Ecological future: Church demands responsibility for creation!

Ecological future: Church demands responsibility for creation!

In a moving service that took place as part of the autumn general assembly of the Diocesan Council, the cathedral dean Dr. Hans Bauernfeind describes the stark discrepancy between the demand for fossil fuels that Donald Trump expressed in 2008 with his well-known “Drill, Baby, drill!” raised, and the central concerns of Pope Francis in his encyclical “Laudato si” Diocese of Passau reports that .... The latter urgently calls for a respectful treatment of creation and a rethinking of environmental policy, which is becoming particularly important today.

“Laudato si” sees the earth as our sister and mother, as Pope Francis impressively proclaims. The encyclical addresses the responsibility of all people for the planet and shows how human actions have contributed to the destruction of the environment. The Pope's words are clear: We have a duty to act for future generations and to protect the earth, which is suffering from the consequences of human mismanagement Vatican informs about….

The voice of responsibility

In the discussion, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brand highlights Trump's attitude as “petro-masculinity,” which requires comprehensive consideration of how we treat nature. This insight was supported by Urban Mangold, an ÖDP politician, who drew attention to the responsibility of churches and politics to actively contribute to the ecological transition Vatican News reports that ....

The head of the Environment Department, Verena Holzbauer, emphasized the relevance of the encyclical in a video and appealed for collective action for a better future. In the background were voices like those of Ferdinand Wagner, managing director of an organic-certified bakery, who reported on the successful switch to organic products and was pleased that his number of employees and sales had tripled.

Climate change and social justice

The panelists not only called for a rethinking of our consumer behavior, but also clear political measures for the common good. Erwin Huber, former CSU chairman, described “Laudato Si” as an epochal work and called on Christians to take the lead in the ecological movement. He emphasized the increased quality of life in rural areas and called for people not to view their own development negatively.

For Huber, giving up wealth is not the solution. Rather, he promoted innovative economic approaches that are in harmony with environmental goals. This philosophy was reinforced by Mangold and Wagner, who emphasized the importance of quality consumption and a conscious lifestyle.

Finally, the moderator Angelika Görmiller and Cathedral Dean Bauernfeind called on everyone present to work together for a better tomorrow and to recognize the signs of the times. A call that is important not only for the participants, but for all of us, since, as Pope Francis emphasizes, the earth demands protection and respect from all of us.