesses and farmers, and buy organic and pesticide-free food when we can. Let us cut down what we throw away. Let us follow three 'R's to conserve natural resources and landfill space: Reduce - Recycle - Reuse. Let us plant a tree since trees provide food and oxygen. They help save energy, clean the air, and help combat climate change. What we all need is an 'ecological conversion'. "Living our vocation to be protectors of God's handwork is inevitable to a life of virtue and it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience” (Laudato si no. 217). "Preferential option for the environment" is the need of the hour.
May God's blessings be abundant on us and on all His creatures.
Yours devotedly in Our Lord,
+ Most.Rev. S. Antonysamy
Bishop of Palayamkottai