On a warm Roman afternoon in June 2015, Pope Francis released an encyclical letter that would spark conversation, controversy, and conversion in equal measure. Laudato Si', named after the Canticle of the Sun by St. Francis of Assisi, was the first papal encyclical devoted entirely to the care of creation. It called on every person living on this planet, not just Catholics, not just Christians, but every human being, to hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, and to respond with the urgency and creativity that our ecological crisis demands.
The reaction was swift and varied. Environmentalists welcomed the Pope's voice on an issue they had long championed. Political commentators debated whether a religious leader should weigh in on matters of science and policy. Some Catholics celebrated the document as a prophetic extension of Catholic social teaching, while others worried that it represented an unwarranted intrusion into political territory. Lost in much of this debate was the deeper theological vision that animates the encyclical, a vision rooted not in contemporary environmentalism but in the most ancient and fundamental convictions of the Catholic faith.
For the truth is that Catholic ecological thought did not begin with Laudato Si'. It began with Genesis.
Creation as Gift: The Biblical Foundation
The very first chapter of the Bible establishes the fundamental relationship between God, humanity, and the created world. God creates the heavens and the earth, the seas and the dry land, the plants and the animals, and at each stage He pauses to pronounce His creation good. The Hebrew word used here, tov, means not merely functional or adequate but beautiful, fitting, and delightful. The material world, in the biblical vision, is not a problem to be escaped but a gift to be received with wonder and gratitude.
"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." (Genesis 1:31)
The creation of human beings represents the climax of this creative work. Made in the image and likeness of God, Adam and Eve are given a unique role within creation. They are placed in the garden to till it and keep it, words that in Hebrew carry connotations of service and preservation. The first human vocation, before any other calling or commission, is the care of the earth.
This is a crucial point that is often missed in discussions of the Genesis creation accounts. The command to "have dominion" over the earth, which has sometimes been interpreted as a license for exploitation, must be understood in the context of the entire passage. The dominion given to humanity is modeled on God's own relationship to creation, a relationship characterized not by tyranny but by generous, life-giving love. To have dominion as God has dominion is to nurture, protect, and bring to flourishing everything entrusted to our care.
The biblical narrative does not leave us in Eden. The fall introduces a rupture not only between humanity and God but between humanity and the natural world. The ground is cursed because of human sin, and the harmony of the garden gives way to toil, conflict, and death. This connection between moral disorder and ecological disorder is a persistent theme throughout Scripture. The prophets repeatedly link the degradation of the land to the unfaithfulness of the people. Conversely, the prophetic vision of redemption consistently includes the restoration and renewal of the natural world.
"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them." (Isaiah 11:6)
In the New Testament, St. Paul extends this vision by describing the entire creation as groaning in labor pains, waiting for the revelation of the children of God. The redemption accomplished by Christ is not limited to human souls but encompasses the whole created order. The resurrection of Christ's body is the firstfruits of a cosmic transformation in which all things will be made new.
The Sacramental Vision of Creation
Catholic theology has always maintained a sacramental understanding of the natural world. A sacrament, in the broadest sense, is a visible sign of an invisible reality. The material world, in Catholic thought, is not merely a neutral backdrop for the human drama but a medium through which God communicates His presence, His beauty, and His love.
This sacramental vision is evident in the very structure of Catholic worship. The sacraments employ the basic elements of the natural world, water, oil, bread, wine, as vehicles of divine grace. Baptism uses water. The Eucharist uses bread and wine. Confirmation and the Anointing of the Sick use oil. These material elements are not arbitrary. They are chosen because the material world is capable of bearing the divine, of becoming transparent to the presence of God.
St. Thomas Aquinas, the great medieval theologian, argued that every creature is a kind of word spoken by God, a partial expression of the divine perfection that only the totality of creation can adequately represent. To destroy a species, to degrade an ecosystem, to pollute a river, is therefore not merely an economic or aesthetic loss. It is a silencing of one of God's words, an erasure of a unique expression of divine beauty and wisdom.
