The Catholic Church on Ecological Degradation

Prepared by Heather R. Whittington

An Honor's Program Project
Marquette University, Spring 2004

Papal Statements

A Hospitable Earth for Future Generations by Pope Paul VI to the Stockholm Conference on Human Environment, 1 June 1972.

The Ecological Crisis: A Common Responsibility by Pope John Paul II on World Day of Peace, 1990.

Joint Declaration on Articulating a Code of Environmental Ethics (Venice Declaration) by Pope John Paul II and Eastern Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, 2002.

Address at the Liturgy of the Word by Pope John Paul II (Zamosc Homily), 12 June 1999.
     In this homily given in Poland, the Pope urges responsibility and respect for God’s gift of nature.

"God made man the steward of creation" by Pope John Paul II to a General Audience, 17 Jan 2001.

Message of John Paul II for the 23^rd World Day of Tourism, 24 June 2002.
     The Pope speaks on being cautious about ecotourism.

Centesimus Annus 37-38 (1991) by Pope John Paul II.
     Section of the encyclical in which the Pope declares that humans must preserve both the natural and human environments.

Evangelium Vitae 42 (1995) by Pope John Paul II.
     Humans are subject to moral laws requiring responsibility towards our environment.

Octogesima Adveniens by Pope Paul VI, 21 (1971).
     Exploitation of the environment is a human social problem.

Ecclesia in America 25 by Pope John Paul II (1999)
      The Pope’s call to Americans for ecological preservation and reducing consumption.

Ecclesia in Asia 41 by Pope John Paul II (1999)
     The Pope’s message to people of Asia to care for their environment.

Ecclesia in Oceania 31 by Pope John Paul II (2001)
     The Pope’s call to the people of Oceania to work towards preserving their environment.

Papal Notes

Note on the Celebration of the World Day of Biological Diversity to the Pontifical Council for Justice Peace, 22 May 2002.

"Water, an essential element for life" by the Delegation of the Holy See on the Occasion of the Third World Water Forum, 22 March 2003.

Statement of Archbishop Martino, Head of the Holy See Delegation, to the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 4 June 1992.
     Statement calls for stewardship and solidarity in actions concerning development and the natural environment.

"Environment and sustainable development: Protecting of global climate for present and future generations of mankind" by Monsignor Raffaele Martino to United Nations on Item 98F, 28 November 2001.

"Christians and Their Duty Towards Nature" by the Australian Bishop’s Committee for Justice, Development and Peace.

"Pastoral Letter on the Relationship of Human Beings to Nature" by the Dominican Episcopal Conference, 21 January 1987.

"What is Happening to our Beautiful Land?"by the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, 29 January 1988.

"The Cry For Land" by the Guatemalan Bishops, 29 February 1988.
      Letter focusing on the issues of agrarian land use and ownership in Guatemala.

"Ecology: The Bishops of Lombardy Address the Community" by the Catholic Bishops of Northern Italy, 15 September 1988.

"Renewing the Earth: An invitation to Reflection and Action on Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching" by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, 1991.  (Document can be purchased in print from USCCB.)

"Companions in Creation" by the Bishops of Florida, 1991.

"Celebrate Life: Care for Creation" by the Alberta, Canada Bishops, 1998.

"Partnership for the Future" by the Roman Catholic Bishops in New Mexico, 11 May 1998.

Pastoral Statement on the Environmental Crisis by the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, 5 September 1999.
     At the end of this letter encouraging awareness and participation in conservation efforts, there is a list of and contact information for several environmental organizations in South Africa.

"And God saw that it was good" by the Bishops of the Boston Province, 2000.

A Pastoral Letter on the Forests of the Sierra Tarahumara by the Catholic Bishops of Northern Mexico, 29 March 2000.

Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and the Common Good  by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2001.

"The Columbia River Watershed: Caring for Creation and the Common Good" by the Catholic Bishops of the Region, 8 January 2001.

"A New Earth - the Environmental Challenge" by the Australian Catholic Bishops, 2002.

"You Love All that exists… All thing are yours, God, Lover of life" by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, 4 October 2003.
     Contains a focus on water and describes three forms of response to eco-justice.

Pastoral Letter on the Environment by the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly.
     This Irish archbishop calls for environmental stewardship and focuses on issues concerning water.

"Stewards of Life, Stewards of Nature" by the Bishop of Camden.

Catholic EarthCare Australia: http://www.catholicearthcareoz.net/index.html

The USCCB Environmental Justice Program: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/index.htm

National Religious Partnership for the Environment: http://www.nrpe.org/

National Ecology Commission: Secular Franciscan Order: http://pages.map.com/SFEcology/index.html

Catholic Conservation Center: http://conservation.catholic.org/

National Catholic Rural Life Conference: http://www.ncrlc.com/

Christiansen, D. and Grazer, W., eds. (1996).  "And God Saw That It Was Good" Catholic Theology and the Environment.  Washington D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, Inc.

Dent, Sister Ancilla, ed. (1997).  Ecology and Faith: The Writings of Pope John Paul II.  Ipswich, Suffolk, Great Britian: Ipswich Book Company.

Keenan, Sister Marjorie. (2002).  From Stockholm to Johannesburg: An Historical Overview of the Concern of the Holy See for the  Environment, 1972-2002.  Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.  Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana.  (Order from USCCB)

United States Catholic Conference. (1996).  Let the Earth Bless the Lord: God’s Creation and Our Responsibility, A Catholic Approach to the Environment.  Washington D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, Inc.  (Order from USCCB)

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