In a message to the Academy for Life: Pope Francis warns that there is a “planetary crisis”

In a message to the Pontifical Academy for Life, Pope Francis addressed what he called a “planetary crisis” that is negatively affecting the world in multiple ways.

“The term ‘polysis’ evokes the dramatic nature of the historical situation that we are currently witnessing, in which wars, climate changes, energy problems, epidemics, the migratory phenomenon and technological innovation converge,” said the Pope in his message, dated February 26 from the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

“The intertwining of these critical issues, which currently touch several dimensions of life, leads us to ask ourselves about the destiny of the world and our understanding of it,” he added.

Today and tomorrow the Vatican Academy is holding a meeting of scientists, theologians and historians at the Augustinianum Conference Center, near the Vatican, on the subject “The end of the world? Crisis, responsibilities, hopes. ”

Academics from all scientific and theological fields, including Nobel Prizes, planetologists, physical, biologists, paleoanthropologists, theologians and historians, attend the plenary meeting.

In the presentation of the conference to the press, the president of the Academy, the archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, said March 3 that “we feel the urgency of saving the common human being.”

“The border we have before us is a planetary border” that affects all people, the prelate said. Therefore, he pointed out that with this event they want to “design a future of hope for all without leaving anyone behind.”

“It is obvious that we cannot be indifferent,” he said.

In his message, Pope Francis said that the first step in the face of the world’s “polyrisis” is to examine “with more attention our representation of the world and the cosmos.”

“If we do not do this, and we do not seriously analyze our deep resistance to change, as well as people and society we will continue doing what we have always done with other crises,” including the Covid-19 pandemic, which was “wasted” as an opportunity to transform consciences and social practices, he said.

The Pope also warned that “supporting utilitarian deregulation and global neoliberalism means imposing the law of the strongest as the only rule; And it is a law that dehumanizes. ”

Likewise, he regretted the “progressive irrelevance of international organizations, which are also undermined by myopic attitudes, concerned with the protection of particular and national interests.”

He said that people of good will must continue to be committed to more effective world organizations so that “a multilateralism is promoted that does not depend on changing political circumstances or the interests of a few.”

The pontiff said that hope is of fundamental importance. “It is not to wait with resignation, but to tend with zeal towards true life, which goes far beyond the narrow individual perimeter,” he said.

Hope, said Francisco, citing the encyclical Spe Salvi of Pope Benedict XVI, “is linked to a union lived with a ‘people’, and for each individual can only be achieved within this ‘we’.”

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.