St. Francis of Assisi embodied this sacramental vision with singular intensity. His Canticle of the Sun, composed near the end of his life, addresses the elements of creation as brothers and sisters: Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother Wind, Sister Water, Brother Fire, Sister Mother Earth. For Francis, the natural world was not merely a resource to be managed but a community of creatures with whom we share a common Creator and a common home. His example has inspired centuries of Catholic ecological reflection and gives Laudato Si' its opening words and its animating spirit.
Catholic Social Teaching and the Environment
While Laudato Si' is the most comprehensive papal statement on ecological issues, it builds on a tradition of Catholic social teaching that has been developing for over a century. Beginning with Rerum Novarum in 1891, the popes have articulated a vision of economic and social life rooted in the dignity of the human person, the common good, and the universal destination of goods.
The principle of the universal destination of goods is particularly relevant to ecological questions. This principle holds that the goods of the earth are intended by God for the benefit of all people, not just the wealthy or powerful. While the Church affirms the right to private property, it insists that this right is not absolute. It is subordinate to the fundamental principle that the earth's resources exist for the common good of the entire human family, including future generations.
This principle has direct implications for environmental policy. If the goods of the earth belong to all, then no individual, corporation, or nation has the right to exploit those goods in ways that deprive others of their fair share or degrade the common inheritance for future generations. Environmental destruction, in this framework, is not merely an ecological problem but a justice problem. It represents a failure to honor the universal destination of the goods that God has entrusted to the whole human family.
Pope Benedict XVI, often called the "Green Pope" for his attention to environmental issues, made this connection explicit. He spoke of the need for a human ecology that recognizes the intimate connection between care for the natural environment and care for the human environment. The same logic that leads us to protect endangered species, he argued, should lead us to protect human life at every stage, from conception to natural death. Conversely, a society that fails to respect human dignity will inevitably fail to respect the natural world, because the same fundamental disposition, the willingness to treat others as mere means to our ends, underlies both forms of exploitation.
The Key Themes of Laudato Si'
Pope Francis's encyclical weaves together multiple threads of Catholic thought into a comprehensive vision of integral ecology. Several key themes deserve particular attention.
Everything Is Connected
One of the most repeated phrases in Laudato Si' is that "everything is connected." Francis insists that we cannot adequately address environmental problems in isolation from social, economic, and spiritual problems. The degradation of the natural environment, the exploitation of the poor, the throwaway culture that treats both people and things as disposable, and the spiritual crisis of a humanity that has lost its sense of the sacred are all manifestations of a single underlying disorder: the failure to recognize the interconnectedness of all creation in God.
This integral ecology rejects both a narrow environmentalism that ignores human needs and a narrow humanism that ignores the needs of the natural world. It calls for a comprehensive conversion that transforms our relationship to God, to one another, and to the earth simultaneously.
The Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor
Francis draws a direct connection between environmental degradation and the suffering of the world's poorest people. It is the poor who are most affected by water pollution, deforestation, soil depletion, and climate disruption. They are the ones who depend most directly on the health of local ecosystems for their food, water, and shelter. They are the ones who have the least capacity to adapt to environmental changes and the least voice in the decisions that affect their lives.
This connection between ecology and poverty is not incidental. It reflects a deeper truth about the way sin operates in the world. The same patterns of greed, shortsightedness, and indifference that drive environmental destruction also drive economic inequality. The same powerful interests that resist environmental regulation also resist efforts to secure the rights and dignity of the poor. Addressing the ecological crisis therefore requires addressing the crisis of global inequality, and vice versa.
The Throwaway Culture
Francis introduces the concept of the throwaway culture to describe a society that treats everything, including people, as disposable. In a throwaway culture, objects are designed to be used briefly and discarded. Resources are extracted without thought for renewal. Human beings who are no longer productive or convenient, the unborn, the elderly, the disabled, the migrant, are pushed to the margins and forgotten.
The throwaway culture is not merely a waste management problem. It is a spiritual disorder rooted in the refusal to recognize the inherent value of created things. When we treat the natural world as an inexhaustible supply depot and a bottomless waste receptacle, we are denying the truth that every creature has value in the eyes of God, independent of its usefulness to us.
