Allegato 8
Marianne Powell
On 29th November 1979 St Francis was declared patron saint of ecologists. One of the important people behind this event was the American historian of technology Lynn White Jr., who made the suggestion as early as 1967. The ecological movement as we know it is in fact largely a product of the 1960's, and while it is frightening to think that the date of its coming into being is so recent, it is at the same time reassuring that ecological concern has very quickly become a matter of course in many parts of the world.
The Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 is a proof of this. If the Earth Summit was a disappointment in many ways because of its meager concrete results, it was nevertheless a very important event. It has ensured that within thirty years of the birth of the ecological movement, in the public mind the environment will rank with economics and national security as a major international issue. As John Quigley, the Interfranciscan Justice and Peace Commission's representative at Rio says in his report, "-A world leader now needs to be informed and concerned about the environment to be taken seriously-".
Ecology and the Franciscan Charism
Looking at ecology from a historical point of view it would be true to say that making St Francis its patron saint involves a certain irony. The concept of a universal brotherhood involving all of creation, which is expressed in the Canticle of Creatures, and the reverence for nature which is attributed to St Francis in Franciscan legend were not aspects of his charism which he passed on to his followers. Concern for nature is never mentioned in the two Rules which he wrote for the friars, nor in the Testament, and it has taken the Franciscan Family 750 years to rediscover this quality in our founder and to accept it as a constitutive part of our own charism. Some Franciscans (and they are found in all branches of the family) would argue that the concern with environment, as also with Justice and Peace, is a recent invention and not relevant to their vocation, but this is hardly legitimate. The charism of founders often has a dynamic quality which makes it develop as it is lived. In this respect it is like Christianity itself. Christians only gradually discover the full impact of the Christian message. Sometimes we forget aspects of it, and sometimes we rediscover forgotten ones. In our own Church, the Second Vatican Council was a large-scale rediscovery of the fundamental Christian message, but there is no doubt that future generations will discover more.
Ecology and Ecumenism
Another discovery was made at the European Assembly at Basle in 1989. The Conference of European Churches and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences discovered a unity in their shared concern for Justice, Peace and the Safeguarding of Creation and in their acceptance of a Christian responsibility in this area.
The Council of Basle was a very important event in other ways too. It was the first time since the schism with the Eastern Church in 1054 that the Roman Catholic Church took part in a conference of this nature with other Christian churches on an equal footing. The Catholic Church was represented by Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, President of the European Bishops' Conference. The meeting at Basle led up to the ecumenical council in Seoul (Korea) in March 1990 with the same agenda: Justice, Peace and the Safeguarding of Nature.
It is quite clear, as these meetings suggest, that the process of creating justice, peace and a responsible attitude towards the environment on a global level involves ecumenical efforts. Ecumenism among Christian churches in fact is an important symbol of the peace which we hope to create in all spheres of life.
Expectations
Returning to the most recent member of the trilogy of
challenges, ecology, we are still waiting for our theologians
and the Magisterium to develop a comprehensive theology of
ecology. Beginnings have been made, and it is quite clear that
the safeguarding of nature as a Christian duty is here to
stay.
It is also clear that many are looking to Franciscans for
inspiration and initiatives in this field as well as in the
field of justice and peace. In his book Francis. Prophet
of Peace and of Ecology ( Francisco de Asís.
Profeta da Paz e da Ecologia, Petrópolis, Brazil,
1991), the Portuguese friar Manuel Carreira Das Neves has
followed the development of the Franciscans' rediscovery of
these aspects of Francis' charism, and he quotes a number of
politicians and Church leaders who not only see St Francis as
an inspiration for themselves, but who voice their
expectations that Franciscans will take up the challenge of
justice, peace and ecology as their particular concern. Three
popes (John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II) have expressed
similar expectations both in word and action, and by joining
the United Nations as an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)
in 1989, the Franciscan Family has shown that we are prepared
to take up these issues in a public forum.
Scriptural Basis
If a comprehensive theology of ecology is still waiting to see the light of day, the elements for such a theology are clearly present in Scripture. The cosmic dimension of salvation (as expressed in Col. 1:13-20 or Eph. l:10) is emphasized again and again by post-conciliar theologians, and it is basic to the argumentation in the conciliar Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, where we read that it is "-God's plan... in Christ to take the whole world up again and make of it a new creation.-" (Aa. 5). The damaged state of the environment is a sign of the times; and forming people in the faith involves forming them to a responsible attitude towards the signs of the times.
