These words come from Pope Benedict XVI’s 2010 World Day of Peace message. His message is the latest in a long tradition of church teaching on our obligation to care for God’s creation. Quoting Pope John Paul II and Pope Paul VI throughout his message, the Holy Father affirms that environmental degradation is “… a wide-ranging social problem which concerns the entire human family.” Pope Benedict’s message states that “… integral human development is closely linked to the obligations which flow from man’s relationship with the natural environment. The environment must be seen as God’s gift to all people, and the use we make of it entails a shared responsibility for all humanity, especially the poor and future generations.”

    This is a message which should resonate with people living in western South Dakota who enjoy the unparalleled beauty of the plains and the Badlands and the soaring majesty of the Black Hills. We understand when the Holy Father tells us that creation helps us to recognize our human dignity and God’s love. We have experienced the reality of his words: “Seeing creation as God’s gift to humanity helps us understand our vocation and worth as human beings ... Contemplating the beauty of creation inspires us to recognize the love of the Creator.”

Pope Benedict XVI burns incense during Mass on the feast of Mary Mother of God in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Jan. 1. The pope also observed World Peace Day, saying that true respect for the environment requires seeing all of creation as a reflection of God, the Creator. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

    Our Holy Father takes this occasion to remind us of our responsibility as stewards of creation. “The true meaning of God’s original command ... was not a simple conferral of authority, but rather a summons to responsibility. ... Nature is a gift of the Creator, who ... enabled man to draw from it the principles needed to ‘till it and keep it’ (cf. Gn 2:15). Everything that exists belongs to God, who has entrusted it to man.”

   Yet, it is clear that we have misused the earth’s resources and broken the covenant, as our choices have impacted our brothers and sisters across the globe: “Man’s inhumanity to man has given rise to numerous threats to peace and ... development. ... Yet no less troubling are the threats arising from the neglect – if not downright misuse – of the earth and the natural goods that God has given us. …” It is all too evident that large numbers of people in different countries and areas of our planet are experiencing increased hardship because of the negligence or refusal of many others to exercise responsible stewardship over the environment.

    All of this leaves us with no other conclusion but that there is an urgent moral need for solidarity with creation and those affected by climate change. The Holy Father values the importance of protecting creation and poses poignant questions for us to ponder:

   *“Can we remain indifferent before the problems associated with such realities as climate change, desertification, the deterioration and loss of productivity in vast agricultural areas, the pollution of rivers and aquifers, the loss of biodiversity, the increase of natural catastrophes and the deforestation of equatorial and tropical regions?

    *Can we disregard the growing phenomenon of ‘environmental refugees,’ people who are forced by the degradation of their natural habitat to forsake it – and often their possessions as well – in order to face the dangers and uncertainties of forced displacement?

    *Can we remain impassive in the face of actual and potential conflicts involving access to natural resources?”

   Pope Benedict XVI is saying something we all know deep in our hearts and which our experience has taught us. We understand when he tells us: “If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.”

   The full text of the message can be found at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/ benedict_xvi/messages/peace/ index_en.htm.