CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME

(source: Laudato Si Symposium)

“Where are we?” In other words, what kind of world is our modern way of life actually
producing? Since then, we in the modern world have attempted to meet our needs and wants
through an ever-expanding process of extraction, production, consumption and disposal of natural
resources.
“To blame population growth instead of extreme and selective consumerism on the
part of some, is one way of refusing to face the issues. It is an attempt to legitimize the
present model of distribution where minority believes that it has the right to consume in a
way which can never be universalized, since the planet could not even contain the waste
products of such consumption.” (Pope Francis. LS 50)
“During the last two centuries, however, our numbers have grown at an unprecedented rate
from one billion to more than seven billion people, with expectation for ever-increasing
consumption rising even faster than the population themselves.’ –The Pontifical Academy of
Science-
“Gross domestic product—GDP—is supposed to be a measure of everything—puts a value
on everything—that’s been produced in an economy within a year’s time. But what that doesn’t
measure is the fact, that in order to achieve that gross domestic product, there’s also a lot of
destruction of natural wealth. And one can in fact say that the greater the GDP of a country is,
measured conventionally, the more natural wealth, either in that place or globally, has been
destroyed.”-Walden Bello-
“But a sober look at our world shows that the degree of human intervention, often in
the service of business interests and consumerism, is actually making our earth less rich
and beautiful, ever more limited and grey, even as technological advances and consumer
goods continue to abound limitlessly.” – Pope Francis (LS 34)
In many ways the mass consumption dream of the modern world has been a nightmare for
the global environment. In fact, the world is rapidly approaching a number of tipping points—
thresholds beyond which dangerous trends will become irreversible, threatening the existence of
life as we know it.
“The earth’s resources are also being plundered because of short-sighted
approaches to the economy, commerce and production. –Pope Francis (LS 32)
Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, livestock farming and deforestation caused
global temperatures to surge, rising sea levels could cause low-lying islands at risk, severe
droughts and super storms will become more frequent and one in six of earth’s species will be
threatened.
In a series of comprehensive reports, the largest group of scientists ever assembled on a
single issue has warned that, unless act now, it is extremely likely the climate change will have
devastating impacts on the future of life on Earth. (e.g. Typhoon Haiyan, the worst storm ever hit
land)
192 nations are in agreement that, to avoid irreversible climate, the global temperature
must not rise more than 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet if we continue to burn
fossil fuels at the current rate, we will surpass two degrees Celsius by mid-century. To change this
trajectory and stabilize the global climate, it will take immediate unprecedented cooperation and
action by governments, businesses, and individuals.
While people are becoming increasingly aware of the effects of climate change, what’s not
as a well-known is the impact we’re having on other species.
“If we scan the regions of our planet, we immediately see that humanity has
disappointed God’s expectation.” –Pope Francis- (LS 61)

Guide Questions:
1) What is your personal observation of what is really happening with our planet/environment
lately?
2) What can you do to help?

(Please take a groupie, post in your social media account and tag everyone from your household and use the
following hashtags: #GenChrist #LiveGenesis #ChristProclaimed #iamSFC)