CHRISTIAN FAITH EDUCATION 2

COURSE MATERIAL ON CORRUPTION

Generally speaking as “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain”. Corruption can be classified as
grand, petty and political, depending on the amounts of money lost and the sector where it occurs.
Grand corruption consists of acts committed at a high level of government that distort policies or the
central functioning of the state, enabling leaders to benefit at the expense of the public good. Petty
corruption refers to everyday abuse of entrusted power by low- and mid-level public officials in their
interactions with ordinary citizens, who often are trying to access basic goods or services in places
like hospitals, schools, police departments and other agencies.

Political corruption is a manipulation of policies, institutions and rules of procedure in the allocation of
resources and financing by political decision makers, who abuse their position to sustain their power,
status and wealth. (E.V., T. I. (n.d.). Thank You for Donating toTransparency International! Retrieved
June 13, 2018, from https://www.transparency.org/what-is-corruption#define)

BRIBERY refers to the offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of any item of value as a means of
influencing the actions of an individual holding a public or legal duty.

EMBEZZEMENT/THEFT/FRAUD- theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one's trust or

belonging to one's employer.
BLACKMAIL/ EXTORTION is the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force
or threats
What causes corruption?
Among the most common causes of corruption are the political and economic environment,
professional ethics and morality and, of course, habits, customs, tradition and demography. Its effects
on the economy (and also on the wider society) are well researched, yet still not completely.

How can we identify corruption?

Corruption can be detected through a variety of methods, the most common of which are audits
(internal and external) and reports (by citizens, journalists, whistle-blowers and self-reporting).

- Romans 5:12
- Genesis 2:17
- Ephesians 2:1–3
- Job 17:14; Psalm 16:10
- Exodus 32:7; Hosea 9:9
- John 14:15–17; 16:7; Acts 1:4–5, 8
Corruption is a state of decay, pollution, or incorrectness. In the Bible, corruption is one of the effects
of sin that resulted from the fall of man. In the beginning, God created a perfect paradise, free of
sickness, pain, and death. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit, sin
entered the world, spoiling its perfection. That sin also brought contamination and decay to Adam and
Eve and to the human nature of every person born after that (Romans 5:12). Thus, corruption in the
Bible is the state of moral contamination and spiritual decay expressed through disobedience toward
God.

Corruption is closely related to spiritual death. God told Adam that, if he ate from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, he would “surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Adam didn’t die a physical death
that day but a spiritual one that involved separation from God (Ephesians 2:1–3).

In the Old Testament, corruption can refer to literal, physical decay (Job 17:14; Psalm 16:10), but,
most often, corruption is used figuratively for moral corruption and depravity (Exodus 32:7; Hosea
9:9). The prophets boldly took a stand against moral decay among God’s people: “The sin of the
house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of murder, and the city is full of
corruption” (Ezekiel 9:9, NET).

When we come to know Jesus Christ, we embark on a personal relationship with Him. The more that
relationship grows, the better we understand who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. We start to
grasp what His divine power accomplished for us. One of Jesus’ promises to us is the empowering
and purifying ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer (John 14:15–17; 16:7; Acts 1:4–
5, 8). The Holy Spirit empowers us to obey God, reversing the curse of corruption and making us
partakers of God’s divine nature.

As political corruption has plagued civil society for centuries, Sacred Scripture and the Church from
earliest times have commented on its detrimental effects, particularly on the poor.

The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (447) recognises that political corruption is
one of the causes that greatly contributes to underdevelopment and poverty especially in developing
countries. This is particularly true of countries that are in debt which are not repayable in part due to
corruption, poor administration of public finances or improper utilisation of loans already received
(450). In these situations the people who suffer the worst brunt of political corruption are the poor and
the powerless.

In Laudato  Si’, Pope Francis recognized that some countries are gradually making significant
progress towards combating corruption but he also stressed that for poor countries, the priorities
must be to eliminate extreme poverty and to promote the social development of their people and an
effective means of doing this would be to curb corruption more stringently.  Pope Francis also
recognized that despite corruption being wrong in law, a lack of enforcement is too often inadequate
to combat corruption and called on individuals to exert public pressure on politicians to develop more
rigoruous anti-corruption protocols and practices.

“Often, politics itself is responsible for the disrepute in which it is held, on account of corruption
and the failure to enact sound public policies.” Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, 197
 CONSUMERISM

Commodification, is a process of not distinguishing anymore either consciously or unconsciously

between human and non human entities resulting from a capitalist perspective solely for the sake of
profiteering. Moreover, in the process of commodification, not only is the human person reduced to a
tool that has an exchange value but also his relations. The given explanation above on how laborers
and practically human beings are exploited, and consequently commodified, may be an
oversimplification. But this is how exploitation is essentially nowadays.
Commodification, which directly affects human beings, is a human creation; therefore, it can be
solved. However, human reality is not the only reality that gets affected. People's commodifying
consciousness has greatly altered not only the human world (the world as perceived by human
beings) but also the natural world. Because human beings in a capitalist society amass wealth, both
human beings and environment are exploited. The exploitation of the former has found numerous
criticisms from different political humanist perspectives. Some of the exploitations, to name some,
are contractualization of workers, prostitution, child labor, and others. Workers in contractualization
are commodified because workers are seen as tools, not different from machines, that if workers'
services are no longer needed, they will be scrapped. Moreover, even the consciousness among
workers is already working within the ambits of commodification because they no longer perceive
work as an extension of their being but merely as a tool for survival. Workers had to find a way to
maximize their pay and minimize their work load which in turn will greatly effect the quality of service
they will be giving. This will contribute to the decrease of the quality of service which in turn will be
disadvantageous to a any institution.
In other words, commodification has not just affected employers but even employees as well and will
have the negative effects just explained. The exploitation of nature and the danger this act may bring,
on the other hand, have just recently been introduced into the minds of people. In the article
Capitalism and the Accumulation of Wealth by John Bellany Foster, it is as though a prophet has
given his message of judgment in this statement: Over the next few decades we are facing the
possibility, indeed the probability, of global catastrophe on a level unprecedented in human history.
The message of science is clear. As James Hansen, the foremost climate scientist in the United
States, has warned, this may be “our last chance to save humanity.” (John Bellamy Foster,
“Capitalism and the Accumulation of Catastrophe,” Monthly Review: An Independent Socialist
Magazine, Vol. 63 Issue 7(Dec2011).

What exactly is consumerism?

Consumerism is the idea that increasing the consumption of goods and services purchased in the
market is always a desirable goal and that a person's wellbeing and happiness depend fundamentally
on obtaining consumer goods and material possessions.

Is consumerism bad or good?

Consumerism has a good and bad side. Although consumerism drives economic growth and
boosts innovation, it comes with a fair share of problems ranging from environmental and moral
degradation to higher debt levels and mental health problems

What are the effects of consumerism?

Positive effects of consumerism

More industrial production.

A higher growth rate economy.

More goods and services available.

More advertising since goods manufactured have to be sold.

Increased production will result in more employment opportunities.

A variety of goods and services to choose from.

More comforts for a better living style.

Negative effects of consumerism

Craving for goods is high. The wants and desires of the people increase. The better their income, the
better their purchasing power. But in case, they are not able to do so, and then they feel dissatisfied.
One is in a rat race to earn more and is forced to cope up with stress and other work-related tensions.
Material wealth is the deciding factor about whether a society is highly developed or not. Spiritual
values are underplayed. This may not be suitable to a person from the East, who generally is
appreciative of spiritual values.
Crime rate also increases as wants to possess expensive gadgets increase. Thefts become common,
and daylight robberies take place.
Personal relationships also get affected as people are busy trying to earn more to maintain their
standard of living.
Cheaper goods are imported from other goods affecting the growth of locally-based manufacturing
industries.
Consumerism has also resulted in ecological imbalances. The natural habitat is being destroyed to
create more goods and build more buildings affecting the weather. Global warming will eventually
result in health problems. Industrial pollution is affecting people in many ways.
People lifestyles have also changed in a sense they are more lavish, full of material comforts rather
than focusing on simplicity. Eastern spiritualism and philosophy have always emphasized simplicity.
Gandhian principles and values favor a non-materialistic approach to life. 
Consumerism is also depleting the natural resources of the respective country.
Psychological health also can get affected if one’s desires are not meant, such as depression.
Jealousy and envy can lead to crime.

People, of course, have always "consumed" the necessities of life – food, shelter, clothing – and have
always had to work to get them or have others work for them, but there was little economic motive for
increased consumption among the mass of people before the 20th Century.

- Philippians 4:11; 1 Timothy 6:8; Hebrews 13:5

- Psalm 136:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Romans 1:21

Paul gives a strong warning to those pulled in the direction of consumerism: “But godliness with
contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into
temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and
destruction.”

- 1 Corinthians 3:3

Consumerism thrives in an atmosphere of comparison. We have Item A, but our friend got the new
Item B, and it is so much better. Even though we may have been happy with our item, we’re suddenly
smitten with jealousy and discontent. We flip on the TV and watch the rich and famous flaunt their
lifestyles, and, by the time we turn it off, we feel disgusted at our own. Pangs of jealousy pierce our
souls for a few seconds, and we question the goodness of God for giving such abundance to
someone else and such seemingly lesser things to us.

-
- John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21
- Philippians 3:18–20 
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
- Matthew 25:14–30 

The greatest evil of consumerism is that it pulls our focus from Christ and His kingdom to earthly,
temporal things. When we are born again into the family of God through faith in the substitutionary
death and resurrection of Jesus, our focus changes. We become citizens of another realm. This
world and its values must no longer dictate our passions. Philippians 3:18–20 says, “Many live as
enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory
is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things

The Church has long stood against the materialism and radical individualism that is so fundamentally
at odds with the Christian belief in solidarity and the common good and that drives consumerism.
John Paul II warned against people becoming “slaves of ‘possession’ and of immediate gratification,
with no other horizon than the multiplication or continual replacement of the things already owned
with others still better.”

Pope Benedict XVI cautioned, “Do not be fooled by those who see you as just another consumer.”

And Pope Francis has linked consumerism to the throwaway culture that he has denounced time and
time again.

Consumerism fosters greed, envy, and even lust. We become bound by these chains, which keep us
from authentic freedom and human flourishing. Our neighbors and friends become rivals and
reminders of our inadequacy. The poor and needy become obstacles to possessing more and more
things. They themselves become things, as everything is viewed through a materialist vision and the
spiritual nature of the person is forgotten. No one sees God in another person if they are obsessed
with how they measure up to that person.

So this consumerism inevitably distorts our relationships. Pope Francis has explained, “Indifferent
individualism leads to the cult of opulence reflected in the throwaway culture all around us. We have
a surfeit of unnecessary things, but we no longer have the capacity to build authentic human
relationships marked by truth and mutual respect.” We throw human beings away, sometimes after
we have objectified them and consumed them.

So the throwaway culture is not just about the structure of the global economy, though we certainly
need a more just system that promotes the flourishing of all. It is also about our own mindsets and
actions.

The international community and countries of the world have a responsibility to build an economy that
serves the human person — all human beings. They are called to respect the universal destination of
goods and ensure that the goods God has given to all will belong to all so that each person can reach
their full physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual potential. This means regulating markets,
redistributing wealth, ensuring a living wage, and fulfilling all of the other responsibilities that belong
to public authorities. It does not mean snuffing out the market, as was done under the wretched
totalitarian regimes of modern communism, but prioritizing the common good above a market
ideology and placing God’s law above a market morality.

But ultimately this is not enough. Personal responsibility, too, must be embraced if we hope to
eliminate the throwaway culture. Christians must learn to differentiate between wants and needs.
They must pursue lasting joy rather than fleeting happiness or pleasure. They must remember that
their worth and dignity is not dependent on keeping up with the Joneses, but based on being made in
the image of God.

And ultimately, we must all remember that other human beings are not objects to be ignored or
consumed. Only then will we eradicate the throwaway culture and rebuild the bonds of the one
human family
When a desire for bigger and better begins to dominate our decisions, we should check our level of
gratefulness.

Consumerism is a competing god, and a wise Christian will keep a check on his or her heart.

Philippians 3:8 describes the attitude Christians should adopt: “I consider everything a loss because
of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I
consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” When we consider the world’s greatest offerings as
“garbage” compared to the surpassing worth of spiritual treasures, we will live free of consumerism.

Christians must learn to differentiate between wants and needs. They must pursue lasting joy rather
than fleeting happiness or pleasure.

CHRISTIAN FAITH EDUCATION 2

COURSE MATERIAL ON UNJUST LABOR PRACTICES

Termination of a contract of employment without due process or in a manner that violates the terms of the
contract is called unjust dismissal. In such cases, the courts usually take the employee's contractual rights into
consideration in awarding damages. Also called wrongful discharge or wrongful termination.

INSPIRED WORD

Hebrews 6:10

“For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving
the saints, as you still do.”

Reflection : The hallmark of true faith is active, Christian love, which is carried out in the power of the Holy
Spirit. And the faith of these dear saints was manifested, in the ongoing work they performed, to the glory of
God, together with their selfless, labor of Christian love, in ministering to their brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul knew that God was not unjust, and that those that are trusting Him will never be disappointed by Him.
There are occasions when we need correction and times when we need instruction.. but God knows that there
are also times when His people need encouragement.

