Each of us has a responsibility towards creation and we need to face up to that responsibility by taking certain decisions – “the sort of decisions that show a real appreciation and respect for the environment”. That was the view expounded by Cardinal Sean Brady in a homily in St John’s Cathedral, Limerick on 22nd August.
“Every parish and church organisation could usefully undertake an environmental audit, and calculate their carbon footprint,” he said. “We could all implement a wide range of carbon off-setting and other practical initiatives to maximise the environmental efficiency of our activities.
“The consequences of not addressing the questions of climate change and environmental sustainability could be catastrophic at this critical time for the world. As in all times of challenge and crisis, it is a time for careful discernment, discernment about the right thing to do – not alone about the natural environment but about related environments as well.”
Cardinal Brady described the natural environment as a gift of God – “not a personal gift but a gift to everyone – a gift to rich and poor alike, to past, present and future generations, in fact to all humankind.
“The letter to the Ephesians puts it this way, ‘For all of creation is to be brought into unity in Christ’ (Eph. 2:10). Every creature, every species, every ecosystem and the entire expanding universe display the grandeur of God. Touched by God’s hand, our world is holy. Each of us therefore has a responsibility towards creation.”
Cardinal Brady said lack of respect for the natural environment was a pressing moral problem. “There is a crisis and most people would accept it is a crisis of our own making,” he said. “It is yet another example of the consequences of greed. It comes from our failure to ensure a sustainable, just and integral approach to human development and the global economy.
“The fact is that nature is much more than mere raw material to be manipulated solely for our profit or our pleasure. Nature is to be used wisely, not recklessly exploited.”
The mass in St John’s Cathedral was attended by the 200 delegates at the European Society for Catholic Theology conference. In his homily Cardinal Brady praised the Society for organising a carbon-neutral conference and said he was grateful to it for helping to ensure that the Christian vision of nature was not lost and for drawing people’s attention to “this pressing moral issue”.
Earlier in the day Cardinal Brady had planted a tree in the grounds of Mary Immaculate College. “If we are ever to ensure a sustainable environment for future generations it will require global solidarity in taking small, practical steps at a local level,” he said. “Planting trees is only one practical action that people can take.”
To read the Cardinal’s full text, see
Undertaking an environmental audit of your parish need not be daunting! It may, in fact, be affirming! See module 1 to download the Eco Congregation audit form.