The Catholic Bishops of Ohio invite you to study the issues related to the stewardship of God’s creation. Care for the environment is a fundamental principle within Catholic Social Teaching. We applaud efforts already underway in many Catholic homes and institutions that help conserve energy, protect the environment, and advance a greater understanding of faithful stewardship. We hope that Catholic families and institutions around the state will continue in such efforts.
Environmental issues and concerns are increasingly at the forefront of public debate. For example, news concerning hydraulic fracturing is an almost daily occurrence in some parts of Ohio. While these issues are often complex, certain ethical principles apply. Stewardship, prudence, care for the poor, and promotion of the common good are but a few. Public advocacy promoting such principles of environmental justice is a worthy and needed action.
Our church teachings regarding environmental stewardship are rich and challenging. Pope Benedict XVI, in his 2010 World Day of Peace message entitled If you Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation, urged us to renew and strengthen “that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying” (no. 1). This web resource provides timely information to help us in this task. It links to Catholic teachings and offers resources helpful for individuals, families, parishes, schools and other institutions.
As you examine these many resources, we encourage you to prayerfully reflect upon the following questions:
- How are we to fulfill God's call to be stewards of creation in an age when we may have the capacity to alter that creation significantly, and perhaps irrevocably?
- How can we as a "family of nations" exercise stewardship in a way that respects and protects the integrity of God's creation and provides for the common good, as well as for economic and social progress based on justice?
- What steps will I take to better promote and live out care for God’s creation?
May God bless us in this journey of justice.
Catholic Bishops of Ohio
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