What an assurance, therefore, to be told that the eyes of the Lord will never miss any good deed we do, for His
glory, nor will be unaware of any labour of love, that is shown to Him, through a tender ministry that is directed
towards His people.

What a great encouragement it is, to all the people of God - to know that the Lord is aware of the thoughts of
our hearts, the words that we speak and the actions that we carry out in love - for His praise and glory. How
uplifting to know that even a cup of cold water, which is offered from a heart that is right with God, will not go
unnoticed nor unrewarded.
Matthew 11:28

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Reflection: Jesus is the well-spring of Life and the Light that has come into the world to give hope to all who will
trust on His name for salvation, and His invitation to 'COME' is for whosoever will. Christ alone is the One Who
can heal the hurting, rescue the perishing, and save a sinner from eternal separation from our heavenly Father
- for there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.

Jesus came to show us the Father, for He is the incarnate God, and the one who has seen the Son has seen
the Father. Those who know the Son, know the Father. He shines forth the radiance of the glory of God, for He
is the exact image of the essence of God and upholds all things by the word of His power. He is the visible
representation of the glorious, eternal, invisible God, who has invited us all to COME.

The invitation to 'come' is from Jesus and contains no limitations or restrictions. He will turn no one away.
There is no need to stand afar off because Christ calls ALL to draw close to Him. He alone can lift the heavy
yoke of bondage to sin which weighs down the burdened heart. He alone can heal the broken-hearted, rescue
those that are perishing, and set the captive free from the weighty burden of sin. And His invitation is open to
ALL who will believe on His name.

'Come To Me' is an invitation for the broken-hearted soul and burdened sinner. COME, just as you are. "Come
unto Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." This promise of rest that Jesus
offers is a rest that He freely gives to all who will come to Him for salvation.

The rest that Christ gives, is an eternal rest beyond our understanding that can never be earned or purchased.
The rest He offers, is freely available as God’s gift of grace to whosoever will COME. "Come to Me, ALL who
labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

CHURCH TEACHING
The Church has had a long and active relationship with the world of work. Beginning with Pope Leo’s 1891
landmark social encyclical, Rerum Novarum (‘On Capital And Labour’) and continuing today the Church has
had much to say about the rights and duties of the worker and of business.
In all agreements between masters and work people there is always the condition expressed or understood
that there should be allowed proper rest for soul and body. To agree in any other sense would be against what
is right and just; for it can never be just or right to require on the one side, or to promise on the other, the giving
up of those duties which a man owes to his God and to himself.
Rerum Novarum (“On the Condition of Labor and the Working Classes”), Pope Leo XIII, 1891, #42.

While the Church affirms the usefulness and goodness that can come from business and enterprise, it argues

that those interests must always be tempered and shaped by moral concerns. That means Catholic Social

Teaching on work begins with the dignity of the human person and an understanding that work is for the

common good and part of building up and glorifying Creation. It does not, like most secular frameworks, begin

with economic ideologies or an ‘economy first’ worldview

The Church fully supports the right of workers to form unions or other associations to secure their rights to fair
wages and working conditions. This is a specific application of the more general right to associate. In the words
of Pope John Paul II, "The experience of history teaches that organizations of this type are an indispensable
element of social life, especially in modern industrial societies.

The future of humanity does not lie solely in the hands of great leaders, the great powers and the elites. It is
fundamentally in the hands of the people and their ability to organise. –Pope Francis

UNIONS ARE FOR COMMON GOOD: The Church has strongly and consistently advocated for workers to
have the right to form unions and associations and emphasises the importance of these in creating real human
connection and community amongst workers (a key part of the dignity of work) but also in allowing workers to
pursue and protect their rights and just working conditions.

CCC #2427 Human work proceeds directly from persons created in the image of God and called to prolong the
work of creation by subduing the earth, both with and for one another.210 Hence work is a duty: "If any one will
not work, let him not eat."211 Work honors the Creator's gifts and the talents received from him. It can also be
redemptive. By enduring the hardship of work212 in union with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth and the one
crucified on Calvary, man collaborates in a certain fashion with the Son of God in his redemptive work. He
shows himself to be a disciple of Christ by carrying the cross, daily, in the work he is called to
accomplish.213 Work can be a means of sanctification and a way of animating earthly realities with the Spirit of
Christ.

CCC #2428 In work, the person exercises and fulfills in part the potential inscribed in his nature. The primordial
value of labor stems from man himself, its author and its beneficiary. Work is for man, not man for work.214

Everyone should be able to draw from work the means of providing for his life and that of his family, and of
serving the human community.

CCC# 2433 Access to employment and to professions must be open to all without unjust discrimination: men
and women, healthy and disabled, natives and immigrants.219 For its part society should, according to
circumstances, help citizens find work and employment.220

CHRISTIAN FAITH EDUCATION 2

COURSE MATERIAL ON RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP

Everyone has a duty to be a responsible citizen. But unfortunately, not everyone takes this responsibility
seriously. There are plenty of people the world over who do not know what being a responsible citizen means
and these are the people who destroy our communities. For being a responsible citizen results in a happy and
harmonious community – if everyone else does the same. Being a responsible citizen covers many areas –
some of them legal obligations, some social and some moral. So of course, because not all of them are legal
obligations, being a responsible citizen is not as easy as staying within the law. In fact, to be a truly responsible
citizen, we sometimes must go out of our way to do things which help our society – give a little of our time and
effort for the greater good.
No one can be a responsible citizen without staying within the law. It is as simple as that. Criminals, by their
very nature, are not behaving as responsible citizens. Laws exist to protect citizens, the communities they live
in and their property. So to be a responsible citizen, we must respect these laws and abide by them. Harming
others or others’ property does not equate to being a good citizen.Social obligations really form the bulk of
being a responsible citizen and what this means. To be a responsible citizen, we should help our communities
and those who live in them. So, being a responsible citizen can encompass things such as volunteering.

Social responsibility is an ethical theory in which individuals are accountable for fulfilling their civic duty, and
the actions of an individual must benefit the whole of society. In this way, there must be a balance between
economic growth and the welfare of society and the environment.

Community responsibilities are an individual's duties or obligations to the community and include

cooperation, respect and participation. The concept goes beyond thinking and acting as individuals to common
beliefs about shared interests and life. A basic community responsibility is voting in elections.

The concept of citizenship was born in the city-states of Ancient Greece; specifically, in Athens. Greek
education at the time was designed to instruct citizens in the values, intellectual frameworks, and habits-of-
mind required to be free men. That is, to actively participate in the political system that shaped their lives and
guaranteed their freedoms.

Today, being a citizen means that you’re part of a group, and that you have legal and political rights within that
group. It brings with it both privileges and obligations. I would argue that we each have a duty, or an obligation,
to be good citizens. After all, a nation is only as healthy as its individual citizens.

Nonetheless, in modern times, people generally aren’t educated on how to be good citizens. Therefore, I asked
myself the following questions: “What does it mean to be a good citizen?”, and, “How do you become a good
citizen?”

1. A Good Citizen is Patriotic.

Patriotism is having and showing devotion for your country. It means having an attachment to certain national
cultural values and showing critical loyalty to your nation. Some ways to show patriotism include the following:

▪ Brush up on your country’s history.

▪ Read up on social studies.
▪ Obey the rule of law.
▪ Pay your taxes.
▪ Learn the national anthem.
▪ Fly your country’s flag.
▪ Don’t litter or engage in acts of vandalism that deface your environment.
▪ Travel around your country and talk to your fellow citizens.
▪ Cheer for your country’s team in sports events (World Cup, I’m looking at you).

At the same time, keep in mind that patriotism should not be confused with nationalism. Nationalism is thinking
of your nation as being superior to others, and worthy of dominance. Patriots are proud of their country, but
they understand that other people are also rightly proud of theirs.
2. Model the Personal Qualities of Good Citizens.

The personal qualities of a good citizen include the following:

▪ Honesty – tell the truth.

▪ Integrity – be morally upright.
▪ Responsibility – be accountable for yourself and your actions.
▪ Respectfulness – treat others how you want to be treated.
▪ Compassion – show fellowship with your compatriots who are down on their luck by volunteering and/or
making donations to charities.
▪ Kindness – be friendly.
▪ Tolerance – be tolerant of other races and religions.
▪ Courtesy – be considerate of others.
▪ Self-Discipline – have self-control and cultivate the ability to follow through on what you say you’re going to
do.
▪ Moral Courage – stand up for what you consider to be wrong and defend those who cannot defend
themselves.
▪ Love of Justice – be fair and ask that others be so as well.

Imagine what your country would be like if all its citizens strived to achieve these personal qualities. Start by
adopting them yourself.

3. Be a Productive Member of Society.

A good citizen contributes to their nation by being productive. They’re productive employees, business owners,
artists, public servants, caregivers, and so on. Good citizens share their skills, talents, and abilities with others.
They make a positive contribution to their nation.

4. Be Active In Your Community.

A good citizen is active in their community. They participate in the social life of their city or town, and they look
for ways to make their communities a better place to live. That is, if they see a problem in their community they
look for ways to solve it.

Here are some ways to be active in your community:

▪ Shop locally.
▪ Attend community events – keep your eyes open for events that are happening in your area such as
festivals, community theatre, a gallery opening, and so on.
▪ Join a local club that’s devoted to an activity that interests you, such as running, cycling, or kayaking.
Here are some ways to better your community:

▪ Participate in a community-driven cleanup project.

▪ Help plant a community garden.
▪ Organize a campaign to raise money for new playground equipment.
▪ Help out your neighbors.

Instead of being cooped up in your home glued to a technological device, get out there and become an active
member of your community. It will make you a better citizen.
5. Keep Yourself Well-Informed.

Read to educate yourself about the important issues facing your nation.

If you’re asking yourself what you should read to keep well-informed, here are some suggestions:

▪ Various news sources that cover local, national and global news.
▪ Books on important world issues.
▪ Biographies of people who have helped shape the world.
▪ History books.
▪ Political science books such as Rawls’ A Theory of Justice, Plato’s The Republic, and Mill’s On Liberty.

6. Be Vigilant.

A country depends on a well-informed and civic minded population to safeguard the people’s individual
freedoms and political rights. A good citizen remains vigilant in order to ascertain that the government is doing
all of the following:

▪ Meeting its obligations to its citizens;

▪ Acting appropriately within its sphere and jurisdiction; and
▪ Adhering to the limits of state action.
To do this, a citizen must have the basic skills necessary to be able to assess arguments logically and
critically.

In addition, if a citizen believes that the government is overstepping its bounds or failing in its duties, the citizen
must speak up.

7. Participate in Your Nation’s Political Life.

If you want to be a good citizen, you should be politically active. There are many ways to this. Here are some
ideas:

▪ Identify an issue you care about and pursue it.

▪ Attend rallies and events.
▪ Go to city council meetings.
▪ Join a political organization.
▪ Volunteer for a political campaign.
▪ Vote! Do your part to elect capable, civic minded leaders.
▪ Run for political office.
As a citizen, you have the right to have your voice heard. Exercise that right.

8. Be a Mentor.

Today’s kids are tomorrow’s citizens. Help shape the citizens of the future by mentoring kids. Some ideas on
ways you can mentor kids are the following:

▪ Talk to your own kids about civics and teach them to be good citizens.
▪ Join a school-based mentoring program and tutor kids who aren’t doing well academically.
▪ Get involved in an organization such as Big Brothers Big Sisters.

A great legacy to leave your nation is to play a part in forming good citizens who will contribute to the nation’s
well-being.

9. Be Well-Rounded.

The point of this qualities of being a good citizen indicates that a good citizen has to be productive. That is,
they need to have the knowledge necesary to produce in today’s world — technical skills, legal skills, medical
skills, and so on. However, a good citizen should also be well-rounded.

A well-rounded person is better at creative problem solving and innovation than a person who is not well-
rounded. In addition, they can make contributions not only to a country’s GDP, but also to the cultural wealth of
their nation.

Here are some of the qualities of a well-rounded person:

▪ They’re well-read.
▪ A well-rounded person is cultured.
▪ They’re well-educated.
▪ They develop not only their mental faculties, but also their emotional, physical, and spiritual faculties.

10. Order Your Corner Of the World

Your home is a microcosm of your country. If you want to live in a clean, healthy, prosperous, happy nation,
start by creating these circumstances at home.

The Chinese philosopher Confucius once said the following: “To put the world in order, we must first put the
nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order; we
must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.”

Do things like the following:

▪ Keep a clean and organized home environment.

▪ Eat healthy meals.
▪ Keep to a budget and don’t go into debt.
▪ Pay your bills on time.
▪ Don’t waste water or electricity.
▪ Recycle.
▪ Create a list of simple rules for your family to follow.
▪ Set personal development goals and strive to achieve them.
Start small- create order at home. Good homes lead to good neighborhoods, which lead to good cities, which
lead to good states, which lead to good countries, which lead to a good world.
In God’s way of doing things, good citizenship begins with a right attitude:

“Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to
do what is good. They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling” (Titus 3:1-2)

In the life of Jesus, we see what it looks like to put others’ interests ahead of our own. He selflessly set aside
his rights so that others could be blessed. And he calls us to do the same.

Yet it seems that our nation’s economic demise is a direct result of citizens demanding what benefits them,
unwilling to yield for the good of all. Regrettably, some Christians have this same attitude, decrying the nation’s
insolvency, all the while insisting that their own government checks keep coming undiluted.

