The Kummissjoni Interdjocesana Ambjent (KA) would like to commemorate the visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI with a reflection on the pontiff’s teachings about the Church’s environmental responsibility based on his writings:

Caritas in Veritate and If you want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.

Such a special event entails a lot of preparation as we have been recently witnessing in various places all over the island. This is good, just and fitting for this great occasion. Furthermore, the KA is aware that none of us will want to give the impression that the Maltese community still harbours a tendency of whitewashing over (rather than resolving) our problems just to put up a good show. All of us would agree that keeping up appearances rather than ensuring a sustained good quality of our everyday life, is a non-starter. In line with these thoughts, the KA would like to issue this communication, in the sincere hope that amid the celebration, that such a visit rightfully deserves, we will not miss the wood for the trees … and will focus more on the pastoral scope of the visit rather than the welcome, more on the Pope’s teachings rather than on his office. In fact, the KA feels that this Pope’s teachings are particularly and crucially relevant and even poignant for the current status of quality of life and sustainability in these islands with such limitations and constraints in environmental resources.

Pope Bendict’s message for a universal intergenerational and intragenerational solidarity which embraces time and space as an antidote to our ecological crisis is addressed to all people of good will – whether they are practicing Catholics or not. It would be very myopic and distressing if such a message is discounted just because it comes from the Vatican. It is rather baffling that while feeling inclined to vociferously discredit the Church’s teachings because of its highly publicized imperfections, certain individuals do not bat an eyelid over equally distressing cases of abuse of the human dignity: abortion, extreme poverty, hunger, displaced workers and refugees, unequal distribution of resources and environmental degradation.

Focusing on the cause

Like his predecessor, Pope Benedict affirms that the cause of the ecological crisis is ultimately a moral crisis: a brutal economy that puts profit above everything else, a thwarted perception of resource management and a general disregard for human welfare. Scientific and technological advances have provided temporary relief from the symptoms of this crisis, but the true solution lies in the affirmation of the values laid out in the teachings of the risen Christ who has redeemed all of creation.

The Church’s commitment

With its perception of creation as God’s gift to humanity, the Church (i.e. the whole community of believers) is not only responsible and committed for the dissemination of this concept, but also for its implementation in society. Faced with impending environmental problems, the high degree of displaced communities as a consequence and the unequal and unjust access to natural resources; the Church cannot refrain from taking an active role in social reform. Nevertheless, its methodology seeks solutions from within – from the heart of every believer – based on a personal renewal leading to a change in lifestyle and choice preferences founded on a deep respect for the community of life. The way humanity treats the environment influences the way it treats itself, and vice versai.

Centrality of the person

Our duties towards the environment flow from our duties towards the person, considered both individually and in relation to othersii. This is a central tenet to Christian environmental action because it mirrors the way Christ, our Master, acted while He was living amongst us. “For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also,” (Jn 13:15). Problems have arisen every time the Church’s (and the World’s) focus drifted from this principle. This is the threat currently being posed by globalisation.

Globalisation should sensitise us to the plight and misery of millions of voiceless people around the world and focus global resources to alleviate their afflictions. Instead there is an impending danger that globalisation is reduced to a process that maintains the current state of affairs: a social order built on inequality and suffering that keeps a callous world economy going.

This is why Pope Benedict calls for an integral human development, which in the KA’s opinion goes a step further than the concept of sustainable development. This concept puts concerns about human dignity, rather than economic concerns, at the centre of any development discourse. Globalisation should thus be characterised by a global effort to ensure a good quality of life for present and future generations.

The Common Good

A global solidarity intent on setting up a type of governance built on truth, love and communion is a way of re-establishing God’s plan for creation, where humans live in harmony with each other and with their surrounding environment. “And the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul. Neither did any one say that aught of the things which he possessed was his own: but all things were common unto them.” (Acts 4: 32)

Unfortunately, in a world which has forfeited Christ’s teachings, such discourse may seem naïve and unrealistic. In such circles, efforts to foster economic growth at any cost get precedence over respect towards the common good. Profit making becomes an end in itself rather than a means to an end: that of promoting social wellbeing. Pope Benedict reaffirms the need for a profound, long-term review of our model of developmentii. In our plans for development, it is imperative that, we factor in environmental and social costs as well in our cost assessment. This is of a particular relevance to a small country like Malta with its limited resources and close-knit community.

Relativism vs Christian values

Christian values are at the centre of true integral human development. The commandment “love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12) inspires and nourishes the Church’s social teaching and action. However, living this commandment is no easy feat as it entails putting another person’s wellbeing before one’s own interest even if it means renouncing one’s own rights. The call is to transform our unsustainable practices into lifestyles that reflect this basic Christian mandate.

This goes against today’s tendency of emphasising one’s own rights while downplaying one’s obligations towards others. Promoting personal gain at the expense of others and the environment becomes the predominant lifestyle and the inevitable result is a society of haves and have nots – with excess at one end and lack on the other. As previously mentioned, the antidote to this mentality and these ills is Christ’s teachings. But God’s word is like a two edged sword that reaches our deepest thoughts and intents (Heb 4:12). Its message allows us to reflect on our lifestyle and identify attitudes, preferences and habits that are preventing us from fulfilling God’s plan: one family … of one Father … living in one house.

Relevance to the local scene

Since its inception, the KA has been active in initiating a reflective public discussion based on the principles that have now been embodied in Pope Benedict’s writings. KA’s statements focused on various issues concerning the sustainability of our lifestyles and our use of natural resources, such as land, sea, special habitats, wildlife, energy and fresh water. For example, looking at our fresh water resource management, as a country, we seem to have awakened to the harsh reality that, for years, we have been overexploiting our fresh water resources to almost beyond recovery. In spite of this frightful state of affairs, our country still lacks an adequate and long-term fresh-water management policy. More urgently there seems to be a reluctance to put a complete stop to the illegal extraction of groundwater. It is not hard to see that environmental degradation is often due to the lack of far-sighted official policies or to the pursuit of myopic economic interests, which then, tragically, become a serious threat to creationii.

It is quite evident to the KA that the proper management of freshwater (and other) resources requires more than a technocratic solution. Finding solutions is essentially an issue of good governance, morality, social justice and public order. All sectors of our society, including the local Church itself, should strive to do their part in solving this (as well as other environmental sustainability issues) and therefore in promoting a just society that promotes integral human development.

Conclusion

The KA would like to conclude this brief reflection by wishing that Pope Benedict’s visit to Malta would initiate a renewed national commitment towards ensuring that integral human development becomes an inherent theme in all our development plans and policies. The KA also feels that the Church should be the first to subscribe to this new environmental movement within it and promote it (primarily through example) as a tangible way how Christians can truly show their love for the weak, the sick, the poor and the future generations.

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