The Earth is Only “On-Loan” to Us
When the news broke that I had been appointed Bishop of Shreveport, I had a very nice conversation with my predecessor, Bishop Duca, about my new home, and some of my new responsibilities as bishop. He could not say enough wonderful things about his former home here among you, but he did say, “you’ll be doing a lot of driving!” I really don’t mind driving, and have discovered the beauty of our diocese, and while there is a lot of territory to cover, there’s a lot of beauty.
Nevertheless, it didn’t take long to notice that Louisiana has its fair share of people who do not appreciate the natural beauty of the state. One of the things I have noticed is the significant amount of littering along the highways, and the workers (probably from our penal system) who walk along the highways and “bag” the trash to be picked up. On one trip, I tried to count the number of bags of trash, but it became too much of a distraction.
Now why would your bishop pen his Catholic Connection on a topic like littering?
My guess is that even the Holy Father is worried about how we treat the environment in which we live, so much so that he has asked us to take care of the world around us, respect it, make a personal decision not to litter, be mindful that this world and its environment is only “on loan” to us: to enjoy its beauty, and to protect our natural resources for others to enjoy as well.
Such attentiveness gives way to a good and positive lifestyle where topics like recycling are welcomed, where concern for the thoughtless pollution in our environs moves us to advocate for cleaner air, water, woods, valleys, and the paths we walk.
Some might think that sustaining the environment as a topic for diocesan-wide discussion is not as important as topics that appear to be exclusively theological. But, I suggest that taking care of the world that the Lord has given to us requires that we see ourselves as stewards of the goods He has entrusted to us. I know He would want us to love what He has created.