VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis has just announced, on World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, that we must “listen to the cries of the Earth, covered in ruins and dirt. For climate change also contributes to the devastating crisis of forced migration.”

 “We cannot give up or be indifferent to the loss of biodiversity and the destruction of our ecosystems, often brought about by our irresponsible and egotistical acts,” warned the pontiff, in his speech given Thursday in the Vatican.

 The head of the Holy See observed that “it is very encouraging that the care and worry for the future of our planet is shared by Christian churches and communities alongside other religions. Indeed, in recent years, many initiatives to raise awareness about these issues have been undertaken by religious authorities and organizations,” according to ‘Il Fatto Quotidiano’.

 With his message of care for creation, the Pope wished to renew “the dialogue with every person that inhabits this planet regarding the suffering that afflicts the poor and the devastation of the environment. Thanks to us, thousands of species will not grace God with their existence, nor will they be able to have a platform to communicate their own message. We do not have the right to do this.”

 “The planet continues to get warmer, in part due to human activities: 2015 was the hottest year ever recorded and 2016 will probably be even worse. This causes droughts, flooding, fires and other serious meteorological events. Climate change also contributes to the devastating crisis of forced migration. The world’s poor, who are even the least responsible for changes in climate, are the most vulnerable and are already being affected by its consequences.”

 The main message of Pope Francis’s speech was that “when we mistreat nature, we also mistreat human beings. At the same time, each creature has its own intrinsic value that needs to be respected. We should listen to the cries of the Earth as much as the cries of the poor, and we must try to understand carefully how we can secure an adequate and timely response.”

 nkd