AGUILAR, ANGELA NICOLE DM ONLINE ACTIVITY 7 1A5

REFLECTION: LAUDATO SI

1. When we fail to care for creation, what impact does this have on our relationship with
ourselves, others, God and the earth?
God created the world with us in his mind, with us being the steward of all his creations.
We are given a special role and responsibility over all His creation but that doesn’t mean that we
should dominate, it is only bestowed upon us and that it shall not serve our individual needs but
rather for the betterment and development of the earth and the people around us. Failure for us to
take care for the creation that God has lent us, is like failing to obey the command of God. We
don’t only put our self in danger of taking it for granted but also everyone around us.

2. Integral ecology links care for people and care for God’s creation. How is our concern for our
fellow human beings connected to our concern for the environment?
Everything is connected and must be joined together, our unwavering commitment to
God’s creation and our love for the other people. It is written on Laudato Si that “Humanity is
called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to
combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it.” The climate
change was impacted the most by the poor and yet they haven’t done any effort to lessen the
negative effects that it brings our world. But of course, they are not the only ones who had a big
impact to what the world is facing. We are not the king of this world for us to think that we can
do anything to the gift of God, we are only given a responsibility to cherish and took care of it.

3. Pope Francis encourages us to listen both to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. What
happens when we are attuned to only one or the other?
According to Pope Francis, "We must convert and change our lifestyles and help others
cope with the climate change we've caused." Increased in population and global warming is
mainly because of human activities, because of our lack of discipline. Meanwhile, continues
destruction of our environment has the greatest effect on us, the residents of this world.
Consequently, if we attuned to only one of those two mentioned we are unconsciously destroying
the well-being of not just one of them but actually the both of them. If we only focused on what
the poor needs, we are ignoring the responsibility that the God had bestowed us to take care of
his creation. Furthermore, if we only focused on what the environment’s need we can’t help the
poor to cultivate their living.

4. What changes can we make to our lifestyles, production and consumption to better care for
one another and creation?
Each of us are called to take concrete steps—from reducing consumption to working for
political change—to better care for creation.
 Become more aware of our connectedness. Care for one another and creation includes
understanding that everything is connected
 Changes to lifestyle and consumption habits – use the 3Rs, walk or use public
transportation instead of driving, use re-usable bottle and utensils and use energy efficient
appliances.
 Promote ecological changes institutionally at your community, school, or workplace.
Conduct communal activities, recycling materials, segregation of trash, using energy
efficient appliances, etc.,
 Support local efforts to solve environmental problems. Be involved.

5. What values should instead be reflected in our local, national and global relationships in our
conversation around addressing environmental issues? What changes in attitudes, perspectives,
and actions might these values lead to?
For me, the values that we need to manifest in order to address environmental issue in
local, national and global community are empathy, humility and respect. Empathy in terms of
putting ourselves on the shoes of other people because some people are incapable of doing things
we can do and likewise we can also be incapable of the things that others can. Next is Humility,
once we lose our humility we become engrossed with the limitless power over anything and end
up harming the society and the environment, we should not exclude God and the fact that He was
the one who gave this life and replace Him with our own pride. Lastly is respect, we should
know how to respect other people and be open to their opinions and suggestions because we are
the one accountable to all the things that are happening to God’s creation.
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