Pope Francis on Wednesday said that by failing to care for our “garden home,” people have sinned against the Earth and God.
Francis, speaking on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, connected the event to the coronavirus pandemic, saying that the two together are “an occasion for renewing our commitment to love and care for our common home and for the weaker members of our human family.”
The pope, who often speaks about the importance of the environment, said that people should remember that the Earth is “not just our home, but also God’s home” and that “we stand on holy ground.”
“In this Easter season of renewal, let us pledge to love and esteem the beautiful gift of the Earth, our common home, and to care for all members of our human family,” Francis said.
Francis warned that the costs of not caring for the Earth will be grave, urging world leaders to take part in upcoming summits on climate change in China and Scotland.
“The Earth never forgives: If we have despoiled the Earth, the response will be very bad,” he said.
Francis stirred controversy when he said in an April interview with Commonweal magazine that ecological catastrophes, such as fires in Australia and melting polar glaciers, are nature’s “responses” to human negligence.
