Being heroes: Filipino Catholics care for creation

Few dioceses in the world can match the environmental enthusiasm, commitment, and action of the Archdiocese of Manila. Ecological activism is present from His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, to bishops, clergy, religious, and a great many lay faithful.

Take, for instance, the upcoming “Season of Creation.”

The Season formally begins on September 1st with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Tagle, followed by a series of witnesses on the impacts of damaged ecosystems, a legislative update, and a host of other entertainment and educational activities, all wrapping up just after noon with the praying of the Angelus, led by His Excellency Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista.

Other events in September will include an essay writing contest, a coordinated day of shoreline cleanups to coincide with international efforts, and (following Mass) a walk to call attention to climate change, again to coordinate with similar marches around the world.

In all, for four consecutive Sundays—and the weeks in between—the archdiocese and local parishes will be calling attention to creation and humanity’s relationship with it. Various worldly and liturgical events will call upon the grace of God and will challenge the faithful—a challenge that begins with the event’s theme: Be Heroes! Care, Protect, and Cherish God's Creation!

Throughout 2014 the archdiocese has already sponsored youth trainings on issues as varied (but connected) as creation spirituality and natural disaster risk reduction. And the third Sunday of every month has been dubbed “Ecology Sunday” to encourage parishes and ecclesial groups to reduce waste and to call attention to efforts to protect Manila Bay. These are just a few of the eco-events that already did or will soon take place

In an email to me last week, Ms. Lou Valencia Arsenio, the coordinator for the archdiocese’s Ministry on Ecology, humbly referred to all this as the archdiocese’s “little efforts.”

Call them what you will, but these “little efforts” are a challenge to us all.

I am not surprised by this activity. I’ve seen such eco-concerns from the Philippines from the earliest days of Catholic Ecology’s social media presence, when a great many of those who “Liked” its Facebook page were from the Philippines. Today, Filipinos (especially from Manila and Cebu City) are the top-ranking fans of Catholic Ecology by more than twice those in the United States. And Bill Jacobs at the St. Kateri Conservation Center notes that the Philippines is the home of many of their fans, too.

So what fuels such desire to protect creation? I suggest four answers.

First: The Philippines is stunningly beautiful. Its natural habitats—on land, at sea, and in the many ways the two mingle—have for thousands of years been the cultural and spiritual source who the Filipino people are today.

Second: With Western commercial influences, the Philippines is threatened by increasing development, which, of course, comes at a price. Recent decades have seen a rapid spread of urban areas and increased deforestation of the nation’s lush rural areas.

Third: Natural disasters like Typhoon Haiyan have certainly made people aware of what can happen when changes to the climate fuel stronger storms.

Fourth: The response of the Church has been definitive. In addition to participating in liturgical celebrations, Cardinale Tagle and the Filipino bishops aren’t afraid to speak out on particular worldly matters that relate directly to the good of the created order. They have, for instance, stepped into a controversial mega-development that will fill in large sections of Manila Bay. In November of last year, Cardinal Tagle and the bishops wrote a lengthy letter of concern to the nation’s president about the proposal. In part, the letter said

The scientific, legal and moral basis of our opposition for the reclamation of Manila Bay echoes God’s message. The Scriptures tell us in the Book of Genesis that after creating the heavens, the earth, the sea, and man and woman, “God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen 1:31). Manila Bay is God’s creation and is God’s gift to the Filipino people. Blessed John Paul II constantly reminded us of this during. In a message for World Day of Peace titled, “Peace with God the Creator, Peace with All of Creation,” he warned us that “we cannot interfere in one area of the ecosystem without paying due attention both to the consequences of such interference in other areas and to the well-being of future generations.” Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI elaborated on this in his own 2010 World Day of Peace message, “If you want to cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.”

Clearly, the Filipino Church is providing much inspiration for those who seek to become nature-protecting heroes. And for those Filipinos who may not yet be on board with protecting creation … well, the archdiocese has a few events coming up that may get their attention.

Indeed, chances are you will be finding many more posts here about the inspired, dedicated eco-efforts of our brothers and sisters in the Philippines.

In fact, given the Papal visit to the Philippines in January, and given that we have been told that the pontiff's planed eco-encyclical may be issued in early 2015, might his visit to the Philippines be the perfect opportunity to issue the encyclical? What better place to do so than in a local church with a proven track record for not just speaking about ecological protection, but working to bring it about?

Well, we'll have to see about that.

For now, if you live in the Philippines and are engaged in environmental protection, please send news directly to me or in the comment section below. By sharing your news, Catholics everywhere can learn from the excellent work by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Philippines and by the a great many dedicated Filipino people.

May God bless you all.

Photo of Manila Cathedral: Flicker/Ben