CARE FOR GOD'S CREATION

Saving the
Earth Starts
with You
Catholic Social Teaching
God created the world.
• He intended that all its creatures—
including human beings—be
connected in a harmonious web of
life.
• He made human beings the caretakers
and stewards of creation.
• He created the world as a sign of his
love and power.
The Interdependence of Creation
• Human beings play a unique role in creation.

• Interdependent relationships between human beings

and the natural world make up the larger community of
life.

• “One must take into account the nature of each being

and of its mutual connection in an ordered system,
which is precisely the ‘cosmos' ”
The Integrity of Creation
• Sustaining the integrity of creation is necessary for the earth to thrive as God
intends.

• Plants require the proper mix of water, sunshine, soil conditions, nutrients, and
atmospheric gases in order to grow.

• In turn, plants provide living creatures with food and oxygen.

• Plant support all other life on the planet, and all other life supports plant life.
Threats to the Integrity of
Creation
• Environmental Pollution
• The use of biotechnology
• Destruction and collapse of natural ecosystems
• Overconsumption of natural resources
“Every economic decision has a
moral consequence."
POPE B EN ED IC T XV I
 CREATION IS
SACRED

• What does God call us to do?

• How does God view creation?
 The Call to be Stewards
HUMAN B E INGS AR E ST E WAR DS MADE IN THE IMAGE
OF GOD. W E AR E CAL LE D TO SAFE GUAR D T HE
INT EGR IT Y OF C R EAT ION.
 Keys to Understanding the Call to Stewardship

RESPECT FOR THE GOD'S GIFT FOR THE CARING FOR CREATION
SACRAMENTAL COMMON GOOD Responsibility to engage in economic
UNIVERSE
• the basic goodness of all of creation Stewardship safeguards natural resources practices that use natural resources to
• the presence of God in visible and for the benefit of all people, including preserve the earth now and in the
tangible ways those who are poor and also future future
generations.
 Society's Role of Stewardship
WHERE TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS

Sustainable collaboration
Biodiversity Environmental Community between business
development of
Threat Emergency Engagement and government to
natural resources for
Management Response promote the
the future
common good and
protect the
environment
“An economy respectful of the
environment will not have the
maximization of profits as its
only objective, because
environmental protection
cannot be assured solely on the
basis of financial calculations
of costs and benefits”
 Living as a Steward of the Earth

RED UC E RE C YC L E, PRO MO TE
S H ARE W IT H O TH ERS
CO NS U MP TIO N OF R E CY C LIN G, A ND BU Y
N ATU RA L RE SO U RC ES RE CY C LE D PRO D UC TS
 Sources:
• COMPENDIUM OF T HE SOCIAL
DOCTRI NE OF T HE CHURCH
• CHRIS TIAN LIFE F ORMAT ION 3 : T HE
CATHOL IC S OCIAL T HOUGHT