A Secularized Future?
The Spanish friar José Antonio Nerino in his book Franciscan Manifesto for a Better Future ( Manifiesto franciscano para un futuro mejor, Madrid, 1985) discusses the process of secularization and comments that even the future of man has become secularized to the point where it no longer depends on God but on the action of man. Manuel Carreira Das Neves expresses the same thought but more negatively when he says that for the first time in the history of the world mankind wields the power to totally destroy human life and the life of all other creatures (Italian edn., p. 123).
Though the future thus looks black enough Christians are people of hope. The Swiss Capuchin Walbert Bühlmann, an inspiring and prolific writer, earlier this year published a book entitled Ten Commandments for the Future of the World ( Zehn Gebote für die Zukunft der Welt ", Mainz, 1993). Inspired by the biblical commandments Bühlmann proposes a new Decalogue which, unlike the Old Testament Decalogue, is concerned not so much with the private religious life of the individual, but with a conversion to working with God on universal salvation.
The 9th commandment in Bühlmann's Decalogue deals with ecology and eschatology and reads thus: "- Thou shalt develop the earth towards Paradise-".
The promises of Jahwe to his people, and thus to the whole of mankind, says Bühlmann, are not aimed at a useless nostalgia to return to the lost paradise, but at the realization of the paradise which is to come, the messianic time with peace, prosperity, healthy old age, a good harvest, harmony in creation so that "-the calf and the lion cub feed together... the infant plays over the cobra's hole-" (Is. 11:6-8). Present day theologians tend to talk about paradise as something which can be anticipated now -- in fulfillment of our present hopes.
Yet the crass materialism which followed World War II both in the East and in the West (and which is also taking a firm hold on the South) has caused a deterioration of the environment which is bringing mankind close to disaster:
-- First came the death of the fish.
-- Then the death of the water.
-- Then the death of the trees.
-- Then the death of the earth.
-- Finally the death of the people.
There are already people, the so-called "-post-futurologists-", who have started to speculate on how life can return to the earth when mankind has died out.
We know the signs -- the "-Sahara-effect-", high levels of pollution, the greenhouse effect, the hole in the ozone layer and so on -- we meet them in the daily newspaper and other media. We know of the dangers, and our politicians know of them, and yet very little happens. It is as if politicians in general do not take the dangers very seriously, nor do the people whom they govern.
If politicians and the big business magnates are not prepared to act in a responsible and consistent way confronting these problems, the Church has a duty to speak out. The subject of ecology should be taken up in the Church -- in its liturgy, in catechesis, in preaching. As Bühlmann concludes, we should work towards a conversion to the attitude that only that which is ecologically right is economically right.
The Global Village
Ecologically speaking the world has become one. We live in what is now frequently referred to as "-a global village-". Ecological exploitation damages not only the immediate environment but frequently upsets the ecological balance in the rest of the world. Thus the safeguarding of nature involves collaboration and complete solidarity across frontiers. It involves also the Franciscan sense of a universal brotherhood.
It is important to remember that "-ecological sin-" is as universal as any other kind of sin. Individuals and communities, developed and developing countries are equally guilty, and as a rule materialism is the determining factor in the abuse. When for example developed countries pay developing countries to house their nuclear waste there are two sinners involved. It is true that developed countries exploit the environment out of greed, developing countries mostly out of need. Nevertheless, it is also true that developing countries are busy making the same mistakes which the developed countries have made over the centuries -- and with the same motivation: materialism. If Western Europe and North America export negative aspects of their civilization to the so-called Third World or now to Eastern Europe, this export could not take place if there were nobody prepared to import.
A Contrasting Message
Secular Franciscans in any country, rich and poor, have a contrasting message to bring. We should be present in the world as a "-contrast community-" or an "-evangelizing vanguard-" as the Interfranciscan Formation Program "- Build With Living Stones -" calls us.
In his own time Francis struck his contemporaries as new . He was a "-new evangelist-" (1 Cel. 99), a "-new light"- (1 Cel. 36), a "-new man-" (3 Cel. l), a pioneer, someone who dared tread new paths for the good of the Church and the world. Hence, as long as we consider ourselves sons and daughters of St Francis and seek in him our inspiration for following the Gospel, we are obliged to activate that power of renewal which is the most precious part of his charism.
