Pope Francis has called for environmental action to be added to the list of corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
In a message to mark the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Francis said: “May the works of mercy also include ‘care for our common home’” – a reference to the title of his 18 June environmental encyclical, Laudato Si’.
Quoting from the landmark apostolic exhortation, the Pope said: “As a spiritual work of mercy, care for our common home calls for a ‘grateful contemplation of God’s world’ which ‘allows us to discover in each thing a teaching which God wishes to hand on to us’”.
“As a corporal work of mercy, care for our common home requires “simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness” and “makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world”, he added.
The Pope announced the 1 September World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation last year as part of a series of actions to increase the profile of environmental issues within the Church.
Laudato Si’ was the first encyclical to focus directly on issues relating to the environment. In it Francis called for a radical upheaval to the models of “production and consumption” that lead to the abuse of natural resources and the degradation of the earth.
The corporal works of mercy include: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned and burying the dead.
The spiritual works of mercy include: admonishing the sinner, instructing the ignorant, counselling the doubtful, comforting the sorrowful, bearing wrongs patiently, forgiving all injuries and praying for the living and the dead.
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