The heart of Europe for the care of the common house
About the II Day of reflection on "Laudato Si" held on June 12 in Brussels (text originally published in Spanish / Catalan by Catalu?a Cristiana, Number 2082, August 18th, 2019)
The pontificate of Pope Francis has in the encyclical Laudato Si one of the more audacious initiatives, for its scope, that extends beyond the Christian sphere, for its environmental content, one of the most emblematic aspects of our present, and for its perspective, which grants full authority to Christianity to become inserted into a debate that generally slips into technical, political and administrative spheres, without accounting for any spiritual foundation.
The encyclical Laudato Si alludes to that spiritual gap. Attributing on it a fundamental reason for the multiple crises suffered by our civilization. The insensitivity to the planet we inhabit is equated with that manifested among humans. The technique that instrumentalizes the world and the economy that commercializes it are assimilated to the rush for productivity and consumerism that dominate the contemporary individual life. The waste of resources is denounced: that which occurs in the production cycles with raw materials, and that of segregated human beings in suburbs, borders, and clandestinity. Pope Francis invokes in the encyclical Laudato Si a resounding affirmation from Benedict XVI, ... "the outer deserts extend in the world as much as the inner deserts have become extended" [217].
The proposal of ecological conversion impulsed through the encyclical Laudato Si invites to cultivate spiritual values, which have had ancestral roots in Christianity: mysticism, contemplation, sobriety, humility, conscious presence, inner peace. The Pope presents as a reference to Saint Francis of Assisi [218], patron of his pontificate, his encouragement to praise creation is elevated as a universal cause.
However, it would be a mistake to reduce the programmatic power of the encyclical Laudato Si in an introspective or individual work. On the contrary, Francisco is committed to a civilizational change with spiritual, educational and cultural dimensions [202]. The projected enterprise, which is the transformation of the human heart to face the global ecological problem, demands a broad horizon of action for faith communities, and for the Catholic Church in particular. The Church is called to radiate the spirit of the encyclical and, through it, to guide an authentical ecological conversion.
I recently participated in the journey "II Laudato Si Reflection Day", to verify the intensity and dynamism of the Catholic institutionality assuming this call of Francisco, in addition, with the aim of articulating, within such a global movement, the initiatives of sustainability being promoted at the Catalunya América Foundation (Saint Jeroni of the Murtra).
The meeting took place on June 12th in Brussels, sponsored by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU (COMECE), the Council of Bishops’ Conferences in Europe (CCEE), the network of Justice and Peace Europe, CIDSE, the Global Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM), and the Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC).
The protocolary and emotional speeches by participants were followed by lectures presenting relevant projects illustrating the ecological conversion, "what is necessary and possible at the same time". There was also time for prayer and silence, and to look forward.
The Global Catholic Climate Movement highlighted some active initiatives to promote and articulate the response of each parish and religious organization to the clamor of the land and the poor. The invitation is to join together the ecumenical family on September 1st, in the "prayer for creation", a call created in the Orthodox community since 1989 and backed by Rome since 2015.
Christians of the world are also aimed to celebrate the "Season of Creation", from September 1st, up to October 4th, coinciding with the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. This initiative has support from the Vatican, manifested through letters addressed to church ministers and parishioners, as well as through the provision of multiple resources for the celebration. All information is available on the website seasonofcreation.org
The Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will take place right after such an intense prelude of prayer and interaction of Christianity, from October 6th until October 27th. In this ocassion, conceived as an ecclesial, civic and ecological project, which aims to adapt the pastoral mission of the Church to the Amazonian reality and the challenges facing its population. This is a proposal that goes beyond the geographical territory of the Amazon, dealing with the future of the whole planet, calling the whole Church. The preparatory document of the event and other relevant information about it is available online, at the website sinodoamazonico.va
The closing words of the "Second Day of Reflection Laudato Si" reaffirmed the willingness of the participating organizations to move forward with a European alliance around the Encyclical, an effort is already being done in this direction by the European Justice and Peace Conference. Is projected a platform for the promotion of joint actions, the exchange of good practices, and the promotion of spiritual transformation at the continental level.
From Brussels, the administrative center of the European Union, the Laudato Si spirit of care for the creation is beating for the whole planet.