Saving our blessed earth is up to us

by Letters Editor · December 4, 2014

From Jill Hopwood, Port Elizabeth

I write as an 85-year-old grandmother, one who always has been and always will be a passionate lover of God�s beautiful earth.

“…one day we may hopefully be able to stand before God and say: ‘Lord, I did try’.” (Graphic: The Southern Cross)

I am shocked to my roots to read in Fr Chris Chatteris� critique of Naomi Klein�s book This Changes Everything (November 5) that we have not 100 years but maybe only 40 in which to completely turn around our greedy, selfish, earth-destroying lifestyles, if we want there to be an earth for our descendants.

This surely is a wake-up call for every single one of us, and that includes the Church.

Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, especially, and now Francis have all spoken clearly about the serious need to address this problem.

But what has happened?� Many people comment, �Interesting, isn�t it?� or �You can�t believe all you read in the press�. So we surely need God to give us his grace to be honest and to have the courage to know that the 11th hour is upon us.

The Southern African Catholic Bishops� Conference pronounced on this issue some years ago, publishing a booklet to help. To my shame, I must admit to knowing this and having done little about it.

Things are now much worse and climate change has become exponential in its rise.

I am convinced that if we want to save the world, it is you and I who will have to do it. Certainly Big Business with its vested interests and weak world governments will try to stop us interfering with their pots of gold.

So how can the Church help us in all of this?� I believe it is imperative that the clergy focus much, much more on this now vital issue. They do, after all, have us as a captive audience every week! We will need constant urging and prodding.� We are, as you surely know, weak, forgetful and selfish, not to mention stressed out by life in the fast lane.

This has been described as a �Kairos moment�. I do believe it is.� The time for words is over. We need now to do something to stop world governments in their tracks before it is too late. And this will mean a worldwide protest now, before the imminent climate talks.

So let us add our voices, use our feet if necessary and march, or easier yet, our clicks and join those who have been trying to wake us up.

So with fervent prayers and our beloved worldwide Church behind us, we really could make a difference, so that one day we may hopefully be able to stand before God and say: �Lord, I did try�.