Catholics believe that we should base important decisions on what we call “an informed conscience.”  Our
catechism puts it this way:  “Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened.  A well-
formed conscience is upright and truthful.  It formulates its judgments according to reason, in
conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator…” (Catechism of the Catholic
Church 1783).   We are all confronted by situations, those gray areas of dilemma, that make moral judgments
less certain and more difficult to decide upon.  But the obligation remains to seek seriously what is right and
good and discern the will of God expressed in divine law.  To make decisions only on the basis of utility,
pragmatics, party loyalties, or opinion polls would not be accordance with the catechism or with our faith.

As Catholic citizens, we should keep three things at the forefront of our minds:

1. Respect for the dignity of each human person is the core of Catholic social and moral teaching.

The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the
foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching.

  2. We focus on the common good, not our own personal interests.

We ask, how can we make the world a better place - not, how can I improve my own personal situation?

 3. We have a responsibility—a true obligation—to form our consciences and participate in the civic life of this
nation

CHRISTIAN FAITH EDUCATION 2

COURSE MATERIAL: RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

The twenty first century is a fascinating period. It has ushered in “a renewed prominence of
religions.” Such prominence is caused by the religious issues and conflicts that continue to attract
public opinion with the help of vigorous marketing or commodification of religion through the
information storage facilities such as the internet. Indeed this century is an extraordinarily stimulating
time in which to talk, think , and write about the world religions. The “mediatization” of the world is
breaking the cultural, racial, linguistic and geographical boundaries that the world has not previously
experienced.

There are serious issues facing the fact that there are different religions with contrasting claims.
Today more than ever, encounters between and among religions are taking place constantly and at
a very fast pace. Because of the advancement of technology especially in the areas of travel and
communication, we realize that the world has considerably shrunk before our eyes. We are now
living in a global community where everybody rubs elbows with everybody else. Religion has been
globalized: as people have become more mobile and connected by fast means of communication,
religions have crossed traditional boundaries and established their homes with others beyond their
borders. The meeting of different religions in a global community poses the problem. Hence, this
study was undertaken to answer the main research problem: “How should each religion see itself in
relation to the other to maintain peaceful inter-existence and perhaps be a force together with others
for societal transformation?”

A. Reality of Religious Pluralism

Reality is plural. At least this is how we experience it. But this experience of multiplicity has
spawned problems in many aspects of human life. It is in the area of faith that this experience can be
most problematic. Due to the pressing problems brought by the phenomenon of religious pluralism,
one is moved to a realization that the “pluralist mindset is important in understanding the theology of
religious pluralism.” The pluralist approach brings a great challenge that is, in our missio ad extra a
tremendous paradigm shift is needed. We are challenged to reach out to the religious-others not as
going to them (pagans and non-Christians) and convert them (missio ad gentes) but to reach out to
religious-others – to live with and among them (missio inter gentes).

There are serious issues facing the fact that there are different religions with contrasting
claims. Today more than ever, encounters between and among religions are taking place constantly
and at a very fast pace. Because of the advance of technology especially in the areas of travel and
communication, we realize that the world has considerably shrunk before our eyes. We are now
living in a global community where everybody rubs elbows with everybody else. Religion has been
globalized: as people have become more mobile and connected by fast means of communication,
religions have crossed traditional boundaries and established their homes with others beyond their
borders. The meeting of different religions in a global community poses the problem of how the
various traditions are to relate with one another. How should each see itself in relation to the other to
maintain peaceful inter-existence and perhaps be a force together with others for societal
transformation?
B. Learning the Lessons: Going beyond Borders

The genius and insight of pluralist mindset poses a great challenge of re-creating the Christian
tradition not only as an option but an imperative. This is not only because of the external demands
for transformation exerted on Christian communities by history and culture. These constitute a large
part of the reason for Christianity’s transformation through the years, from its inception to the present.
And this is our response to Jesus’ words, “read the signs of the times.” But there is something
inherent in Christianity that necessitates this constant process of change – the incarnational nature of
the Christian faith. Pluralism arises from this nature.

Religious pluralism is a historical situation that characterizes our world today. It is a neutral
paradigm for Christian theology. As a new paradigm, it leads us to experience a theological turning
point. We are in a new historical situation" one that is no longer dominated as in the last century, by
religious indifference and secularization but by the plurality of religious faiths. This is also the result
of a real doctrinal revolution ushered in by Vatican II in its pronouncement of a positive judgment on
non Christian religions. The seeds of truth and holiness in other religious traditions are now
recognized. (Vatican II, Nostra Aetate). Vatican II's well known statement opened the door to
relationships with other faiths. The statement of the magisterium went beyond domination and
conversion. Religions have something positive to offer to one another, which are not just functionally
or dynamically equivalent. What the religions are offering and saying is not the same thing, in
different forms, but unique and irreplaceable ways of salvation.

Crossing boundaries leads us into the diversity of truth conditions of other cultural and
religious traditions- Truth lies also elsewhere, outside the walls of Christianity and the Church
(Hebrews 13:14). Since Vatican II, crossing frontiers has become a central concept in pastoral efforts
to open out a dialogue with the world and all its cultures and traditions (Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes).
The world which is becoming increasingly secular, must be infused with faith (lumen), joy (gaudium)
and hope (spes). Crossing frontiers leads us to the world of the new generation that emphasizes
religious freedom, self-emancipation and group solidarity. It also leads us to the issues raised by
feminism and ecology as weII as fundamentalism and secularism. Two social forces are distinctively
responsible for the emergence of these issues: modernization and secularization. Modernity is the
outcome of secularization.

There is a great need to address the challenge to enlarge the space for interreligious
exchange, intercultural communication" and interfaith witness. This is inevitable. We have to
acknowledge that all religious traditions are the products of historical and political processes. Their
distinctiveness is constructed upon these processes and events. Pluralism serves as a powerful
reminder of the 'constructive-ness of religion. Hence, acknowledgment of the fragility and limited
nature of all human discourse about the divine is significant Christian theology tells us that God is the
foundation of all knowledge and makes dialogue between the world and religions and between
believers and non-believers possible. Differences are not only to be tolerated. They must also be
celebrated. Diversity is to be valued to transform the world into a better place to live in. Hence,
openness to the religious-other would uncover potentialities for approaching the plural mystery of God
and the riches of Gods infinite wisdom.
Due to this pressing problem of religious diversity and the dream for collaboration with the
"religious others", it is imperative to discuss the conditions of the possibility of interfaith dialogue. But
to have a lucid and thorough understanding of the said dialogue, it is important to have a glance once
more on the reality of interfaith dialogue. Interfaith dialogue is the exchange of experience and
understanding between two or more partners with the intention that all partners grow in experience.
This definition implies that dialogue is not a mere gathering of persons. Dialogue is rather a meeting
of two or more participants with the intention of communicating and sharing their experiences. The
goals of dialogue range from simply fostering mutual understanding and tolerance, to promoting
collaboration and friendship, to serving the purpose of mutual transformation and growth.

Hence, the conditions for interreligious dialogue can be summarized in three important points:
1. Dialogue must be based on personal religious experience and firm truth claims. 2. Dialogue must
be based on the recognition of the possible truth in all religions; the ability to recognize this truth must
be grounded in the hypothesis of a common good and goal for all religions, and 3. Dialogue must be
based on openness to the possibility of genuine change/conversion.

C. Method/s of facilitating IF/R dialogue

Nostra Aetate (NA) is main document on other religions of Vatican II but it was seminal and not fully
developed . Redemptoris Missio was issued by Pope John Paul II on December 7, 1990 on the
occasion of the Conciliar Decree AD GENTES. Notra Aetate (NA) is the main Vatican II document on
other religions. Two important themes of NA are 1) the necessity of interreligious dialogue, 2)
the discernment of the “rays of truth” in other religious traditions

Chapter III of Redemptoris Missio (RM) is on the Holy Spirit: The Principal Agent of Mission.
(Redemptoris Missio was issued by Pope John Paul II on December 7, 1990 on the occasion of the
25th anniversary of the Conciliar Decree AD GENTES)

# 21 The Holy Spirit is the principal agent of the whole Church’s mission.

# 24 “The mission of the Church, like that of Jesus, is God’s work or, as Luke often put s it, the work
of the Holy Spirit.”

# 25 “The missionaries continued along this path, taking into account people’s hopes and
expectations, their anguish and sufferings, as well as their culture, in order to proclaim to them
salvation in Christ.”

# 28 “The Spirit manifests himself in a special way in the Church and in her members. Nevertheless,
his presence and activity are universal, limited neither by space not time.”

# 29 Thus the Spirit, who “blows where he wills (Jn 3:8), who “was already at work in the world
before Christ was glorified” and who “has filled the world ... holds all things together and knows
what is said” (Wis 1:7), leads us to broaden our vision in order to ponder his activity in every time and
place.

Chapter IV – The vast Horizons of the Mission AD GENTES

# 34 “Missionary activity proper, namely the mission ad gentes, is directed to “people or groups who
do not yet believe in Christ,” “who are far from Christ,” in whom the Church “has not yet taken root”
and whose culture has not yet been influenced by the Gospel.

Chapter V – The Paths of Mission

# 55 “Interreligious is part of the Church’s evangelizing mission.”

# 56 Dialogue does not originate from tactical concerns or self-interest, but is an activity with its own
guiding principles, requirements and dignity. It is demanded by deep respect for everything that has
been brought about in human beings by the Spirit who blows where he wills. Through dialogue, the
Church seeks to uncover the “seeds of the Word,” a “ray of that truth which enlightens all men”; there
are found in individuals and in the religious traditions of mankind. Dialogue is based on hope and
love, and will bear fruit in the Spirit. Other religions constitute a positive challenge for the Church; they
stimulate her both to discover and acknowledge the signs of Christ’s presence and of the working of
the Spirit, as well as to examine more deeply her own identity and to bear witness to the fullness of
Revelation which she has received for the good of all.” # 56 A vast field lies open to dialogue, which
can assume many forms and expressions: from exchanges between experts in religious traditions or
official representatives of those traditions to cooperation for integral development and the
safeguarding of religious values; and from a sharing of their respective spiritual experiences to the so
called “dialogue of life,” through which believers of different religions bear witness before each other
in daily life to their own human and spiritual values, and help each other to live according to those
values in order to build a more just and fraternal society.
UNDERSTANDING DIALOGUE

1. Dialogue does not mean giving up one’s religion or changing it.

Right from the start it is important to remember that when we come to dialogue the purpose is neither
to give up our religion, to compromise nor to change it.

2. Dialogue aims at making our religion and culture intelligible to others.

The world of religions is replete with misunderstandings and prejudices perhaps more so today
than earlier due to the speed with which news in the electronic media travels. Just think of the uproar
in the Muslim world on the comment of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in a speech he delivered two
years ago where he quoted an ancient author. Dialogue can clear up misunderstandings and remove
prejudices. Dialogue promotes and deepens understanding between the religions. The goal is to
understand other religions as they understand themselves. This step aims at facilitating
communication between people of different faith-traditions.

3. Understanding and Information

The core of the communication process is understanding. There is a great difference between
information and understanding.

a. Difference between Understanding and Information:

Understanding is qualitatively different from information. The informational level is an important step
on the road to understanding. That is why one must neither neglect nor underestimate the difference
between them. Whereas information is USEFUL because it is descriptive by nature, understanding is
TRANSFORMATIVE.

· For information to be useful it has to be as precise as possible – and in our day, it also has to be
fast.
· Understanding employs the language of symbol and metaphor; it is low on description and high on
evoking an experience. I shared with you those stories above for you to enter into my world so that
you may understand where I am coming from. Understanding takes off from information in much the
same way that a plane takes off from the ground. It takes off into space, into the world of air and the
winds. Understanding transports us to the world of the reality as codified by a text. Briefly, when
understanding takes place we enter into the world of reality as experienced by the speaker. The
deeper we understand the world of the other, the deeper we enter into the world of the other.

· A good example of this is a JOKE. In a joke it is not enough to follow the narration of the joke. The
narration is NOT the joke. That is the reason why mere narration does not provoke laughter. One has
to be familiar with the world of the narrator within which the joke is cracked and which is silently taken
for granted.

b. Understanding always takes place within a specific cultural context:

Understanding does not take place outside a specific cultural context. Though some jokes may have
appeal in more than one culture, there are others that are specific to a culture. Many values and
attitudes are like culture-specific jokes that cannot be understood from outside their culture. We might
be using a common language, say, English but that does not necessarily solve the problem. Indeed it
only veils the issues further with the veil of apparent similarities. An apparent familiar belief expressed
in a common language is in fact a trap. It creates an illusion that we are understanding i.e. that
understanding is taking place. Wherever we go we always carry with us our values and attitudes from
the soil of our cultural perception.

4. Understanding and Preunderstanding

Let us go back to the phenomenon of understanding. Understanding takes place – for all of us – on
the background of our cosmovision. To paraphrase this: the background of our understanding shapes
the foreground of what we understand. Our cosmovision is the filter through which we understand
whatever we understand. The background is the preunderstanding (also differently called the
forestructure, the horizon, the cosmovision) of our understanding. This is the reason why each of us
understands differently.

* Preunderstanding

Preunderstanding is not an understanding prior to understanding as the suffix “pre” might erroneously
suggest. Rather it refers to a structure, it is a forestructure (coined by Marin Heidegger.) This
forestructure filters whatever it receives. Hence whatever is understood by each one of us that
much is what is common but in the last analysis each one’s understanding is also unique: We are
shaped both by the cosmovision of our CULTURAL COMMUNITY and our PERSONAL HISTORY.
The cosmovision of our culture and each one’s uniqueness shape our preunderstanding.