Ecological Conversion
Perhaps the most distinctively Catholic contribution of Laudato Si' is its call for ecological conversion. Francis does not merely ask for better policies or more efficient technologies, though he acknowledges the importance of both. He asks for a change of heart, a transformation of the way we see, value, and relate to the created world.
Ecological conversion involves several dimensions. It begins with gratitude, a recognition that the world is a gift from a loving God and that our fundamental posture toward creation should be one of wonder and thanksgiving rather than entitlement and exploitation. It continues with repentance, an honest acknowledgment of the ways we have participated, individually and collectively, in the degradation of God's creation. And it culminates in a renewed commitment to live more simply, more justly, and more attentively to the needs of both people and the natural world.
"Living our vocation to be protectors of God's handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience." (Laudato Si', 217)
The Witness of the Saints
The Catholic tradition is rich with saints whose lives exemplify the kind of ecological awareness and creation care that Laudato Si' calls for. Beyond St. Francis of Assisi, whose love for creation is legendary, many other holy men and women have demonstrated a profound reverence for the natural world.
St. Hildegard of Bingen, the twelfth-century Benedictine abbess, mystic, and polymath, wrote extensively about the interconnection of all living things. She used the Latin word viriditas, meaning greenness or vitality, to describe the life-giving power of God that flows through all creation. For Hildegard, every plant, every animal, every element of the natural world pulsed with divine energy. To harm creation was to diminish the presence of God in the world.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to be canonized, embodied a deep reverence for the natural world that was rooted in both her indigenous heritage and her Catholic faith. She found God in the forests, rivers, and mountains of her homeland, and her example reminds us that the Catholic tradition is capacious enough to embrace and sanctify diverse cultural relationships with the natural world.
St. Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism, established communities that lived in careful harmony with the land. Benedictine monasteries became centers of agricultural innovation and land stewardship, demonstrating that productive use of the earth and reverent care for it are not contradictory but complementary. The Benedictine motto, Ora et Labora, pray and work, expresses a vision of human life in which spiritual devotion and physical labor are integrated into a single offering of praise.
These saints remind us that ecological stewardship is not a modern invention but a perennial dimension of Christian holiness. The call to care for creation is woven into the fabric of Catholic spirituality, and the saints who have responded to this call most fully are among the most beloved and inspiring figures in the Church's history.
Practical Ways to Care for Creation
Catholic stewardship of creation is not merely a matter of theological reflection. It calls for concrete action in the ordinary circumstances of daily life. Here are some practical ways to live out the call to care for our common home.
Simplify Your Consumption
The most fundamental ecological act is to consume less. This does not mean embracing a grim austerity that denies the goodness of material things. It means cultivating a spirit of sufficiency, a recognition that more is not always better and that the relentless pursuit of material accumulation comes at a cost to both the earth and the soul. Before making a purchase, ask yourself: Do I really need this? Can I borrow, share, or make do with what I have? Am I buying this out of genuine need or out of habit, boredom, or social pressure?
Reduce Waste
The throwaway culture can be resisted through simple daily choices. Use reusable bags, bottles, and containers. Compost food waste. Repair items rather than replacing them. Buy durable goods that are designed to last. Choose products with minimal packaging. These small choices, multiplied across millions of households, add up to a significant reduction in the waste stream.
Support Local and Sustainable Agriculture
The way we eat has profound ecological implications. Industrial agriculture, with its dependence on chemical inputs, monoculture cropping, and long-distance transportation, takes a heavy toll on the soil, water, and atmosphere. Supporting local farmers, choosing sustainably produced food, growing your own vegetables, and reducing food waste are all concrete ways to align your eating habits with your ecological values.
Conserve Energy and Water
Simple habits of conservation, turning off lights, adjusting thermostats, fixing leaks, using water efficiently, reduce both your environmental impact and your utility bills. Consider investing in energy-efficient appliances, improving your home's insulation, or exploring renewable energy options. These investments pay for themselves over time while reducing your household's ecological footprint.
Engage Your Parish
The parish community is a natural context for ecological action. Organize a parish garden, a recycling program, or a nature clean-up day. Incorporate creation care themes into parish education and liturgical celebrations. Advocate for energy efficiency in parish buildings. Form a Laudato Si' study group to read and discuss the encyclical together. The parish that cares for creation becomes a living sign of the integral ecology that Pope Francis envisions.
