Pope Francis has noted that the poor are the ones who are most affected by heat waves, droughts, and other environmental extremes as Europe experiences record high temperatures and summer wildfires.
The pope stated that “the poorest among us are crying out” in a statement for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.
Pope Francis stated in the message released on July 21 that because of the climate problem, the poor are affected by drought, flooding, hurricanes, and heat waves more severely and frequently.
We need to turn from our damaging habits and lifestyles after hearing these suffering screams.
Our collective home’s current condition of degeneration deserves the same attention as other global issues like serious health crises and conflicts, he said.
On July 16, one day after fresh temperature records were established in Spain and Portugal, Pope Francis signed the letter advocating stewardship of the environment.
Portugal’s director-general of health reported that between July 7 and July 18, there were 1,063 heat-related fatalities there.
The heat wave has since moved to France and the United Kingdom, which on July 19 set a new national record for the highest temperature ever recorded.
Pope Francis stated in his message that he gave the Holy See permission to join the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on behalf of the Vatican City State “in the hope that the humanity of the 21st century will be remembered for having generously shouldering its grave responsibilities.”
He asserted that international cooperation is necessary to meet the challenging objectives of the Paris Agreement, which call for keeping global warming to 1.5°C and reaching net zero emissions of greenhouse gases.
The pope continued, “This calls for ‘converting’ models of consumption and production as well as lifestyles in a way that is more respectful of creation and the integral human development of all peoples, present and future, a development based in responsibility, caution/prudence, solidarity, concern for the poor and for future generations.
The pope urged economically wealthy nations, “who have polluted most in the last two centuries,” to offer financial and technical assistance to economically underdeveloped countries that are “already bearing the brunt of climate change.”
After the encyclical Laudato si was released in 2015, Pope Francis declared September 1 to be the annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.
A “Season of Creation” should be observed from September 1 to October 4, which is St. Francis of Assisi’s feast day. This is another suggestion made by the pope.
“Listen to the voice of creation” will be the focus of this year’s Season of Creation.
The season will serve as “a particular time for all Christians to pray and act together to care for our common home,” the pope expressed hope.
Pope Francis stated, “This Season is an opportunity to cultivate our “ecological conversion,” which Saint John Paul II encouraged as a response to the “ecological catastrophe” foreseen by Saint Paul VI back in 1970.
This Season was originally inspired by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
“If we can learn to listen, we can detect a certain dissonance in the voice of creation.
On the one hand, we can hear a lovely song praising our beloved Creator; on the other, we can hear an agonized appeal bemoaning the way we treat this place we call home.