5. Culture and Cosmovision

Culture is the most comprehensive influence on us. And a cosmovision, a concretization of culture,
brings out the special character of a culture.

a. The special character of a culture:

There is a specific experience of reality and a corresponding understanding of truth. The specific
experience of reality refers to a specific understanding of God, World and Man/Woman – what we
have been calling cosmovision. The specific understanding of truth is closely related to the
specific experience of reality.

b. We know about our cosmovision indirectly only when we encounter another cosmovision.

A cosmovision cannot be known directly but only indirectly when we encounter another cosmovision.
In the encounter some differences come to the fore. A dialogical encounter brings out the differences
between cosmovision regarding values and attitudes, rites and rituals, prayers and hymns, and
music, art and literature, etc. For all of us our own cosmovision, our culture and religion make
eminent sense; that is the reason why they are always taken for granted but not so the cosmovision,
culture and religion of the others. In the Middle Ages the Catholic Church with an ecclesiology of
“Outside the Church there is no salvation” went on rampage to baptise everyone with the
“cosmovision” belief that unless people were baptised they cannot go to heaven. Now, with the
discovery of oil in the Middle East in the 70’s there is this Islamic Global renewal. Like the
Christendom of the Middle Ages the fulcrum of Islam in the Middle East asserted their Islamic faith as
the ONLY WAY to be saved. They are operating in their own “cosmovision” as we did before.

6. God’s Absolute Revelation and Man’s Relative Reception

This is as it should be. We are at home in our own culture as others at home in their cultures. We
need to realize that we are limited human beings. In spite of the absolute nature of God’s
revelation we contingent beings can receive absolute revelation only relatively in our finite
minds, hearts and brings.

7. Religion and Culture

This confirms the following: A belief is valid in the faith-world where it was born, not outside it. The
experience of reality and truth is expressed in the language of its culture. Beliefs of a religion
are all expressed in the language of its culture. That is why the beliefs of one culture are not
automatically intelligible to those of another culture.

8. The Dialogue of Religions and Cultures

It is here that we have to locate the nature and role of dialogue, especially the dialogue of religions
and cultures. The following considerations could help to understand the process of dialogue better.A
culture’s perspective, though valid, always remains PARTIAL and LIMITED. That is the reason why
we need to share with one another our experience of reality and the truth of our revelation.
Given the differences between our cultures it is necessary to become familiar with our neighbor’s
culture.

It is an offering because it is ever extended not only in the pleasantness of appreciation but also in,
and even beyond, the pain of rejection. Dialogue is an offering because it respects the antipathies
of both Muslim and Christians and the pace with which they strive to ease their hurts and to heal their
wounds. Here dialogue is compassion. Besides being an offering, dialogue is a CHALLENGE as
well. It asks of a believer whether his faith does not require him to rise above his prejudices, even
those that stem from real pain. It is a challenge to scrutinize the pain-filled PAST yet HOPE still to
start a
chain of happy memories for tomorrow. Dialogue is above all a communion of people in
total surrender to God, who persist in the hope that all can have a change of heart.

CHRISTIAN FAITH EDUCATION 

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: POLLUTION 

“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves
and  to one another.” 

—Mahatma Gandhi  

INTRODUCTION  

The world faces more daunting environmental challenges. Global warming has cause climate changes 
disrupting the natural cycles and weather patterns. While hurricanes are getting stronger, droughts are
becoming  longer and more intense. Mountain glaciers around the world have receded, increasing sea levels
which could  bury low-lying islands underwater. Global warming is partly caused by greenhouse gases released
by natural  phenomena. Large quantities of these gases come from anthropogenic activities like the burning of
fossil fuels.  Changing pattern of rainfall leads to local shortage of food and health problems and even armed
disputes. Many  water sources are threatened by faulty waste disposal, industrial pollutants, fertilizer un-off,
and saltwater  intrusion into underground aquifer leading to unsafe drinking water and depletion of ground
water. Soil has  been contaminated by excess of salts and hazardous chemicals. Erosion and exhaustion of
nutrients and trace  elements have degraded the quality of soil resulting in poor crop harvests. Deforestation
and mining are among  human activities which have adversely affected biodiversity. 

In the Philippines, there is ecological consciousness that co-exists with species extinction because of illegal 
logging, mining, fishing, and so on. Human life and the natural world are definitely under threat. A new vision 
of life must be founded on the conviction that human are embedded in nature and nature is also embedded in 
human beings. Dianne Bergant argues “we are truly children of the universe, made of the same stuff as are the 
mountains and the rain, the sand and the stars. We are governed by the laws of life and growth and death as
are  the birds and the fish and the grass of the fields. We thrive in the warmth of and through the agency of the
sun  as does every other living thing.” 

The human person was created perfect. The human person was even placed in a perfect and friendly 
environment to be his home. In the Christian parlance, in his stay in his home, God gives everything in order
for  him to live. God gave him, beautiful trees that bear fruit, fresh water that runs deep in the river to quench
our  thirsts, stunning wide ocean in order for him to get fish in the sea to eat. However, in our present situation,
there  are many issues regarding our environment. We cut trees that cause landslide and floods. We even throw
our  own house, wastes in the rivers and in the ocean that reveals that we have polluted water. The book of
Genesis  says that “The Lord God then took man and settled him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and care for
it” (Gen.  2:15). In this point of view, everything that was created by God was in a perfect place and everything
He  created was good. With this, respect for the creator means respect for His creation. As a human person, we
need  then to respect what God has given to us, He gave us a beautiful place (our home), the environment in
order for  us to cultivate and make it better. Respect means we need to care for our own home. It also entails
that we must  be a responsible stewards of His Creation (Apilado, 2017).
CONTEXT 

Pollution 
Pollution is the process of making land, water, air or other parts of the environment dirty and not safe or
suitable  to use. This can be done through the introduction of a contaminant into a natural environment, but the
contaminant doesn't need to be tangible. Things as simple as light, sound and temperature can be considered 
pollutants when introduced artificially into an environment. Pollution is the undesirable change in the
physical ,  chemical, and biological conditions of the environment. Pollution generally treated in three natural
categories:  air water, and land.  

a. Air Pollution 

There are five major pollutants discharged into the atmosphere: carbon monoxide, particulate,
sulfur  oxides, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides. Its major sources, aside from motor vehicles, are
fuel  combustion of electric-power plants, industrial processes and burning of solid wastes.  

The effects of air pollution on us are varied. Excessive inhalation of carbon monoxide displaces oxygen
in  our blood, and therefore, reduces the amount of oxygen carried to the body tissues. Sulfur oxides, on
the  other hand, are believed to cause temporary and permanent injury to our respiratory system, through
the  irritation of the lung tissue and upper respiratory tract. Photochemical oxidants, like nitrogen
dioxide,  aldehydes, and peroxyzcyl can cause eye irritation. The intake of nitrogen oxides, particularly
by children,  increases their susceptibility to contact flu.  

Transportation vehicles, fuel combustion, industrial processes (such as burning coal and processing 
minerals from mining), and solid waste disposal have contributed to the growing levels of air
pollutants,  including carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, arsenic, nitrogen dioxide, mercury, dioxins, and
lead. 
Air pollution, which is linked to heart disease, lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and
asthma,  kills about 3 million people a year. 

Indoor air pollution is a serious problem in developing countries. Exposure to this indoor smoke
increases  risk of pneumonia, chronic respiratory disease, asthma, cataracts, tuberculosis, and lung
cancer, and is  responsible for up to 1.6 million deaths a year (World Health Organization 2010).
Exposure is particularly  high among women and children, who spend the most time near the domestic
hearth or stove. 

Destruction of the Ozone Layer  

The ozone layer of the earth’s atmosphere protects life on earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
Yet  the ozone layer has been weakened by the use of certain chemicals, particularly chlorofluorocarbons 
(CFCs), used in refrigerators, air conditioners, spray cans, and other applications. The depletion of the 
ozone layer allows hazardous levels of ultraviolet rays to reach the earth’s surface and is linked to a
variety  of problems.
b. Water Pollution  

Water is one of the most important natural resources that we necessary to sustain our life in this planet.
But,  the growth of population and industry, as well as, the increase of agricultural production, results in a 
heavier water-borne load of insecticides, herbicides, and nitrates. These pollutants spread not only into our 
streams, rivers, lakes, and seas, but into our ground water as well.  

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms—contaminate a 

stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic
to  humans or the environment. 

Our water is being polluted by a number of harmful substances, including pesticides, vehicle exhaust,
acid  rain, oil spills, sewage, and industrial, military, and agricultural. 

One indicator of water pollution is the thousands of fish advisories that warn against the consumption
of  certain fish caught in local waters because of contamination with pollutants such as mercury and
dioxin  waste. 

c. Land Pollution  

The land around us makes it possible for us to establish structures, like housing settlements and
industrial  complexes, which support our activities. It is also the medium through we can have agricultural
products.  Landforms, like mountain ranges, contain mineral resources that we need for industrial
progress. All of  these make land a valuable resource for us. But, when we misuse land, we experience
environmental  pollution and the depletion of our land-based resources.  

Land pollution may be traced to two general resources; 1) solid wastes from domestic, commercial, and 
industrial activities, and 2) agricultural pollution from pesticides and fertilizers.  

Other sources of land, air, and water pollution are due to the use of fossil fuels for industrial purposes; lead 
emissions from cars, increasing number of refrigerators and air conditioners, dumping of toxic wastes, and 
many more.  
 About 30 percent of the world’s surface is land, which provides soil to grow the food we eat. Increasingly, 
humans are polluting the land with nuclear waste, solid waste, and pesticides. 

Nuclear Waste: Nuclear waste, resulting from both nuclear weapons production and nuclear reactors or 
power plants, contains radioactive plutonium, a substance linked to cancer and genetic defects. 

Solid Waste: In 1960, each U.S. citizen generated 2.7 pounds of garbage on average every

day. E-waste: Discarded electrical appliances and electronic equipment.

d. Light Pollution 

Light pollution refers to artificial lighting that is annoying, unnecessary, and/or harmful to life forms on 
earth. Almost all people in developed societies use artificial light, reducing the natural period of darkness
at  night. 

Social Causes of Environmental Problems: Population Growth 

The world’s population is growing; in 2011 world population reached the 7 billion mark. Population
growth  places increased demands on natural resources and results in increased waste. 

How do environmental issues affect my life? 

A number of specific environmental issues can impede human health and wellness. These issues include 
chemical pollution, climate change, disease-causing microbes, lack of access to health care, poor
infrastructure,  and poor water quality. (https://online.regiscollege.edu/blog/environmental-factors-that-affect-health/)
INSPIRED WORD OF GOD 

at has been made." -John 1:3 

Although only one sentence, this verse tells us very important information: God is the One who created all things in the universe and 
the One who rules over all things. Not a single thing doesn’t live according to the laws established by God. Just as God’s words say, 
“God is the Master of the rules that control the universe, He controls the rules that govern the survival of all things, and He also 
controls the universe and all things such that they can live together; He makes it so they do not go extinct or disappear so that
mankind  may continue to exist, man can live in such an environment through God’s leadership. These rules that govern all things are
under the  dominion of God, however, mankind cannot intervene and cannot change them; only God Himself knows these rules and
only He  Himself manages them. When will the trees sprout, when will it rain, how much water and how many nutrients will the earth
give the  plants, in what season will the leaves fall, in what season will the trees bear fruit, how much energy will the sunlight give the
trees,  what will the trees exhale from the energy they get from the sunlight—these are all things that God had already arranged when
He  created the universe and they are laws that cannot be broken by man. The things created by God—whether they are living or
appear to  be non-living by people—are all in God’s hands and under His dominion. No man can change or break this rule.” 

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones
or  powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and
in  him all things hold together." 
 - Colossians 1:16-17 
Finally, creation is designed “for him.” This is a term of purpose. Creation is designed for the glory of Christ. He is the goal of 
creation. Christ will be glorified in creation. In summary, Christ is the author, the means and the end of creation. The universe finds
its  goal and perfection in Christ.
CHURCH TEACHING 

In a message to mark the Catholic church’s World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Pope Francis said
the  worst impact of global warming was being felt by those who were least responsible for it – refugees and
the  poor. 

The pontiff used the occasion to revive many of the powerful issues he highlighted a year ago in his
provocative encyclical on the environment, Laudato si’, and his latest message seems certain to rankle
conservatives. 

Pope Francis described man’s destruction of the environment as a sin and accused mankind of turning the
planet  into a “polluted wasteland full of debris, desolation and filth”. 

The pope said the faithful should use the Holy Year of Mercy throughout 2016 to ask forgiveness for
sins  committed against the environment and our “selfish” system motivated by “profit at any price”. 

“The protection of the environment, of resources and of the climate obliges all international leaders to act
justly  and to show a readiness to work in good faith, respecting the law and promoting solidarity with the
weakest  regions of the planet.” (no. 50) Caritas in Veritate, 2009 

“…the dominion granted to man by the Creator is not an absolute power, nor can one speak of a freedom to
'use  and misuse', or to dispose of things as one pleases.” Evangelium Vitae, Section 42 (1995) From a
religious  perspective, environmental degradation can be viewed as sacrilegious, sinful, and an offense against
God. 

