How do Roman Catholics look after the environment?

Answer 1

Catholics typically are perceived as conservative because of the alignment that their faith and its values has with conservative principles. Thus they often times get pigeon-holed by environmentalists as being somehow against the environment. This is not true at all. Recently, Pope Benedict XVI called upon all Catholics to conserve Natural Resources and to reduce excess waste of energy and to recycle more garbage, etc. This is completely in line with Christ's teaching as well as that of the Old Testament that describes how God has given the Earth to us humans as its stewards. Simply put, Creation is ours and this world is our dominion and we are kings and queens of the domain. As such, we must be good caretakers of the resources God has blessed us with and thus must be environmentally conscientious and friendly people.

Answer 2

Pope Benedict XVI: "The environment is God's gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole." Papal Encyclical "Caritas in Veritate," No. 48

Pope Benedict XVI: "Preservation of the environment, promotion of sustainable development and particular attention to climate change are matters of grave concern for the entire human family." SEVENTH SYMPOSIUM OF THE RELIGION, SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENT

To see more about what the Church has said about creation care and climate change, look for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops-endorsed Catholic Coalition on Climate Change.

Answer 3

The Catholic Church does not have an official position on environmental stewardship. The views of Catholics world-wide on the issue are very broad and varied with prominent Catholics speaking out both for and against environmental stewardship.

Answer 4

Roman Catholic AnswerIn many different ways, there are way over a billion Catholics on the planet, and the only thing they have in common, with respect to the environment, is the teaching that it is something God has created and given to support us so we must be respectful of it as a gift from God.