There was in St Francis' way of thinking a kind of universalism, both geographic and historical which made him a model for all time. In his Regula Non-Bollata he addresses himself not only to the friars, but to "-the whole world,... all priests... clerics... religious, all who serve the Lord, all children big and small... all men and women... all people, tribes, families and languages, all nations and all men everywhere, present and to come-" (RnB 23). Francis had an eye for all men at all times, and it is up to us as Franciscans to recreate this universalism in the context of today. This is a prophetic interpretation of Francis that goes far beyond an imitation of his virtues.
In his own time Francis chose to swim against the stream, in the world and in the Church; he did this in quiet but consistent action in the interest of creating a true universal brotherhood. And though Francis was hardly conscious of this in his time, concern for the environment at the local as well as the global level is an aspect of universal brotherhood.
In the last few years we have been witnessing a growing nationalism and a growing racism in many parts of the world. And yet, as Walbert Bühlmann points out in another of his important works. ( Welt Kirche. Neue Dimensionen - Modell für das Jahr 2001, Graz, Wien, Köln, 1984; Eng.: World Church, New Dimensions, Model for the year 2001 ), globally we are facing a situation of absolute interdependence which the world has not known before. We find ourselves at the beginning of the history of planetary mankind, and our problem is that we have no experience in global thinking. Hence, as Bühlmann says, we need models, animators, men or women who understand how to integrate the whole of mankind. St. Francis is one such model. Other continents have produced their pioneers in global thinking, for example Gandhi in Asia, Albert Luthuli in Africa, Martin Luther King in North Anerica, Archbishop Romero in Latin America. Francis' universal way of thinking has made him a model for the unity of mankind.
As members of the Franciscan Family we do not have a monopoly on St Francis; he belongs to the Church and to all people. It is therefore important that we, his "-official-" followers, continually measure ourselves against St Francis and never tire of activating that power of renewal that is part of his basic charism. If we do not do this, says Bühlmann, there is a danger that St Francis will return and witness against us. Franciscan people are all those who act in a Franciscan way.
As Franciscans we have, however, an advantage which we are obliged to use. Franciscans enjoy a great deal of popularity in the world today, a popularity which we can use to foster the values which we embrace -- also at official levels such as the United Nations. United Nations officials have repeatedly told our NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) at the UN that our presence there is important, and that it is important to the public arena round the world. People will listen to Franciscans, so we have a particular duty to speak out.
Conscientization
We cannot expect all Secular Franciscans to have an insight into the often complex ecological problems which beset the world, but we have a duty to find out what we can and to help conscientize people in general to ecological issues.
If solutions to the ecological problems are to be found, consciousness of environmental issues must become a matter of course for populations in all parts of the world. It is not difficult at the personal or local level to identify areas of action to improve the environment: save on water, save on petrol, save on plastic, use re-cycled paper, don't waste -- but though these local initiatives are important (and they are important, both because of their concrete results and for their symbolic value; you cannot argue for ecological concern if you do not show it in your own life) -- they are by no means enough to stop the escalating destruction of the environment. To save the world now, ecologically speaking, decisions must be taken by politicians at national and international levels. And this is where our secular vocation comes into play.
We can observe how politicians, even if they do take concern for the environment very seriously, often face an acute dilemma. Effective measures against ecological ills are frequently so costly that they can only be carried through with the help of economic sacrifices on the part of the population. And here resistance begins. Politicians face the risk of losing votes from that large part of the electorate who measure political success by economic growth. Hence their decisions will be governed by the desire for political survival as much as by environmental exigencies.
But Secular Franciscans belong to their electorate, and they must spread the understanding that there is no way of saving the environment except through economic sacrifice. By helping to conscientize people to this fact we are in fact helping our politicians to make the right decisions. Politicians cannot make decisions if they are not backed up by the people.
Decisions that involve sacrifice on the part of the electorate are not popular, but politicians have had to make unpopular decisions before. We can think for example of how the evils of the industrial revolution (like child labor) were tackled by people who were brave enough to speak out; people who spoke with conviction and inspiration, and who were heard because people's minds were educated to accept the message.
As Secular Franciscans then we must educate people's minds to help our politicians tackle the evils of ecological near-disaster.