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| His Lordship, Most Rev. (Dr) John Okeoghene Afareha |
A message from the Catholic Bishop of Warri Diocese; His Lordship, Most Rev.(Dr) John Okeoghene Afareha
From the
patristic period to the present, the Church has affirmed that misuse of the
world's resources or appropriation of them by a minority of the world's
population betrays the gift of creation since "whatever belongs to God
belongs to all." Our Creed begins with the creation
of heaven and earth,
for creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God's works. The environment we live in is Gods given
gift, one He created before making man. We must respect and protect it. It
unites us as one human family. If we harm the atmosphere, hydrosphere or any
portion of the lithosphere, we dishonor our Creator and the gift of creation.
The values of our faith calls us to humility, sacrifice, and a respect for life
and the natural gifts God has provided. As Catholics, we have a rich heritage
of faith, tradition, and social teaching to draw upon as we seek to live the
Gospel faithfully in our own time and situation. As a community of faith, we
seek to protect the dignity of every person and promote the common good of the
human family, particularly the most vulnerable among us. The Church champions
the rights of the unborn, seeks to bring dignity to the poor, works to overcome
the scourge of racism, and welcomes the stranger among us.
We encourage
efforts to bring about discussion on issues affecting the environment (climate
change, consumption, pollution, stewardship of the land) that is civil and
constructive, that invokes the virtue of prudence in seeking solutions, and
that is more responsive to the needs of the poor, both here in Nigeria and
abroad.
The whole
human race suffers as a result of environmental blight, and generations yet
unborn will bear the price for our failure not to act today. Our mistreatment
of the natural world diminishes our own dignity and sacredness, not only
because we are destroying resources that future generations of humans need, but
because we are engaging in actions that contradict what it means to be human.
As Catholics, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to make a
difference in addressing the impacts these issues present. Our tradition calls us to protect the
life and dignity of the human person, and it is increasingly clear that this
task cannot be separated from the care and defense of all of creation. As
individuals, as institutions, as a people, we need a change of heart to
preserve and protect our world for our children and for generations yet unborn.
EcoG'99
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