MISSIONARY RESPONSE 

For many Christians, the guiding principles are to respect God's handiwork of creation, not to exploit any
aspect  of creation and to be aware of the needs of future generations. 

The Roman Catholic Church has responded to the challenges raised by environmental issues by stressing
the  need for every individual and every nation to play their part. The important points that the Church
makes  include the beliefs that: 

◻ creation has value because it reveals something about God the creator 

◻ creation has value in itself 

◻ humanity depends on God but everyone has a responsibility for the world and the environment 

CHRISTIAN FAITH EDUCATION 2 

ECOLOGICAL ISSUES: MINING 
INTRODUCTION: 

The Philippines is the fifth most mineral-rich country in the world for gold, nickel, copper, and chromite. It is home to
the  largest copper-gold deposit in the world. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has estimated that the country
has  an estimated $840 billion worth of untapped mineral wealth, as of 2012. 

About 30 million hectares of land areas in the Philippines is deemed as possible areas for metallic minerals. According
to  the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), about nine million hectares of land areas is identified as having high
mineral  potential. The Philippines metal deposit is estimated at 21.5 billion metric tons and non-metallic minerals are
at 19.3  billion metric tons, as of 2012.  

CONTEXT: 

WHAT IS MINING? 

Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth from an orebody, lode,
vein,  seam, or reef, which forms the mineralized package of economic interest to the miner. 

Mining is required to obtain any material that cannot be grown through agricultural processes, or created artificially in
a  laboratory or factory.  

Mining in a wider sense includes extraction of any non-renewable resource such as petroleum, natural gas, or
even  water. 

MINING ISSUES 
Mine Safety: There exist an stringent mining regulations which have led to a reduction in fatalities, both in terms
of  total deaths per year, deaths per person-hour worked, and deaths per ton mined. 

Health Problems 
-mine collapse 
0fire (methane, coal dust, etc.).  
-asphyxiation (methane, carbon monoxide) 
-pneumoconiosis (from inhaling coal dust)  
-asbestosis (from inhaling asbestos fibers)  
-silicosis (from inhaling silicate dust)  
-heavy metal poisoning (e.g. mercury)  
-radiation exposure (in uranium mining)  

Black Lung/ CWP 

Black lung disease is a common name for any lung disease that develops from inhaling coal dust. This name comes
from  the fact that those with the disease have lungs that look black instead of pink. Medically, it is a type of
pneumoconioss  called coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP).
Environmental Damage 
-Gaping holes in ground (old open pit mines) 
-Tailings and Spoil Banks- cause Acid Mine Drainage 
-Accidental draining of rivers and lakes  
-Disruption of ground water flow patterns  
-Loss of topsoil in strip-mined regions (350 to 2,700 km in US alone) 
2
 -Contamination from sulfuric acid (H SO ) produced through weathering of iron sulfide (FeS , pyrite) in tailings. 
2 4 2

Mine Tailings (Waste) 

Tailings, also called mine dumps, culm dumps, slimes, tails, refuse, leach residue or slickens, Tailing are the
materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction  (gangue) of
an ore. 
Tailing waste contaminates the soil and water with leaching of heavy metals (e.g. arsenic, mercury)  

INSPIRED WORD OF GOD 

Deutronomy 8: 7-9, which states “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks,
streams,   and deep springs gushing out into the valleys of hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees,
pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the
rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.” 

"Mining is the cause of all the trouble," Bishop Bastes says. "God created the world for people to enjoy, not for miners
to  destroy." (Bastes cited by James Hookway, 2009) 

"It's written in the Bible," Bishop Bastes says, quoting the book of Numbers, chapter 35, verse 34: "Do not defile
the   land where you live and I dwell." 

CHURCH TEACHING 

The global mining sector is called to “a radical paradigm change” to make improvements in how the industry impacts
the  planet and the poor, said Pope Francis 

Pope Francis described minerals as "a precious gift from God" that humanity has used for thousands of years and
that  are fundamental to many aspects of human life and activity. He then repeated an appeal from his
environmental  encyclical, “Laudato Si’: on Care for Our Common Home," that people collaboratively work toward
"countering the  dramatic consequences of environmental degradation in the life of the poorest and the excluded." 
In his message, Francis fleshed out various aspects of the cry coming from those “who suffer directly and indirectly as
a  result of the consequences, too often negative, of mining activities”: 

∙ “A cry for lost land; 

∙ “a cry for the extraction of wealth from land that paradoxically does not produce wealth for the local populations  who
remain poor; 
∙ “a cry of pain in reaction to violence, threats and corruption; 

∙ “a cry of indignation and for help for the violations of human rights, blatantly or discreetly trampled with regard  to
the health of populations, working conditions, and at times the slavery and human trafficking that feeds the  tragic
phenomenon of prostitution; 
∙ “a cry of sadness and impotence for the contamination of the water, the air and the land; 

∙ “a cry of incomprehension for the absence for inclusive processes or support from the civil, local and national
authorities, which have the fundamental duty to promote the common good.” 
MISSIONARY RESPONSE: 

The pope called on all involved parties -- governments, multinational corporations, investors, local authorities, workers
and consumers -- to adopt behaviors reflective of the notion that everything and everyone is interconnected: another
common theme of Laudato Si’. 

“The export of raw materials to satisfy markets in the industrialized north has caused harm locally, as for example
in  mercury pollution in gold mining or sulphur dioxide pollution in copper mining,” Francis said. 

The pope also denounced mining and agricultural projects that force indigenous communities from their lands. 

LAUDATO SI’ 
A SUMMARY 

These pages follow Laudato si’ step by step and help give an initial idea of its overall content. The  numbers in
parentheses refer to the paragraphs in the Encyclical. The last two pages are the Table of  Contents. 

The Encyclical takes its name from the invocation of Saint Francis of Assisi, “Praise be to you, my  Lord”
which in the Canticle of the Creatures reminds us that the earth, our common home “is like a  sister with whom
we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us” (1).  We ourselves “are dust of the
earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we  breathe her air and we receive life and
refreshment from her waters” (2). 

“This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible  use and
abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her” (2). Her cry, united with that of the  poor, stirs our
conscience to “acknowledge our sins against creation” (8). Taking the words of the  
“beloved” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Pope reminds us: “For human beings… to  destroy the
biological diversity … by causing changes in its climate …; to contaminate the earth’s  waters, its land, its
air, and its life – these are sins”(8). 

The appropriate response to such penitence is what St John Paul II already called a “global  ecological
conversion” (5). In this, St Francis of Assisi is “the example par excellence of care for  the vulnerable and of
an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically. […] He shows us just  how inseparable is the bond
between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to  society, and interior peace” (10). 

The Encyclical Laudato si’ (Praise be to you) is developed around the concept of integral ecology,  as a
paradigm able to articulate the fundamental relationships of the person: with God, with one’s  self, with other
human beings, with creation. As the Pope himself explains in n. 15, this movement  starts (ch. I) by listening
spiritually to the results of the best scientific research on environmental  matters available today, “letting them
touch us deeply and provide a concrete foundation for the  ethical and spiritual itinerary that follows”. Science
is the best tool by which we can listen to the cry  of the earth. 

The next step (ch. II) picks up the wealth of Judeo-Christian tradition, particularly in biblical texts and in
theological reflection on them. The analysis is then directed (ch. III) towards “the roots of the  present situation,
so as to consider not only its symptoms but also its deepest causes”. 

The objective is to develop an integral ecological profile (ch. IV) which, in its various dimensions,  includes
“our unique place as human beings in this world and our relationship to our surroundings”. Insisting on
transparent and inclusive dialogue, Pope Francis proposes (ch. V) a series of guidelines  
for the renewal of international, national and local policies, for decision-making processes in the  public and
business sector, for the relationship between politics and economy and that between  religion and science. 
Finally, based on the conviction that “change is impossible without motivation and a process of  education”,
chapter VI proposes “some inspired guidelines for human development to be found in  the treasure of Christian
spiritual experience”. Along this line, the Encyclical offers two prayers, the  first to be shared with believers of
other religions and the second among Christians. The Encyclical  concludes, as it opened, in a spirit of
prayerful contemplation.  

Each chapter addresses a particular topic using a specific method, but throughout the entire 
Encyclical, some principal concepts are continually taken up and enriched:  
∙ the intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet,  ∙ the
conviction that everything in the world is connected,  
∙ the critique of new paradigms and forms of power derived from technology,  ∙ the call to
seek other ways of understanding the economy and progress,  
∙ the value proper to each creature,  
∙ the human meaning of ecology,  
∙ the need for forthright and honest debate,  
∙ the serious responsibility of international and local policy,  
∙ the throwaway culture and the proposal of a new lifestyle (16). 

The dialogue that Pope Francis proposes as a method for addressing and resolving the  environmental
problems is followed throughout the Encyclical. It refers to contributions by  philosophers and theologians, not
only Catholic but also Orthodox (the already cited Patriarch  Bartholomew) and Protestant (the French thinker
Paul Ricoeur) as well as the Islamic mystic Ali  Al-Khawas. The same occurs in the key of that collegiality
that Pope Francis has proposed to the  Church since the beginning of his ministry: alongside the references to
the teachings of his  predecessors and of other Vatican documents (in particular of the Pontifical Council for
Justice and  Peace), there are many taken from numerous Episcopal Conferences from all continents. 

At the heart of Laudato si’ we find this question: “What kind of world do we want to leave to those  who come
after us, to children who are now growing up?” (160). Pope Francis continues: “This  question does not have to
do with the environment alone and in isolation; the issue cannot be  approached piecemeal”. This leads us to
ask ourselves about the meaning of existence and its values  at the base of social life: “What is the purpose of
our life in this world? Why are we here? What is  the goal of our work and all our efforts? What need does the
earth have of us? ” Unless we struggle  with these deeper issues – says the Pope – I do not believe that our
concern for ecology will produce  significant results.” 

It is clear that, after Laudato si’, the examination of conscience (the instrument that the Church has  always
recommended to orient one’s life by reflection on one’s lived relationship with the Lord,  should include a
new dimension. One would regularly review, not only how one has lived in  communion with God, with
others and with oneself, but also with all creatures and with nature.  

The attention that the media has given to the Encyclical before its publication has primarily  concentrated on
aspects tied to the environmental policies currently being discussed on the global  agenda. Certainly Laudato
si’ can and must have an impact on important and urgent decisions to be  made in this area. However, the
magisterial, pastoral and spiritual dimensions of the document must  not be put in second place. Its value,
breadth and depth cannot be reduced to the mere scope of  determining environmental policies. 

I. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR COMMON HOME (17-61) 

This chapter presents recent scientific findings on the environment as a way of listening to the cry  of creation,
“to become painfully aware, to dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own  personal suffering and
thus to discover what each of us can do about it” (19). It thus deals with  “several aspects of the present
ecological crisis” (15). 
I. POLLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE [20-26] 
Pollution, waste and the throwaway culture [20-22] 
Climate as a common good [23-26]  
II. THE ISSUE OF WATER [27-31]
III. LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY [32-42] 
IV. DECLINE IN THE QUALITY OF HUMAN LIFE  
AND THE BREAKDOWN OF SOCIETY [43-47] 
V. GLOBAL INEQUALITY [48-52] 
VI. WEAK RESPONSES [53-59] 
VII. A VARIETY OF OPINIONS [60-61] 

Pollution, waste and the throwaway culture: Pollution affects the daily life of people with serious 
consequences to their health, so much so that it causes millions of premature deaths (20), while “the  earth, our
home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth” (21). At the root  of this situation we
find the “throwaway culture”, which we have to oppose by introducing models  of production based on reuse
and recycling and by limiting the use of non-renewable resources. Unfortunately, “only limited progress has
been made in this regard” (22). 

Climate as a common good: “Climate change is a global problem with serious implications,  environmental,
social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods” (25). Climate changes  afflict entire populations
and are among the causes of migration movements, but “many of those  who possess more resources and
economic or political power seem mostly to be concerned with  masking the problems or concealing their
symptoms” (26). At the same time, “our lack of response  to these tragedies involving our brothers and sisters
points to the loss of that sense of responsibility  for our fellow men and women upon which all civil society is
founded” (25). To preserve the  climate “represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our
day” (25). 

The issue of water: Entire populations, and especially children, get sick and die because of  contaminated
water, while aquifers continue to be polluted by discharges from factories and cities.  The Pope clearly states
that “access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right,  since it is essential to human
survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human  rights” (30). To deprive the poor of
access to water means “they are denied the right to a life  consistent with their inalienable dignity” (30). 

Loss of biodiversity: Extinction of plant and animal species caused by humanity changes the  ecosystem, and
future consequences cannot be predicted. “Each year sees the disappearance of thousands of plant and animal
species which we will never know, which our children will never see,  because they have been lost for ever”
(33). The diverse species are not just an exploitable  “resource”: they have a value in and of themselves, which
is not in function of human beings. “All  creatures are connected ..., for all of us, as living creatures, are
dependent on one another” (42). The  care of richly biodiverse areas is necessary for ensuring the equilibrium
of the ecosystem and  therefore of life. Often transnational economic interests obstruct this protection (38). 

Decline in the quality of human life and the breakdown of society: The current model of  development
adversely affects the quality of life of most of humanity, showing “that the growth of  the past two centuries
has not always led to an integral development” (46). “Many cities are huge,  inefficient structures, excessively
wasteful of energy and water” (44), becoming unlivable from a  health point of view, while contact with
nature is limited, except for areas reserved for a privileged  few (45).  

