"Repent to save the planet” - The Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar, Cardinal Bo, urges an Ecological Conversion
At the Conference of Religious Women of Asia and Oceania, recently held in Yangon, Myanmar, the Archbishop of Yangon, Cardinal Charles Bo, addressed the religious women with these words.
"Today we are faced with an environmental holocaust. It is a very delicate moment. Pope Francis raised his voice against this impending disaster talking about modern sins, 'ecological sins', made individually and collectively by humans who destroy Mother Earth.
"Greed has sparked an ecological terrorism against Mother Earth. Climate change is real and the planet Earth overheats, causing thousands of 'environmental refugees'. Climate change is an atomic bomb waiting to explode. We are on the threshold of an ecological apocalypse. This ecological apocalypse is the result of an ecological sin against God's creation.
"It is urgent to strengthen the prophetic thrust, making oneself a missionary of mercy to promote ecological justice. The two documents of the Pope: Laudato Si’ and Misericordiae Vultus, are our reference points. We must talk about global ecological conversion.
“Only one percent of the population, the rich, owns 50% of the wealth in the world: From here derives environmental injustice and ecological injustice. Greenhouse gases that increase global warming are emitted by rich countries. The United States, with a population of about six percent of the world, produce 40% of greenhouse gases. Who is dying? The poor. Poor countries are the most vulnerable to global warming. Cyclones, earthquakes and floods create thousands of victims of natural disasters.
This is ecological terrorism. The powerful of this world decide who should live or die. Economic and ecological terrorists are unleashed against the poor.
“We need an integrated approach in the fight against poverty and to protect nature. Ecological crisis is a moral crisis. It is an existential crisis. Nature is mutilated for economic greed. Humanity has broken the pact with nature and this is why it is a profoundly moral issue - an ecological original sin that needs an ecological conversion and an ecological evangelization".
The Archbishop concludes: "Repent, God's creation is in danger, change your life to save the planet".
Agenzia Fides - February 27, 2017
Mission Intention for May
That Christians in Africa, in imitation of the Merciful Jesus, may give prophetic witness to reconciliation, justice, and peace.
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