Catholic Environmentalism Begins with the Human Person: Human Ecology

The first step toward a correct relationship with the world around us is the recognition by humans of their status as created beings. Man is not God; he is His image. For this reason he must seek to be more sensitive to the presence of God in his surroundings. In all creatures, and especially in human beings, there is an epiphany, or manifestation, of God.

The human being will be capable of respecting other creatures only if he keeps the full meaning of life in his own heart. Otherwise he will come to despise himself and his surroundings, and to disrespect the environment, the creation, in which he lives. For this reason, the first ecology to be defended is "human ecology."

This is to say that, without a clear defence of human life from conception until natural death; without a defence of the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman; without an authentic defence of those excluded and marginalized by society, not overlooking, in this context, those who have lost everything in natural calamities, we will never be able to speak of authentic protection of the environment.

(Excerpts from 9 March Message of Pope Benedict XVI to Archbishop Geraldo Lyrio Rocha of Mariana, president of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil; taken from front page of The Wanderer 31 March 2011 Issue)