Global inequality: “The deterioration of the environment and of society affect the most vulnerable  people on
the planet” (48), the greater part of the world’s population. In international economic political debates, they are
considered “merely as collateral damage” (49). Instead, “a true ecological  approach always becomes a social
approach ... so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of  the poor” (49). The solution is not reducing
the birth rate, but counteracting “an extreme and  selective consumerism” of a small part of the world’s
population (50).
Weak responses: Aware of major differences over these issues, Pope Francis shows himself to be  deeply
affected by the weak responses in the face of the tragedies of many people and populations.  Even though
there is no lack of positive examples (58), there is “complacency and a cheerful  wrecklessness” (59). Culture
and adequate leadership are lacking as well as the willingness to  change life style, production and
consumption (59), while urging “the establishment of a legal  framework which ... can ensure the protection
of ecosystems” (53). 

II. THE GOSPEL OF CREATION (62‐100) 

To face the problems illustrated in the previous chapter, Pope Francis selects from the Judeo Christian
tradition. The Biblical accounts offer a comprehensive view that expresses the  “tremendous responsibility”
(90) of humankind for creation, the intimate connection among all  creatures and the fact that “the natural
environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all  humanity and the responsibility of everyone” (95). 

I. THE LIGHT OFFERED BY FAITH [63-64] 

II. THE WISDOM OF THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNTS [65-75] 
III. THE MYSTERY OF THE UNIVERSE [76-83] 
IV. THE MESSAGE OF EACH CREATURE  
IN THE HARMONY OF CREATION [84-88] 
V. A UNIVERSAL COMMUNION [89-92] 
VI. THE COMMON DESTINATION OF GOODS [93-95] 
VII. THE GAZE OF JESUS [96-100] 

1. The light offered by faith: The complexity of the ecological crisis calls for a multicultural and 
multidisciplinary dialogue that includes spirituality and religion. Faith offers “ample motivation to  care for
nature and for the most vulnerable of their brothers and sisters” (64); responsibility for  nature is part of
Christian faith. 

2. The wisdom of the biblical accounts: In the Bible, “the God who liberates and saves is the same  God who
created the universe, and these two divine ways of acting are intimately and inseparably  connected” (73). The
story of creation is key for reflecting on the relationship between human beings and other creatures and how sin
breaks the equilibrium of creation in its entirety. These accounts  “suggest that human life is grounded in three
fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with  God, with our neighbour and with the earth itself.
According to the Bible, these three vital  relationships have been broken, both outwardly and within us. This
rupture is sin” (66).  
The earth is a gift, not a possession; it was given to us to administer, not to destroy. Hence, we must  respect the
laws of nature, as all of creation has its own goodness. The psalms with their invitation to  praise the Creator
prayerfully remind us of this. A spirituality which fails to recognize Almighty God  as Creator will provide no
support as we end up worshipping other worldly powers, “usurping the  place of God, even to the point of
claiming an unlimited right to trample his creation underfoot” (75). 

3. The mystery of the universe: “Creation can only be understood as a gift from the outstretched  hand of Father
of all” (76). “We can ascend from created things ‘to the greatness of God and to his  loving mercy’” (77), and
creation in the risen Christ continues onward until “the fullness of God” (83). In this universal communion, the
human being, gifted with intelligence and personal identity, represents “a uniqueness” (81). Human beings are
responsible for the creation entrusted to their care  and their freedom is a mystery that can promote
development or cause degradation.  
4. The message of each creature in the harmony of all creation: “Each creature has its own purpose. None is
superfluous. The entire material universe speaks of God’s love” (84). With St John Paul II,
we can say that “alongside revelation properly so-called, contained in sacred Scripture, there is a  divine
manifestation in the blaze of the sun and the fall of night” (85). Throughout the universe and  in its
complementarity, the inexhaustible richness of God is expressed; it is the place of his  presence, and it invites
us to adoration. 

5. A universal communion: “Called into being by one Father, all of us are linked by unseen bonds  and
together form a kind of universal family, a sublime communion which fills us with a sacred,  affectionate
and humble respect” (89). This does not mean that we are making the earth divine or  denying the primacy of
the human being within creation. Likewise, “a sense of deep communion  
with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our  fellow
human beings” (91).  

6. The common destination of goods: “The earth is essentially a shared inheritance, whose fruits are  meant to
benefit everyone”, and those who possess a part are called to administer it with respect for  a “social mortgage”
that applies to all forms of ownership (93). 

7. The gaze of Jesus: Jesus invited his disciples “to recognize the paternal relationship God has with  all his
creatures” (96) and to “live in full harmony with creation” (98), without despising the body,  the material or
pleasant things of life. “The destiny of all creation is bound up with the mystery of  Christ” (99) and, at the end
of time, all things will be consigned to the Father. “In this way the  creatures of this world no longer appear to
us under merely natural guise because the risen One is  mysteriously holding them to himself and directing
them towards fullness as their end” (100).  

III. THE HUMAN ROOTS OF THE ECOLOGICAL CRISIS (101‐136) 

This chapter analyses the current situation “so as to consider not only its symptoms but also its  deepest
causes” (15), in a dialogue with philosophy and the social sciences. 

I. TECHNOLOGY: CREATIVITY AND POWER [102-105] 

II. THE GLOBALIZATION OF THE TECHNOCRATIC PARADIGM [106-114] III. THE
CRISIS AND EFFECTS OF MODERN ANTHROPOCENTRISM [115-121] Practical relativism
[122-123] 
The need to protect employment [124-129] 
New biological technologies [130-136] 

1. Technology: creativity and power: It is right to appreciate and recognize the benefits of  technological
progress for its contribution to sustainable development. But technology gives “those  with the knowledge, and
especially the economic resources to use them, an impressive dominance  over the whole of humanity and the
entire world” (104). Humanity needs “a sound ethics, a culture  and spirituality genuinely capable of setting
limits and teaching clear-minded self-restraint” (105).  

2. The globalization of the technocratic paradigm: The dominant technocratic mentality perceives  reality as
something that can be manipulated limitlessly. It is a reductionism that involves all  aspects of life.
Technological products are not neutral, for “they create a framework which ends up  conditioning lifestyles
and shaping social possibililties” (107). The technocratic paradigm also  dominates economy and politics. In
particular, “the economy accepts every advance in technology  with a view to profit ...]. Yet by itself the
market cannot guarantee integral human development and  social inclusion” (109). Trusting technology alone
to resolve every problem means “to mask the  true and deepest problems of the global system” (111), given
“that scientific and technological  progress cannot be equated with the progress of humanity and history”
(113). A “cultural  revolution” (114) is needed to recover values. 
3. The crisis and effects of modern anthropocentrism: Putting technical reasoning above reality,  modern
anthropocentrism no longer recognizes nature as a valid norm and living refuge (Guardini).  We thereby lose
the possibility of understanding the place of human beings in the world and our  relationship with nature, while
“our ‘dominion’ over the universe should be understood more  properly in the sense of responsible
stewardship” (116). The critique of a misguided  anthropocentrism is not a move towards an equally
imbalanced “biocentrism”, but towards an  “adequate anthropology” (118) that keeps in first place “the
importance of interpersonal relations” (119) and the protection of all human life. “Concern for the protection of
nature is also incompatible  with the justification of abortion” (120). 

- Practical relativism: A misguided anthropocentrism “which sees everything as irrelevant unless it  serves
one’s own immediate interests” leads to relativism in practice. There is a logic in all this  “whereby different
attitudes can feed on one another, leading to environmental degradation and  social decay” (122). “When the
culture itself is corrupt and objective truth and universally valid  principles are no longer upheld, laws can only
be seen as arbitrary impositions or obstacles to be  avoided” (123).  

- The need to protect employment: Integral ecology “needs to take account of the value of labour” (124).
Everyone must be able to have work, because it is “part of the meaning of life on this earth, a  path to growth,
human development and personal fulfilment” (128), while “to stop investing in  people, in order to gain greater
short-term financial gain, is bad business for society” (128). In order  that everyone can really benefit from
economic freedom, “restraints occasionally have to be  imposed on those possessing greater resources and
financial power” (129).  

- New biological technologies: The main reference is to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), “a  complex
environmental issue” (135). Even though “in some regions their use has brought about  economic growth which
has helped to resolve problems, there remain a number of significant  difficulties” (134), starting from the fact
that “the productive land is concentrated in the hands of a  few owners” (134). Pope Francis thinks particularly
of small producers and rural workers, of  biodiversity, and the network of ecosystems. Therefore “a broad,
responsible scientific and social  debate needs to take place, one capable of considering all the available
information and of calling  things by their name”, starting from “various lines of independent, interdisciplinary
research” (135).  

IV. INTEGRAL ECOLOGY (137‐162) 

The heart of the Encyclical’s proposals is integral ecology as a new paradigm of justice. It “will help to 
provide an approach to ecology which respects our unique place as human beings in this world and  our
relationship to our surroundings” (15). In fact, “nature cannot be regarded as something separate  from
ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live” (139). This holds true in all fields: in  economy and politics, in
different cultures and particularly in those most threatened, and even in  every moment of our daily lives. 

There is a relationship between environmental issues, and social and human issues, that can never  be broken.
“Today, the analysis of environmental problems cannot be separated from the analysis of  human, family,
work-related and urban contexts, and of how individuals relate to themselves” (141). Consequently, it is
“essential to seek comprehensive solutions which consider the  interactions within natural systems themselves
and with social systems. We are not faced with two  separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but
rather one complex crisis which is both  social and environmental” (139). 

I. ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ECOLOGY [138-142] II.

CULTURAL ECOLOGY [143-146]
III. ECOLOGY OF DAILY LIFE [147-155] 
IV. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE COMMON GOOD [156-158] 
V. JUSTICE BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS [159-162] 

1. Environmental, economic and social ecology: Everything is connected. Time and space, physical,  chemical
and biological components of the planet, form a network that we will never fully  understand. Fragmented and
isolated knowledge must be integrated into a broader vision that  considers “an interrelation between
ecosystems and between the various spheres of social  interaction” (141), and also involves the institutional
level, because “the health of a society’s  institutions affects the environment and the quality of human life”
(142).  

2. Cultural ecology: “Ecology, then, also involves protecting the cultural treasures of humanity” (143) in
the broadest sense. It is necessary to integrate the rights of peoples and cultures with the  proactive
involvement of local social actors from their own culture, with “particular concern for  indigenous
communities” (146).  

3. Ecology of daily life: Integral ecology involves everyday life. The Encyclical gives particular attention to
the urban environment. The human being has a great capacity for adaptation, and “an  admirable creativity and
generosity is shown by persons and groups who respond to environmental  limitations by alleviating the
adverse effects of their surroundings and learning to live productively  amid disorder and uncertainty” (148).
Nevertheless, authentic development presupposes an integral  improvement in the quality of human life: public
space, housing, transportation, etc. (150-154).  

The human dimension of ecology also implies “the relationship between human life and the moral  law, which
is inscribed in our nature” (155). “Our body itself establishes us in a direct relationship  with the environment
and with other living beings. The acceptance of our bodies as God’s gift is  vital for welcoming and accepting
the entire world as a gift from the Father and our common home,  whereas thinking that we enjoy absolute
power over our own bodies turns, often subtly, into  thinking that we enjoy absolute power over creation”
(155).  

4. The principle of the common good: Integral or human ecology “is inseparable from the notion of  the
common good” 158). In the contemporary world, where “injustices abound and growing  numbers of people
are deprived of basic human rights and considered expendable”, working for the  common good means to
make choices in solidarity based on “a preferential option for the poorest” (158).  

5. Justice between generations: the common good also regards future generations: “We can no  longer
speak of sustainable development apart from intergenerational solidarity” (159), without,  however,
forgetting the poor of today “whose life on this earth is brief and who cannot keep on  waiting” (162). 

V. LINES OF APPROACH AND ACTION (163‐201) 

This chapter addresses the question of what we can and must do. Analyses are not enough. We need  proposals
“for dialogue and action which would involve each of us individually no less than  international policy” (15).
They will “help us to escape the spiral of self-destruction which currently  engulfs us” (163). For Pope Francis
it is imperative that practical proposals not be developed in an  ideological, superficial or reductionist way. For
this, dialogue is essential, a term present in the title  of every section of this chapter. “There are certain
environmental issues where it is not easy to  achieve a broad consensus... The Church does not presume to
settle scientific questions or to replace  politics. But I am concerned to encourage an honest and open debate, so
that particular interests or  ideologies will not prejudice the common good” (188).
I. DIALOGUE ON THE ENVIRONMENT  
IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY [164-175] 
II. DIALOGUE FOR NEW NATIONAL AND LOCAL POLICIES [176-181] III. DIALOGUE AND
TRANSPARENCY IN DECISION-MAKING [182-188] IV. POLITICS AND ECONOMY IN
DIALOGUE FOR HUMAN FULFILMENT [189- 198] 
V. RELIGIONS IN DIALOGUE WITH SCIENCE [199-201] 

1. Dialogue on the environment: “Interdependence obliges us to think of one world with a common  plan”,
proposing solutions “from a global perspective, and not simply to defend the interests of a  few countries”
(164). The Encyclical is not afraid to judge international dynamics severely: “Recent  World Summits on the
environment have failed to live up to expectations because, due to lack of  political will, they were unable to
reach truly meaningful and effective global agreements on the  environment” (166). Instead, as Popes have
repeated several times starting with Pacem in terris,  what is needed are forms and instruments for global
governance (175): “an agreement on systems of  governance for the whole range of the so-called -global
commons’” (174).  

