Concern for the Poor

As Catholic Christians we are called by Christ to care for our fellow man. The idea of “care” takes many forms, including the care of the earth which we all share. In the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, the bishops of the Second Vatican Council declared, “God intended the earth with everything contained in it for the use of all human beings and peoples. Thus, under the leadership of justice and the company of charity, created goods should be abundant for all in like manner. . . . the right of having a share of earthly goods sufficient for oneself and one’s family belongs to everyone. . . . men are obliged to come to the relief of the poor and to do so not merely out of their superfluous goods.”  (Gaudium et Spes #69)

In his address to the United Nations in April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about the negative effects of globalization often experienced by the poor. He called for greater responsibility and cooperation from the international community regarding, "questions of security, the objectives of development, the reduction of inequality locally and globally, the protection of the environment…” This cooperation, he cautioned, should not be at the expense of the dignity of the human person, nor at the rejection of sound moral principles.

The poor, particularly those in the weakest regions of the world, are often disproportionately effected by climate changes. The grocery shopper in middle America might notice that the price of fish has increased and will adjust their spending accordingly, perhaps purchasing a less expensive product. However, the village fisherman in the south Pacific would notice (because of pollution, changing water currents or temperatures) there are fewer fish for him to catch. Less fish to harvest results in a loss of income and means he can no longer adequately provide for his family. As Pope John Paul II said in his address on the World Day of Peace in 1990, “We cannot interfere in one area of the ecosystem without paying due attention both to the consequences of such interference in other areas and to the well-being of future generations.”

In their document, Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good, the US Catholic Bishops, while not making an “independent judgment on the plausibility of ‘global warming,’” have called for the virtue of prudence when addressing climate change. Prudence, they say, is not just about being cautious and safe. Rather, prudence is about thoughtful and deliberate use of our intelligence to come to a “reasoned basis for taking or avoiding action to achieve a moral good.” Here we see the U.S. Bishops, just as Pope John Paul II did, referring to the issue of climate change as a moral issue. They also say, “At its core, global climate change is not about economic theory or political platforms, nor about partisan advantage or interest group pressures. It is about the future of God’s creation and the one human family. It’s about protecting both ‘the human environment’ and the ‘natural environment.’”