Archbishop’s message: Save earth, spread peace

The Catholic Church has decided to dedicate 2010 to environment. Like its counterparts across the world, the Archdiocese of Mumbai is going to focus its energies on encouraging the city to take particular care of the environment this year.

The Catholic Church has decided to dedicate 2010 to environment.

HT Image

Like its counterparts across the world, the Archdiocese of Mumbai is going to focus its energies on encouraging the city to take particular care of the environment this year.

This decision came after Pope Benedict XVI issued a message for the celebrations of the 43rd World Day of Peace on
January 1, declaring the theme for 2010 to be ‘If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation’.

This message, which was sent out by the Vatican during the Copenhagen climate summit in December, is an appeal to Christian communities and all international leaders to focus their peace activities on protection of the environment.

“In Mumbai, 2010 has already been declared as the year of peace, and on Christmas, I encouraged citizens to collaborate effectively in order to curb climate change,” said Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai.

He added that the lack of awareness about the various aspects of the environmental crisis remains a big problem in the city. “We will soon get the different Catholic commissions in Mumbai to start the work of spreading awareness,” said Cardinal Gracias.

“Concern for the environment calls for a responsible common effort to move beyond approaches based on selfish nationalistic interests,” said the Pope in his official message, while stressing the need to come up with practical, effective solutions for today’s “growing ecological crisis”.