2. Dialogue for new national and local policies: “Local individuals and groups …] are able to instill  a greater
sense of responsibility, a strong sense of community, a readiness to protect others, a spirit  of creativity” (179)
and a deep love for one’s own land. Politics and economy need to abandon the  logic of short-sighted
efficiency, focused on profit alone and short-term electoral success. 

3. Dialogue and transparency in decision-making: It is essential to analyze and evaluate business proposals
from an environmental and social point of view so as not to harm the most disadvantaged  populations (182-
188). It is necessary to foster the development of honest and transparent decision making processes, in order to
“discern” which policies and business initiatives can lead to “genuine  integral development” (185). In
particular, the environmental impact study of a new project  “demands transparent political processes involving
a free exchange of views. On the other hand, the  forms of corruption which conceal the actual environmental
impact of a given project in exchange  for favours usually produce specious agreements which fail to inform
adequately and to allow for  full debate” (182).  

4. Politics and economy in dialogue for human fulfilment: Starting from the global crisis, “a new  economy,
more attentive to ethical principles, and new ways of regulating speculative financial  practices and virtual
wealth” (189), should be developed. “The environment is one of those goods  that cannot be adequately
safeguarded or promoted by market forces” (190). Looking at things  differently allows us to realize that “a
decrease in the pace of production and consumption can at  times give rise to another form of progress and
development. Efforts to promote a sustainable use of  natural resources are not a waste of money, but rather an
investment capable of providing other  economic benefits in the medium term” (191). More radically,
“redefining our notion of progress” (194) is necessary, linking it to improvements in the real quality of people’s
lives. At the same time,  “economics without politics cannot be justified” (196). Together they are called to
take on a new  integral approach.  

5. Religions in dialogue with science: The empirical sciences do not completely explain life, and  technical
solutions are ineffective “if we lose sight of the great motivations which make it possible  for us to live in
harmony, to make sacrifices and to treat others well” (200). These are often  expressed in the language of
religions. Nevertheless, believers must live in a way consonant with  their own faith and not contradict it by
their actions.  

6. Religions must enter into “dialogue among themselves for the sake of protecting nature,  defending
the poor, and building networks of respect and fraternity” (201). At the same time, 
dialogue among the sciences helps to overcome disciplinary isolation. “An open and respectful  dialogue
is also needed between the various ecological movements” (201). Dialogue requires  patience, self-
discipline and generosity.  
 VI. ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION AND SPIRITUALITY (202‐246) 

The final chapter goes to the heart of ecological conversion, to which the Encyclical invites  everyone. The
roots of the cultural crisis are deep, and it is not easy to reshape habits and  behaviour. Education and training
are key. “Change is impossible without motivation and a  process of education” (15). All educational sectors
are involved, primarily “in school, in families, in  the media, in catechesis” (213). 

I. TOWARDS A NEW LIFESTYLE [203-208] 

II. EDUCATING FOR THE COVENANT BETWEEN HUMANITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
[209-215] 
III. ECOLOGICAL CONVERSION [216-221] 
IV. JOY AND PEACE [222-227] 
V. CIVIC AND POLITICAL LOVE [228-232] 
VI. SACRAMENTAL SIGNS AND THE CELEBRATION OF REST [233-237] VII. THE
TRINITY AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CREATURES [238-240] VIII. QUEEN OF
ALL CREATION [241-242] 
IX. BEYOND THE SUN [243-246] 

1. Towards a new lifestyle: Despite practical relativism and the consumer culture, “all is not lost. Human
beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing  again what is good,
and making a new start, despite their mental and social conditioning… No  system can completely suppress our
openness to what is good, true and beautiful, or our God-given  ability to respond to his grace at work deep in
our hearts. I appeal to everyone throughout the world  not to forget this dignity which is ours” (205). Changes
in lifestyle and consumer choices can bring  much “pressure to bear on those who wield political, economic and
social power” (206). “If we can  overcome individualism, we will truly be able to develop an alternative
lifestyle and bring about  significant changes in society” (208).  

2. Educating for the covenant between humanity and the environment: The importance of  environmental
education cannot be overstated. It is able to affect daily actions and habits, the  reduction of water
consumption, the sorting of waste and even “turning off unnecessary lights” or  wearing warmer clothes so
as to use less heating (211). 

3. Ecological conversion: Faith and Christian sprituality offer profound motivations toward “a more  passionate
concern for the protection of our world” (216), following the example of St Francis of  Assisi. Personal change
is essential but not enough. “Social problems must be addressed by  community networks” (219). Ecological
conversion implies gratitude and generosity and develops  creativity and enthusiasm (220).  

4. Joy and peace: As proposed in Evangelii Gaudium, “sobriety, when lived freely and consciously,  is
liberating” (223). Similarly, “happiness means knowing how to limit some needs which only  diminish us, and
being open to the many different possibilities which life can offer” (223). “One  expression of this attitude is
when we stop and give thanks to God before and after meals” (227).  

5. Civic and political love: “An integral ecology is also made up of simple daily gestures which  break with the
logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness” (230). With its civic and political  dimensions, “love for society
and commitment to the common good are outstanding expressions” of  charity (231). In society there are
countless associations that intervene in favour of the common 
good by preserving the natural and urban environments. 

6. Sacramental signs and the celebration of rest: We encounter God not only in intimacy, but also in the
contemplation of creation which bears a sign of his mystery. The Sacraments show, in a  privileged way, how
nature was assumed by God. Christianity does not reject matter and the body,  but fully values them. In
particular, the Eucharist “joins heaven and earth; it embraces and  penetrates all creation… Thus, the
Eucharist is also a source of light and motivation for our  concerns for the environment, directing us to be
stewards of all creation” (236).  

7. The Trinity and relationships between creatures: “For Christians, believing in one God who is  trinitarian
communion, suggests that the Trinity has left its mark on all creation” (239). The human  person is also called
to assume the trinitarian dynamism, going out of oneself “to live in communion  with God, with others and with
all creatures” (240).  

8. Queen of all creation: Mary, who cares for Jesus, now lives with him and is Mother and Queen of  all
creation. “All creatures sing of her fairness” (241). At her side, Joseph appears in the Gospel as a  just man and
worker, full of the tenderness of one who is truly strong. Both can teach and motivate  us to protect this world
that God has given us. 

9. Beyond the sun: In the end we find ourselves before the infinite beauty of God: “Eternal life will  be a shared
experience of awe, in which each creature, resplendently transfigured, will take its  rightful place and have
something to give those poor men and women who will have been liberated  once and for all” (243). Our
struggles and concerns do not take away the joy of hope, because “in  the heart of this world, the Lord of life,
who loves us so much, is always present” (245) and his love  always compels us to search for new ways.
Praise be to him. 

“At the conclusion of this lengthy reflection which has been both joyful and troubling” (246), the  Holy Father
proposes that “we offer two prayers”: A prayer for our earth and A Christian prayer in  union with creation
(246).
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

LAUDATO SI’, MI’ SIGNORE [1-2] 

Nothing in this world is indifferent to us [3-6] 
United by the same concern [7-9] 
Saint Francis of Assisi [10-12] 
My appeal [13-16] 

CHAPTER ONE 
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR COMMON HOME [17-61] 

I. POLLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE [20-26] 

Pollution, waste and the throwaway culture [20-22] 
Climate as a common good [23-26]  
II. THE ISSUE OF WATER [27-31] 
III. LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY [32-42] 
IV. DECLINE IN THE QUALITY OF HUMAN LIFE  
AND THE BREAKDOWN OF SOCIETY [43-47] 
V. GLOBAL INEQUALITY [48-52] 
VI. WEAK RESPONSES [53-59] 
VII. A VARIETY OF OPINIONS [60-61] 

CHAPTER TWO 
THE GOSPEL OF CREATION [62-100] 
I. THE LIGHT OFFERED BY FAITH [63-64] 
 II. THE WISDOM OF THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNTS [65-75] 
III. THE MYSTERY OF THE UNIVERSE [76-83] 
IV. THE MESSAGE OF EACH CREATURE  
IN THE HARMONY OF CREATION [84-88] 
V. A UNIVERSAL COMMUNION [89-92] 
VI. THE COMMON DESTINATION OF GOODS [93-95] 
VII. THE GAZE OF JESUS [96-100] 

CHAPTER THREE 

THE HUMAN ROOTS OF THE ECOLOGICAL CRISIS [101-136] I.

TECHNOLOGY: CREATIVITY AND POWER [102-105] 
II. THE GLOBALIZATION OF THE TECHNOCRATIC PARADIGM [106-114] III. THE CRISIS
AND EFFECTS OF MODERN ANTHROPOCENTRISM [115-121] Practical relativism [122-123] 
The need to protect employment [124-129] 
New biological technologies [130-136] 

CHAPTER FOUR  
INTEGRAL ECOLOGY [137-162]
I. ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ECOLOGY [138-142] II.
CULTURAL ECOLOGY [143-146] 
III. ECOLOGY OF DAILY LIFE [147-155] 
IV. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE COMMON GOOD [156-158] 
V. JUSTICE BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS [159-162] 

CHAPTER FIVE  
LINES OF APPROACH AND ACTION [163-201] 

I. DIALOGUE ON THE ENVIRONMENT  

IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY [164-175] 
II. DIALOGUE FOR NEW NATIONAL AND LOCAL POLICIES [176-181] III. DIALOGUE AND
TRANSPARENCY IN DECISION-MAKING [182-188] IV. POLITICS AND ECONOMY IN
DIALOGUE FOR HUMAN FULFILMENT [189-198] V. RELIGIONS IN DIALOGUE WITH SCIENCE
[199-201] 

CHAPTER SIX 
ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION AND SPIRITUALITY [202-246] 

I. TOWARDS A NEW LIFESTYLE [203-208] 

II. EDUCATING FOR THE COVENANT BETWEEN HUMANITY AND THE  ENVIRONMENT
[209-215] 
III. ECOLOGICAL CONVERSION [216-221] 
IV. JOY AND PEACE [222-227] 
V. CIVIC AND POLITICAL LOVE [228-232] 
VI. SACRAMENTAL SIGNS AND THE CELEBRATION OF REST [233-237] VII. THE
TRINITY AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CREATURES [238-240] VIII. QUEEN OF ALL
CREATION [241-242] 
IX. BEYOND THE SUN [243-246] 

A prayer for our earth 

A Christian prayer in union with creation

CHRISTIAN FAITH EDUCATION 

ECOLOGICAL ISSUES: MASSIVE INDUSTRIALIZATION 

INTRODUCTION 

Industrialization is the social and economic transformation of society from an agrarian to an industrial
economy. From about 1760 to 1840, the United States underwent industrialization, a period better known as
the Industrial Revolution. During this time, labor and processes traditionally performed by hand were replaced
by new machines that could perform tasks more efficiently (Blokhin, 2019). 

Although new methods and machinery simplified work and increased output, industrialization introduced
new  problems as well. Some of the drawbacks included air and water pollution and soil contamination that
resulted in a significant deterioration of quality of life and life expectancy. Industrialization also exacerbated
the separation of labor and capital. Those who owned the means of production became disproportionately
rich, resulting in wider income inequality. Industrialization impacted society in other ways. Workers were
forced leave their families and migrate to urban areas in search of jobs. They worked long hours, were poorly
nourished and lived in overcrowded conditions, which led to disease and stress (Blokhin, 2019). 

CONTEXT 

Some two to three centuries ago, huge social and economic advances marked the worldwide evolution from
a  conservative agricultural and commercial society to an experimental industrial civilization. Manufacture of
new mechanical innovations to ease the tasks of mankind had replaced manual labor and conventional tools
our ancestors had used long ago. Perhaps you recall from history books how in just a few decades of this
period, the global village competently accepted the countless innovations made like the electricity,
automobiles and telephones. 

Philippines’ workforce has long been known worldwide for the efficiency it presents. Thousands of overseas
Filipino workers are hired every year. This proves how foreigners feel satisfied at the service of Philippine
natives. In fact, a study has been conducted by the Swiss International Institute for Management Development
in 2004 which reveals that Philippines ranks number one in Asia in terms of availability of skilled workforce.
Aside from being naturally smart and respectful, Filipino workers are also efficient in speaking English. Also,
labor in the Philippines is priced markedly low, compared to equally qualified employees from other countries.
These are the main reasons why the Philippines seems to be a potential location for call centers. (GlobalSky.
(n.d.). 

EFFECTS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION 
Environmental Disadvantages 

One negative byproduct of industrialization is environmental pollution that can adversely impact human
health. When companies do not pay tor the environmental damage they cause, or when these harms are not
captured in pricing, this is considered a negative externality. The cost burden is placed on human society in
the  form of deforestation, extinction of species, widespread pollution, excessive waste and other forms of
environmental degradation.
Financial Disadvantages 

Industrialization results in a wider gap between the rich and poor due to a division of labor and capital.
Those  who own capital tend to accumulate excessive profits derived from their economic activities, resulting
in a  higher disparity of income and wealth. 

