Is this still true today what the CBCP pastoral letter on ecology in 1988, quoted by Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudiam, says about the state of the Philippine environment and what we must do to address this? It is already late in the day and so much damage has been done. No one can pinpoint the precise moment when the damage has become so irreversible that our living world will collapse. But we are rapidly heading in that direction. Even now there are signs of stress in every corner of our land. As we look at what is happening before our eyes, and think of the horrendous consequences for the land and the people, we would do well to remember that God, who created this beautiful land, will hold us responsible for plundering it and leaving it desolate. So will future generations of Filipinos. Instead of gifting them with a fruitful land, all we will leave behind is a barren desert. We, the Bishops, call on all Filipinos to recognize the urgency of this task and to respond to it now. As Filipinos we can and must act now. Nobody else will do it for us. This is our home: we must care for it, watch over it, protect it and love it. We must be particularly careful to protect what remains of our forests, rivers, and corals and to heal, wherever we can, the damage which has already been done. The task of preserving and healing is a daunting one given human greed and the relentless drive of our plunder economy. But we must not lose hope. God has gifted us with creativity and ingenuity. He has planted it in our songs and poetry. We can harness our creativity in the service of life and shun anything that leads to death. aenet.org/haribon/bishops.htm
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 03:13:25 +0000
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