“In the heart of this world, the Lord of life, who loves us so much, is always present. He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward. Praise be to him.

“Doomsday predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth. The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet’s capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes, such as those which even now periodically occur in different areas of the world. The effects of the present imbalance can only be reduced by our decisive action, here and now. We need to  reflect on our accountability before those who will have to endure the dire consequences.”

“Furthermore, when media and the digital world become omnipresent, their influence can stop people from learning how to live wisely, to think deeply, and love generously. In this context, the great sages of the past run the risk of going unheard amidst the noise and distractions of an information overload…”

This sister, our earth, now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted upon her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts…is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail.” We have forgotten that we ourselves are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters.”

–    Pope Francis, Laudato Si