Social Disadvantages 

Industrialization typically leads to the migration of workers to cities, automation and repetitive tasks. Due to
these factors, factory workers tend to lose their individuality, have limited job satisfaction and feel alienated.
There can also be health issues brought on by dangerous working conditions or factors inherent to the
working conditions, such as noise and dirt. 

Rapid urbanization brought on by industrialization typically leads to the general deterioration of workers'
quality of life and many other problems for society, such as crime, stress and psychological disorders.
Long  working hours usually lead to poor nutrition and consumption of quick and low-quality foods,
resulting in  increased incidences of diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks and stroke. 

∙ Industrialization is the transformation of a society from agrarian to a manufacturing or industrial

economy. 
∙ Industrialization contributes to negative externalities such as environmental pollution. ∙ Separation of
capital and labor creates a disparity in incomes between laborers and those who control  capital
resources. 
∙ Industrialization also contributes to the deterioration of health among workers, crime and other
societal problems.
INSPIRED WORD OF GOD 

Isaiah 24:4-6 
"The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The
earth  is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting
covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's
inhabitants  are burned up, and very few are left." 

It may be out of date to say that the Bible addresses environmental issues because there were none
during  the ancient times. Nevertheless, this passage from the book of the Prophet Isaiah gives an insight
about  pollution and defilement of the earth. 

Today, we know that the level of destruction to our environment and climate now is vastly greater than it was
in Isaiah’s time. It seems humans have always struggled to uphold their side of the covenant with God. The
sin  is the same, but now we have fossil fuels at our disposal and significantly more power to destroy God’s
creation.. 

Just how long would the earth be able to sustain demands on its resources? This is a question that needs 
serious reflection. Unless the factors of population growth, lifestyles, and polluting technologies are
checked,  the collapse of the earth might be inevitable.  

Awareness of the earth’s limited resources leads to a conscious effort to change one’s consumerist attitude
as  well as to develop process and technology that would bring about effective recycling of a great number of 
resources. 

CHURCH TEACHING 

Catholic Social Teaching and Environment Protection and Management 

There are elements of Catholic Social Teaching, which may serve as basis for environment protection
and  management.  

In the encyclical Populorum Progressio (The Development of Peoples, 1967), Saint Paul VI criticized 
modernization’s harmful effect on nature and called on the governments to help the poor (§§ 48-49, 71,
74,  81, 83-85).  

Saint Paul VI, in the encyclical Octogesima Adveniens (A Call to Action, 1971), criticized the destructive 
consequences of development based only on economics while disregarding the welfare of all (§ 23).
The  environment is being destroyed in the name of economic development.  

In Justice in the World (1971), the Synod of Bishops criticized the wealthy countries and admonished them
to  share their wealth in the name of real justice (§§ 70, 11-12). Wealthy countries cannot accumulate wealth
at  the expense of the poor majority and the environment.  

Saint John Paul II, worried about the destructive effect of the rapid development of technology on the 
environment. In the encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (The Social Concerns of the Church, 1987), he said that 
humans should not abuse other creation based only on their whims and caprices. Humans should consider
the  limitation of creation and ensure its sustainability. Furthermore, humans need to respect life in the whole
of  creation because all other creatures also possess dignity (§ 34). 
In Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth, 2009), Pope Benedict XVI proposed three significant ecological 
positions as follows: the importance of intergenerational justice, which ensure the welfare of the
environment  for the good of the future generations; the need to treat the environment as we would treat
our fellow  humans; and the injunction to take care of humanity (§§ 48-51). Based on these positions, he
called on the  leaders of nations to promote peace through the protection of the environment.  

Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel, 2013), compared the “exploited poor” and the 
“exploited environment”. For him, both are fragile and defenseless. In this encyclical, he criticized the
market  economy and how it excludes the poor in its pursuit of profit; it also “devours everything which
stands in the  way” like the environment, which is “defenseless before the interest of the deified market” (§
26). “There are  other weak and defenseless beings who are frequently at the mercy of economic interests or
indiscriminate  exploitation. I am speaking of creation as a whole.” (§ 215).  
MISSIONARY RESPONSE  

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, in its 2019 Pastoral Letter An Urgent Call for Ecological 
Conversion, Hope in the Face of Climate Emergency, recommends some measures which we can do to
protect  and manage our environment: 

1. Do not allow the financial resources of our [Catholic] institutions to be invested in favor of coal-fired
power  plants, mining companies and other destructive extractive projects. Divestment from such investment
portfolios must be encouraged.  

2. Prevent and reduce biodiversity loss by growing indigenous plants and trees, expanding forests through
rain  forestation, resisting destructive mining, dirty energy, the unbridled construction of roads and dams, as
well as  projects that cut into forested and protected areas. Implement programs that will allow the growth
and  recovery of forests, ecosystems and biodiversity.  

3. Push for an immediate transition to safe, clean, and affordable energy. Ensure just and fair transition to 
renewable energy sources and reject false solutions; support the use of solar power in our homes and 
institutions; promote, advocate and invest in renewable energy (solar, hydro, wind and geothermal power); 
join the campaign to immediately phase out coal-fired power plants and all other plants dependent on fossil
fuel, including coal mining.  

4. Protect our watersheds while at the same time using fresh water wisely, promoting and establishing 
massive rainwater collection, and putting a stop to infrastructures that can be detrimental to the
preservation  of ecological balance and biodiversity. 

CHRISTIAN FAITH EDUCATION 

ECOLOGICAL ISSUES: REFORESTATION AND ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT CONTEXT: 

Wastes or garbage can either be biodegradable or non-biodegradable. Biodegradable wastes are those that 
can be broken down or decomposed while non-biodegradable wastes are those that cannot be broken down 
or decomposed. Food scraps and yard wastes are for composting – the production of organic material that 
can be added to soil to help plants grow. Paper and bottles are for recycling – the usage of materials to 
produce new products. Materials produced by industrial, mining and agricultural operations are residual
waste  - non-hazardous waste material that cannot be reused or recycled and needs to be sent to energy
recovery or  disposal. Improper waste disposal and the increasing amount of trash/garbage produced are one
of the  major problems faced by people not only in our communities but also in the whole world. Problems on 
improper waste disposal have caused other problems such as clogged drainage or waterways, flooding and 
diseases. Hence, there is a need for people to find ways on how to address these problems because it is our 
responsibility to protect our environment.  

INSPIRED WORD OF GOD: 

Feeding of the Five Thousand (John 6:1-14) 1 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also 
called the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing
for  the sick. 3 Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the
festival  of the Jews, was near. 5 When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to
Philip,  "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew
what he  was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of
them to  get a little." 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 "There is a boy here
who has  five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" 10 Jesus said, "Make the
people sit  down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in
all. 11 Then  Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were
seated; so also  the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather
up the fragments  left over, so that nothing may be lost." 13 So they gathered them up, and from the
fragments of the five barley  loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14 When the
people saw the sign that he had  done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the
world."  

It may be out of date to say that the Bible addresses environmental issues because there were none during 
the ancient times. Nevertheless, the apostle and evangelist John gives an insight about recycling in this 
passage. In the account of the feeding of the five thousand, we see Jesus instruct His disciples to gather the 
leftover food so that none of it was wasted (John 6:12). Some twelve baskets of surplus bread were gathered 
and more than likely distributed to the poor in the surrounding areas (John 6:13). In this act, we see our
Lord’s  distaste for waste. We might wonder why any man who can miraculously feed more than five
thousand  people would worry about leftovers, but Jesus was an exemplary man; and therefore is showing us
that God’s  bounty is not to be wasted. 
CHURCH TEACHING: 

 In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis highlights the need for waste management and recycling. He writes in #180: 
“Political activity on the local level could also be directed to modifying consumption, developing an
economy  of waste disposal and recycling, protecting certain species and planning a diversified agriculture
and the  rotation of crops.”  

In its pastoral letter, An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion, Hope in the Face of Climate Emergency
(2019),  the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines recommended the faithful to start living simply
and to  refrain from using single-use plastic which greatly contributes to the pollution of the ocean and
waterways.  

It writes: “Live simply, minimize consumption and actively practice ecological awareness and action
through  integral waste segregation and by minimizing the use of plastic and paper, by eliminating single-
use plastics,  polystyrene and the like, from our homes and institutions.” “Everything must go somewhere”
is one of the  
seven environmental principles. When a piece of paper is thrown away, it disappears from sight but it does 
not cease to exist. It ends up elsewhere. Gases released in smokestacks may disperse but it will end up a 
component of the atmosphere or brought down by rains. What a particular type of waste does to the earth’s 
repository should be of concern to us. It may be a pollutant or a resource depending on certain factors. Since 
wastes are not lost to oblivion, and even goes back to one’s own backyard in some other forms, it is
important  that one becomes aware of the different types of wastes – whether they are biodegradable or non
biodegradable, whether they are hazardous or not.  

Classification of wastes facilitates their proper disposal and minimizes, if not prevents, the entry of toxic 
wastes in vital ecosystems and ensures reconversion into useful forms. The principles open up one’s eyes to 
the need to turn back from attitudes inherent in a “throw-away” society. Methods of waste management 
must be studied for possible adoption. The need for environmental impact assessment for any project is 
obvious. Republic Act 9003 is The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. This existing mandate 
institutes measures to promote a more acceptable system which corresponds to the vision of sustainable 
development. It aims to merge environmental protection with economic pursuits, recognizing the re
orientation of the community’s view on solid waste, thereby providing schemes for waste minimization, 
volume reduction, resource recovery utilization and disposal. Comprehensive Solid Waste Management, 
according to RA 9003, entails: 1. Reduction of wastes being generated; 2. Reduction of wastes to be
disposed,  via recycling or composting undertaken through materials recovery facilities (MRF); and 3. Safe
disposal of  residual wastes (e.g. sanitary landfill or eco-center) With the objective of “Zero Basura”, RA 9003
enjoins the  1. Mandatory segregation at source (Section 21); 2. Mandatory segregated collection (Section 1,
Rule X, IRR);  3. Establishment of materials recovery facilities (Section 32); and 4. Closure/conversion of open
dumps to  controlled dump facilities (Section 37). Thus, Comprehensive Solid Waste Management involves
avoidance,  reduction, reuse, recycling, treatment and residuals management.  

Deforestation and Reforestation  

In Upholding the Sanctity of Life, the CBCP reflected also on illegal logging. In it, the Bishops wrote: “Illegal
and  destructive logging largely contribute to the decimation of our forest resources which causes loss of 
biodiversity, instability and massive erosions of upland soils, serious damage to our rivers and underground 
freshwater ecosystems, and coastal areas. The Philippines has lost at least 82 percent of its original forest 
cover since the 16th century. It has also earned the notoriety in Southeast Asia as the only country with the 
thinnest forest cover… Land conversion, together with slash-and-burn farming, forest fires, pest infestations, 
typhoons and illegal logging are the primary causes of deforestation.” The CBCP calls for “an enhanced 
multisectoral cooperation, and the implementation of effective measures to clampdown the illegal logging 
trade. In particular, it urges the government to issue a total commercial log ban and intensify efforts to 
rehabilitate and reforest logged over areas, particularly those places vulnerable to earthquakes, landslides
and  floods.”  

As enjoined by the United Nations General Assembly last February 20, 2013. The International Day of Forests 
is celebrated every March 21. On this occasion, let us not miss the forest for the trees on another great truth 
rooted deeply in our midst. Trees are friends: bearing fruit, shade and beauty wherever they are planted.
They  are also necessary allies in achieving planetary sustainability, food security and poverty eradication.  

By virtue of Proclamation No. 643, National Arbor Day is celebrated every June 25. This enjoins the active 
participation of all government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations,
private  sector, schools, civil society groups and the citizenry in tree planting activities.  

MISSIONARY RESPONSE: 

Ponder/reflect on the prior discussion and inputs. 

How do we contribute to the generation of wastes on a daily basis especially since we live in a culture
of  consumerism vis- à-vis the system of capitalism?  

What are some CONCRETE, DOABLE, PRACTICAL and REALISTIC ways to lessen or eradicate our wastes in
the  household?  
Here are the five pillars of restoring our Earth, according to EarthDay.org: 

1. The Canopy Project™. $1 = 1 tree. The Canopy Project partners with groups around the world to ensure
that  your donation sustainably plants trees for a greener future for everyone.  
Notes in CFE 5B – CICM Mission in Action: Environment Protection and Management  

2. Food and Environment. To feed the world, we must adopt the latest techniques to support farmers,
renew  their land, and capture carbon through regenerative agriculture and sustainable food practices. 

3. The Great Global Clean-up™. When it comes to individual action for the common good, one of the best 
ways that people can make an impact for our planet is by cleaning up our public spaces. Our pollution
problem  is getting out of hand and our environment is suffering for it. Open landfills emit dangerous
greenhouse  gasses, waste and pollution that enter our oceans and freshwater. Microplastics even make it
into our food  and the air we breathe. 
4. Climate Literacy. Fifty years ago, the first Earth Day started an environmental revolution. Now, we are 
igniting an education revolution to save the planet. We are ensuring that students across the world
benefit  from high-quality education to develop into informed and engaged environmental stewards.  

5. Global Earth Challenge™. This gives citizen scientists the power to make the world a better place. Global 
Earth Challenge™ is the world’s largest-ever coordinated citizen science campaign. The initiative works to 
integrate existing citizen science projects, as well as build the capacity for new ones — all as part of a
larger  effort to grow citizen science worldwide.