When Pope Francis arrives in the city of Lund on Monday, he will find Swedish Lutherans focused on much that concerns him, not least the need to cherish the planet. Working together for the future of God’s creation could help reconcile Catholics and Lutherans

The writer of these lines, whose message reflects a long life of ecumenical experience, is a simple man from the north of Sweden. He has no power, therefore he can say what he likes – as long as it hurts no one. He can speak of his dreams, knowing that he cannot realise them. But maybe someone is listening? Even a blind hen can find a grain of wheat.

This man began his life on a small farm with three cows, a horse and other, smaller animals. Later, he was given other fields to till. The final one was a diocese in the Church of Sweden, with 250 parishes, together with missions in many places of the worldwide Church, primarily through the World Council of Churches. He is now 86, and formal responsibilities rest on other shoulders. But the mission to care for God’s creation remains. Even as an old man, he stumbles along in our common spiritual desert, looking for the footprint of Christ that can lead us to the springs that can bring water to land gravely threatened by spiritual drought and pollution.