Asian Catholic bishops gather for the celebration of Mass in the cathedral in Ayuthaya, Thailand, during the final week of the general conference of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences on October 27, 2022. (Photo by Joe Torres)
By Jose Torres Jr., Thailand
Oct 31 2022
A faith-based group in the Philippines called on Asian Catholic bishops who are currently meeting in Thailand to immediately declare a “climate emergency.”
“We want our bishops to call on the faithful to wake up from their deep slumber,” said Yolanda Esguerra, national coordinator of the Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc (PMPI), in a statement sent to LiCAS News.
She called on the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) to encourage people to “get out from the comforts of their home,” and challenge world leaders to act in behalf of mother earth.
Esguerra said global warming means “fire engulfing our home, our planet,” adding that scientists have warned that the world has only an eight-year window “to manage a catastrophic impact.”
“Thus, the whole church structure and all the faithful should be enjoined to act like our house is burning and on fire,” she said, adding that every second matters “if we want to save mother earth and humanity.”
Since the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si On the Care of our Common Home,” the FABC has held regional seminars to “raise awareness of both the scientific and moral reasons for protecting God’s Creation.”
Read full news in LiCAS.news
