Discovering the ecological dimension of the Redemptorist charism
Laudato Si ‘ Week commemorates Pope Francis’s Encyclical on the Care of Our Common Home, published in 2015. In a certain sense, the Encyclical continues to be written through the transformative action of believers who seek to integrate the values and principles of Laudato Si’ into their daily lives. This commemoration invites us to translate the hope that inspires our following of the Redeemer into concrete actions. The hope that inspires our missionary following of the Redeemer fuels transformative action that, in turn, manifests abundant redemption. The first of these actions is perhaps “ecological conversion,” which allows us to unfold the consequences of our faith in the One who came to give us life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). It is a hope that also translates into the adoption of sustainable lifestyles, the promotion of environmental education, and community actions that foster care for our Common Home.
For Redemptorists, this week becomes an opportunity to imagine our being Redemptorists today, exploring a still unknown dimension of our charism: the ecological dimension. In recent years, a new awareness has grown within the Church, more holistic in its approach to reality, more sensitive to the connections, interactions, and networks that exist in nature and on the planet. For not only is humanity a beneficiary of the work of Redemption and Abundant Life in Jesus Christ, but also all other forms of life and creation in general. For “everything is connected” (LS, 117, 138), and this amounts to saying that we are all beneficiaries and participants in the abundant life that flows from the mystery of Christ the Redeemer. In this way, as apostles of reconciliation, we are also called to re-establish broken relationships with nature, as an expression of our communion with God. This new awareness is leading us to a renewed understanding of our Redemptorist identity and our mission. The ecological dimension of religious life places our vows and commitments at the heart of the Paschal Mystery, “which responds to the Creator’s initial plan and is recovered from the redeeming cross. Those who are ecologically conscious live the evangelical counsels in relation to the whole and never in isolation” (cf. García Paredes). In a changing world, we discover that our vocation is to integration, to heal broken relationships, and to be promoters of the abundant life that flows from the Redeemer. This does not mean renouncing our values and the way we have carried out the Redemptorist mission up to now; rather, it means rediscovering our charism and our mission in new contexts.
Likewise, a reflection on the Redemptorist charism from an ecological perspective helps us see that the environmental degradation of our planet is a symptom of a deeper problem: a spiritual crisis that divides and disintegrates us. Thus, the deterioration of nature and ecosystems can be seen as a reflection of our inner imbalance and our disconnection from our Creator.
If the entire Christian life and our religious life consist of responding to God’s love, environmental degradation would be the expression of a direct rejection of that love, which is revealed in the beauty of Creation, since a proper relationship with the ecosystem is a consequence of love for God. Thus, we can better understand why our Father Saint Alphonsus sought to create a garden in each of the Congregation’s first houses. It is not an exaggeration to think that the love for Jesus Christ he preached so passionately found its inspiration in these spaces of prayer and contemplation.
It’s clear that the environmental challenges we face today are the result of environmentally unsustainable development paradigms that humanity has adopted since the Industrial Revolution, especially in industrialized nations. Recent studies and reports refer to these challenges as the Anthropocene era, characterized by placing humanity primarily responsible for global change. Extractivism, unrestrained urbanization, overfishing, industrial pollution, and many other factors are some of the causes of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. These are the most obvious causes, but there are other underlying mechanisms that are often overlooked, understood, or ignored. We might cite the greed, apathy, and indifference of institutions and individuals, which lead to excessive production and consumption, and to what Pope Francis has called “the throwaway culture.” These behaviours are reinforced by narratives of unlimited growth and unbridled capitalism that shape public opinion and individual attitudes.
This paradigm has given rise to unsustainable practices and attitudes, often contradicting the ideal of Christian life. People who see their incomes improve tend to consume more and increase their environmental footprint (cf. Hui-Ting Chang, 2016). The truth is that there is only one planet like ours, and it is limited as the only source of natural resources. As the population grows and many countries experience economic progress, it becomes necessary to adopt a paradigm in which the planet’s resources are not depleted and sustainable development is possible. This week, we are invited to study the paradigm of Integral Ecology proposed by Laudato Si’. It is a paradigm that addresses the environmental crisis not as an isolated problem, but as profoundly linked to social, economic, political, and spiritual realities. Integral ecology goes beyond the technocratic paradigm, recognizing the dignity of every creature and the particular role of human beings in creation and in their relationships with the reality that surrounds them. It is a paradigm that seeks to listen to both “the cry of the earth” and “the cry of the poor,” promoting sustainable and just development and the integrity of our Common Home.
What can we do?
In recent years, the amount of information and literature on the care of our Common Home has grown, and it is therefore necessary to identify some priorities and concrete steps we can actually take. From the General JPIC Commission, we would like to suggest some ways in which we, as Redemptorists, can respond to the call of Laudato si’.
- The last two General Chapters have called for the adoption of the teachings of Laudato si’, so a first step would be to know the content of this encyclical and the guidelines provided by the Chapters in this regard.
- “Ecological conversion” also begins with each of us as subjects. In our ongoing formation and personal prayer, we can explore the points of contact between our Redemptorist spiritual tradition of Abundant Redemption and current environmental challenges. Our Redemptorist charism has enormous ecological potential yet to be explored. The current context of ecological crisis offers us the opportunity to renew and enrich our missionary ministry and our way of being missionary in today’s world.
- Through our ministry and preaching, we can help foster environmental and ecological awareness among our interlocutors and our communities. Our communities have the potential to become centers of this new consciousness.
- A small action can trigger a wave of change around us. We can make a difference in our community and our particular context with the small actions we take to care for Creation.
- On a personal or community level, we can support and collaborate with local environmental projects and organizations that are already working towards this cause, many of which are within the church.
Redemption has a cosmic scope that opens us to wonder, to let ourselves be evangelized by the marvelous works of God in creation and to marvel at the many ways in which the work of Christ the Redeemer touches every person, every creature and all of creation.
(Communicanda on Mission, 20)
Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
See also the resources available on the website of Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
