Catholicism and the Natural World – A Unique Partnership
Catholicism and the natural world are not necessarily two realms that
obviously sit side by side. For many people their spiritual life and
their attitude to nature are two separate sections of their life as a
whole; not necessarily incompatible but not inextricably linked.
However I feel strongly that every Catholic has to take concern for the
world as fundamental to faith and that by doing so each person has the
potential to change the world.
Concern for the state of the natural world is now at an unprecedented level. All round the world the impact of human activity has put intense pressure on often fragile environments. It is no surprise to anyone to hear that rainforests, mangroves, estuaries, deserts, mountains and plains are damaged and continue to degrade. In some places that damage is raw and obvious - deforestation, desertification, and polluted water. In others, destruction by stealth is causing glaciers to melt, life in the sea to disappear and toxins to impregnate the atmosphere. And of course global warming is now a household phrase. Carbon dioxide and other “greenhouse” gases trap heat in the atmosphere rather than allowing it to escape. The result is a rapidly warming world which looks like wreaking havoc in the years to come.
All these issues arise from the way we treat the earth and this is absolutely a moral issue. It is morally reprehensible to destroy habitats and the creatures that live in them to support a human lifestyle that is wasteful, greedy and unnecessary. Of course humans have to farm and live in houses with services; of course we need to live healthy, good lives supported by the wealth of the natural world. But it is the level of exploitation that is damaging the earth. Western lifestyles demand a huge amount from this world and the developing nations are catching up. This is the basis of all the problems we see around us and this is the dilemma every single one of us has to face. And this I where I believe the Catholic Church around the world has so much to offer. There is no other institution in the world like it.
The Catholic Church is unique because it works on 3 different levels. Firstly, it is a world wide faith with 1 billion members and it has one uniting figurehead - the Pope. This gives the Church the power to speak across nations and to world leaders everywhere. It has the unique position to be able to talk about moral issues in a political world. This is very special and so badly needed. A moral voice with 2,000 years of wisdom and compassion is desperately required in a world driven by economics and industry. Who else can say to the world that life is not just about gaining wealth and increasing GDP?
But the Church also works at a national level. Bishops and Cardinals are able to see and comprehend the problems that face each nation. The environmental problems facing the Philippines are of course different to those faced by Italy or Kenya. Having a national over view is a great privilege and can be used with powerful effect in national politics. Church leaders don’t have to worry about election results and appealing to voters, they can talk to their country without a political or economic agenda and speak straight from the heart and through insight gained from prayer and understanding.
And then of course the Church works at the local level where each individual parish knows intimately their own patch and how the local environment fits into the life of the people in that area. The local Church can demonstrate sustainable living and promote a responsible attitude to the earth with the essential local knowledge that makes it possible in any given area. Great generalities are of course important, but action begins at home with local knowledge and local problem solving. Local action, global vision is what the Catholic Church can do in a way no one else can.
But the Catholic Church has another treasure that it can share. With missionaries present throughout the world it has the wonderful ability to learn from people from many different cultures and lifestyles. In a world dominated by money, a western view tends to predominate. Money does, sadly, allow power and influence and less money-rich countries find their own cultures swamped by western images and ideals. This can mean that deep knowledge and truth bound into different ways of life can be lost. I know from my own travels for my job as a natural history film maker that attitudes to the natural world are diverse and enriching. A world wide church must be able to bring together human insight and wisdom from many different nations to give a more holistic and rich view of this wonderful world we all share.
The world is on the verge of change. If our precious earth is going to survive in anything like the form we know today then each person alive must honestly look at themselves and their lives and reassess what we need, what is enough and how to change attitudes. I believe strongly it is the moral duty of the Catholic Church to be there, working with and promoting change throughout the world. The Church has to be a safe place from which deep, profound decisions about the future of humanity can be made. And that change has to start today.
Mary Colwell
Concern for the state of the natural world is now at an unprecedented level. All round the world the impact of human activity has put intense pressure on often fragile environments. It is no surprise to anyone to hear that rainforests, mangroves, estuaries, deserts, mountains and plains are damaged and continue to degrade. In some places that damage is raw and obvious - deforestation, desertification, and polluted water. In others, destruction by stealth is causing glaciers to melt, life in the sea to disappear and toxins to impregnate the atmosphere. And of course global warming is now a household phrase. Carbon dioxide and other “greenhouse” gases trap heat in the atmosphere rather than allowing it to escape. The result is a rapidly warming world which looks like wreaking havoc in the years to come.
All these issues arise from the way we treat the earth and this is absolutely a moral issue. It is morally reprehensible to destroy habitats and the creatures that live in them to support a human lifestyle that is wasteful, greedy and unnecessary. Of course humans have to farm and live in houses with services; of course we need to live healthy, good lives supported by the wealth of the natural world. But it is the level of exploitation that is damaging the earth. Western lifestyles demand a huge amount from this world and the developing nations are catching up. This is the basis of all the problems we see around us and this is the dilemma every single one of us has to face. And this I where I believe the Catholic Church around the world has so much to offer. There is no other institution in the world like it.
The Catholic Church is unique because it works on 3 different levels. Firstly, it is a world wide faith with 1 billion members and it has one uniting figurehead - the Pope. This gives the Church the power to speak across nations and to world leaders everywhere. It has the unique position to be able to talk about moral issues in a political world. This is very special and so badly needed. A moral voice with 2,000 years of wisdom and compassion is desperately required in a world driven by economics and industry. Who else can say to the world that life is not just about gaining wealth and increasing GDP?
But the Church also works at a national level. Bishops and Cardinals are able to see and comprehend the problems that face each nation. The environmental problems facing the Philippines are of course different to those faced by Italy or Kenya. Having a national over view is a great privilege and can be used with powerful effect in national politics. Church leaders don’t have to worry about election results and appealing to voters, they can talk to their country without a political or economic agenda and speak straight from the heart and through insight gained from prayer and understanding.
And then of course the Church works at the local level where each individual parish knows intimately their own patch and how the local environment fits into the life of the people in that area. The local Church can demonstrate sustainable living and promote a responsible attitude to the earth with the essential local knowledge that makes it possible in any given area. Great generalities are of course important, but action begins at home with local knowledge and local problem solving. Local action, global vision is what the Catholic Church can do in a way no one else can.
But the Catholic Church has another treasure that it can share. With missionaries present throughout the world it has the wonderful ability to learn from people from many different cultures and lifestyles. In a world dominated by money, a western view tends to predominate. Money does, sadly, allow power and influence and less money-rich countries find their own cultures swamped by western images and ideals. This can mean that deep knowledge and truth bound into different ways of life can be lost. I know from my own travels for my job as a natural history film maker that attitudes to the natural world are diverse and enriching. A world wide church must be able to bring together human insight and wisdom from many different nations to give a more holistic and rich view of this wonderful world we all share.
The world is on the verge of change. If our precious earth is going to survive in anything like the form we know today then each person alive must honestly look at themselves and their lives and reassess what we need, what is enough and how to change attitudes. I believe strongly it is the moral duty of the Catholic Church to be there, working with and promoting change throughout the world. The Church has to be a safe place from which deep, profound decisions about the future of humanity can be made. And that change has to start today.
Mary Colwell
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