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"Each creature, possess its own particular goodness and perfection...Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God's infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things which would be in contempt of the Creator and would bring disastrous consequences for human beings and their environment."(The Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 339)
Human society too depends upon the health of ecosystems and biodiversity. “Ecosystem services” are the benefits to human society from the environment. Clean water, fertile soil and pollination of native and agricultural plants result from the service of creatures in their ecological niches. Wetlands and forests clean water. Wood and paper depend upon forest health. Marine fisheries depend upon clean coasts and oceans.
Preserving the diversity of life requires habitat conservation. If a species loses its habitat, or even if an ecological niche changes in subtle but biologically important ways, it may not survive. Ecosystems around the world are suffering from degradation due to human activities, and this is pushing many species to the brink of extinction. “Species Preservation Matters” - www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Oct2007/Feature2.asp
The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. Additionally, we show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of Creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement for our faith. We are called - to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God's Creation.
Faced with the widespread destruction of the environment, people everywhere are coming to understand that we cannot continue to use the goods of the earth as we have in the past. The public in general as well as political leaders are concerned about this problem, and experts from a wide range of disciplines are studying its causes. Moreover, a new ecological awareness is beginning to emerge which, rather than being downplayed, ought to be encouraged to develop into concrete programs and initiatives.
The Creation Care Committee was formed to raise the awareness of MPB parishioners to realize that:
- Our responsibility within creation and our duty towards the Creator nature and nature are an essential part of our faith.
- We cannot interfere in one area of the ecosystem without paying due attention to both the consequences of such interference in other areas and to the well-being of future generations.
- It is manifestly unjust that we, a privileged few, should continue to accumulate excess goods, squander available resources, while masses of people are living in conditions of misery at the lowest level of subsistence.
Creation Care invites those who are interested in this ministry to join us on the second Wednesday of every month in the Parish Center at 7:00 p.m.
How to contact us: creationcare@mpbdenver.org
LINKS- Click here to find a list of highly recommended "must read" articles and additional informational links.
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