Spend Time in Nature
One of the most important things we can do for creation is simply to be present to it. Walk in the woods. Sit by a stream. Watch the birds. Lie on your back and gaze at the stars. These experiences of natural beauty awaken the sense of wonder and gratitude that is the foundation of ecological responsibility. It is difficult to care about what we do not know, and it is difficult to know what we do not experience. Time spent in nature is not a luxury but a spiritual discipline that reconnects us to the Creator through His creation.
This is one of the great gifts of the Catholic camp experience. By bringing people, especially young people, into sustained contact with the natural world in a context of faith and community, Catholic camps cultivate precisely the ecological sensibility that Laudato Si' calls for. Around the campfire, on the hiking trail, at the lakefront, campers learn to see creation not as a backdrop or a resource but as a gift and a responsibility.
Advocate for Systemic Change
While individual choices matter, the scale of the ecological crisis demands systemic responses as well. Catholics are called to bring their ecological convictions into the public square, advocating for policies that protect the environment, promote sustainability, and ensure that the costs and benefits of ecological action are distributed justly. This advocacy is not a departure from the faith but an expression of it, a concrete application of the social teaching that the common good must take priority over private interests.
Educate and Form the Next Generation
One of the most important things we can do for the future of creation is to form young people in a Catholic understanding of stewardship. Children and young adults are naturally receptive to the beauty of the natural world and instinctively understand the call to protect it. Catholic schools, religious education programs, youth groups, and camps have a privileged opportunity to channel this natural receptivity into a mature, faith-grounded ecological commitment.
Teach young people to see creation through the eyes of faith. Help them understand that the beauty they experience in nature is not random but is the deliberate handiwork of a loving Creator. Introduce them to the great Catholic ecological thinkers, from St. Francis to Pope Francis. Give them hands-on experiences of creation care through gardening, composting, nature study, and outdoor recreation. And model for them, through your own choices and priorities, what it looks like to live as a faithful steward of God's gifts.
The Catholic camp setting is particularly powerful for this kind of formation. Immersed in the beauty of the natural world, removed from the distractions of screens and shopping malls, young people have the opportunity to reconnect with creation in ways that are both joyful and transformative. Many adults trace their love for the natural world back to childhood experiences in the outdoors, and Catholic camps that intentionally integrate ecological awareness with spiritual formation are planting seeds that will bear fruit for generations to come.
A Spirituality of Stewardship
At its deepest level, Catholic ecological stewardship is not primarily about saving the planet, though that is certainly important. It is about becoming the kind of people God created us to be: grateful recipients of His gifts, faithful stewards of His creation, and loving servants of our brothers and sisters, especially the poorest and most vulnerable.
The ecological crisis is, at root, a spiritual crisis. It reflects a humanity that has lost its way, that has forgotten its place within the web of creation, that has substituted mastery for stewardship and consumption for communion. The solution to this crisis will not come from technology alone, though technology has an important role to play. It will come from a conversion of heart, a rediscovery of the wonder, gratitude, and responsibility that are the birthright of every creature made in the image of the Creator.
"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." (Psalm 24:1)
As Catholics, we have a unique contribution to make to the ecological conversation. We bring a theological vision that grounds environmental responsibility in the deepest truths about God, humanity, and the created world. We bring a sacramental imagination that sees the material world as charged with the grandeur of God. We bring a social teaching tradition that insists on the connection between ecology and justice. And we bring a spiritual heritage that has, for two thousand years, cultivated the virtues of simplicity, gratitude, and wonder that our ecological moment desperately requires.
The task before us is immense, but it is not hopeless. The same God who created the world sustains it, and His creative power is not exhausted. The seeds of renewal are already present: in the growing awareness of ecological responsibility, in the creativity of sustainable technologies, in the commitment of communities around the world to live more lightly on the earth, and in the quiet faithfulness of countless individuals who are choosing, day by day, to be better stewards of the gift they have received.
Let us receive that gift with gratitude, tend it with care, and pass it on with love to those who will come after us.
