Posted on 09/24/2007 8:38:35 AM PDT by ZGuy
THE Pope is believed to be planning to inspire world leaders to join the "moral" cause of fighting climate change and protecting the environment.
It has been reported that Pope Benedict XVI may use his first address to the UN to appeal for sustainable development around the world.
Senior diplomatic sources were quoted in The Independent as saying the Pontiff’s speech will come in the wake of a huge appeal to Catholics to address climate change.
The head of the Catholic Church in the UK, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor said the environment was a crucial issue for current and future generations.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
"News of the speech comes as Vatican City has become the first fully carbon-neutral state in the world, after announcing it is offsetting its carbon footprint by planting a forest in Hungary and installing solar panels on the roof of St Peter's Basilica in Rome.
It also follows a series of interventions by the Pope on the environment. On 2 September he told a 300,000 youth audience: "Before it is too late, it is necessary to make courageous decisions that reflect knowing how to re-create a strong alliance between man and the earth." On 7 September, he said there was a "pressing need for science and religion to work together to safeguard the gifts of nature and to promote responsible stewardship".
UK diplomats have held a number of behind-the-scenes meetings with Vatican officials on the environment. A Whitehall source said last night: "Benedict is the spiritual head of 19 per cent of the world's population and a highly respected figure. If the Pope's words are taken on board by his community that is one big constituency for change and could well turn the tide on climate change and environmental degradation."
Perhaps he should focus on spreading the Word. The planet is in good hands. It’s humanity that needs saving.
Most popes proved that already.
“He just proved he isn’t infallible”
The Pope has nothing more important to do??
Sounds like he ought to stick to something he knows about..
They’ll have to file an EIS next time they do the black/white smoke ritual.
I am confused by this. There has to be more to this than the headline says. I understand that we should treat the environment with respect...but to make it a moral crusade? Let’s not take our eye off the ball...if these islamic radicals get a dirty nuke, there might not be an environment to buy carbon footprints for.
Et tu, Bennie?
The Pope needs to stick with Christ and eternal salvation and leave the worldly concerns to others.
I think you need to study up on what "Papal infallibility" means. It has nothing to do with what some secular news source says the Pope "plans to do".
In fact, it has nothing to do with what he does at all, but only with what he teaches.
And unless he actually teaches a dogma binding on all Catholics under pain of heresy, it doesn't even have anything to do with what he teaches.
Exactly.
I’m puzzled by your response. Do you mean to say that people don’t involve religion when...say...a natural disaster strikes? Gee, there’s no shortage of “please God” this and “please God” that when a hurricane or a tornado is bearing down on your house, but, according to you, that’s none of His business since that’s just a “worldly concern”.
I’m curious, since God created the world, how is it NOT His concern?
Pope = IRRELEVANT
As a Catholic I must listen respectfully to anything he says, but there is no requirement to believe that he is speaking correctly. As someone with some technical training, the Pope is not infallible on a matter of science. Of course we are called to be the stewards of God’s creation, using our own training, knowledge, and conscience to decide what that means.
For non Catholics, it is nice for them to be polite, but no requirement to accept or believe.
Except, of course, when he’s trying to keep drilling out of the Everglades ...
It has never been claimed that the Pope is infallible on matters of politics (or science, or many other subjects).
He particularly choked the chicken on the Treaty of Tordesillas, since he obviously was not infallible in matters of Geography, either.
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