Bishop Michael W. Warfel
I have been blessed with opportunities to travel to many places in the world. About half of these countries have been stricken with much poverty, places like Zambia, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, the Marshall Islands, and the Philippines. I have been more than shocked by the depth
of poverty present in these countries, oftentimes more destitution than poverty.
Upon my return to the U.S., I have been amazed upon reflection just how much wealth there is in this country. Of course, there are plenty of locations here in the U.S. where there is poverty, many of these in our largest cities. And then, a person doesn’t have to go too far to find poverty in Eastern Montana!
There are billboards along the road system that remind us about the 1 in 5 children who lack a sufficient diet. Without getting into all the reasons why there is such poverty in our world, (which are multifaceted), it speaks to a disparity of this world goods which, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, are supposed to be destined for all people.
In addition to the obvious disparity of wealth, I have been struck by the harm inflicted on poor people by some large corporations because they disregarded the environment. Unsound practices I have witnessed led to devastating consequences: the clear cutting of a mountainside which changed the level of rainfall on an entire island; the use of cyanide used in mining to separate gold, thus polluting a village water source; industrial gases and exhaust from vehicles in a city over 20 million leading to serious air pollution; high infant mortality rates due, in part, to a lack of access to safe drinkable water.
Spending some time reading about the issue of poverty in the Bible will provide ample evidence that concern for the poor is a matter of concern. Taking time to listen to God in light of what is presented in Scripture should provide a definite tug at the heart for those who take the Scriptures seriously. It should lead to looking at the disparity of goods in our world and then asking what “I” as an individual and what “we” as a Church and as members of a society are obliged to do as a response to poverty. It should lead to ourselves asking what “I” and what “we” can do to make the world more sustainable for all people.
Pope Francis, in his recent encyclical letter on ecology, Laudato Si’, emphasizes the disconnect between the condition of the world’s poor and the impact on the poor when there is a true lack of concern for them.
Much of the news commentary on the encyclical has focused solely on the environment. In reality, Pope Francis’ concern is far deeper than the environment. There is no doubt that the condition of the earth is a definite concern, but the broader concern of Pope Francis’ affects the people who live on the earth. Those who live in the poorest sections of the world seem to receive the great negative impact from degradation of the world’s environment. This insight of Pope Francis flows from his appreciation that we are part of an “integral ecology.” There is an interconnectedness in all of creation. Each of us has a relationship with God, with others, with other things and with the earth on which we live. His concern is for all “creation” and not just “nature.”
To speak of creation, rather than nature, implies relationship. Nature holds no specifically religious meaning. Creation, on the other hand, points to a Creator. Understanding the distinction between creation and nature is significant. As a creation of God, we have a kind of relationship between ourselves and the non-human created order. As human within this order, our proper response to other persons is to interact with them as people like ourselves, created in the image and likeness of God. Finally, as being a part of the created order, we discover our deepest sense of self in a relationship with God.
What Pope Francis has done is to issue a prophetic call to conversion. He asks that we make an examination of conscience. His call to conversion is for us to be stewards, not dominators, of the earth. God has entrusted this earth to all people so that it would provide sufficiently for all. When we get caught up in a culture of consumerism and being part of a “throw away” society, the whole of the human and natural ecology is upset. Toward the end of the encyclical he writes: “An integral ecology includes taking time to recover a serene harmony with creation, reflecting on our lifestyle and our ideals, and contemplating the Creator who lives among us and surrounds us, whose presence must not be contrived but found, uncovered” (LS #225).
As a striking example, I note the recent news stories concerning Planned Parenthood and the harvesting of fetal body tissue and parts. There are some who actually praise what Planned Parenthood does in this regard. In reality, it is a striking example how a culture of consumerism and a “throw away” society has eroded the moral fiber of a society. There are two main issues involved, the first being the practice of abortion itself. A direct attack on human life in its most vulnerable condition is always immoral. The second, in many ways, is more shocking. It is the now “standard practice” of obtaining fetal organs and tissues via abortion and selling these parts and tissue of medical researchers. Both actions fail to respect the humanity and dignity of human life. It is an example of how society has become ever so much more callused.
I have read many encyclicals written by Popes on Catholic Social teaching dating back to the era of St. John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council. Each has had it importance, but few of these encyclicals have uttered such a prophetic call to conversion. It is hope that, as people read and reflect on what Pope Francis has written, it will be digested in a way that hearts and minds take what he has advance seriously.
I urge all people to read and reflect on Laudato Si’. The English title is On Care for Our Common Home. This is a rather unique encyclical in that it is the first time a Pope has issued one addressed to “…every person living on this planet” (LS #3). It is my hope that we in Eastern Montana may at least do our part to take better care of our earth. 
Please help us continue
