Tagle urges faithful to save environment

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Tuesday called on the faithful to change their lifestyle and help save the environment, which is threatened by climate change.

During a mass held at the Manila Cathedral for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Tagle said there is a need to educate the public on how they could help take care of the environment.

“A change in lifestyle and spending habits such as turning off the lights when not in use can help preserve the Earth,” Tagle said.

He asked the people to remain connected with God and the Earth by acknowledging that human beings are mere stewards of creation.

“Let us recover a sense of caring. Pope Francis challenges us not to be ashamed to be tender, to be caring,” Tagle said.

“Let us ask pardon for harming God’s beautiful creations and for committing ecological sins,” he added.

Archdiocese of Manila-Ministry on Ecology coordinator Lou Arsenio, who is also co-founder of Global Catholic Climate Movement, said there is an ongoing signature campaign to compel global leaders to come up with a treaty that they would not allow global temperatures to increase beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Arsenio said the Philippines is targeting to raise 10 million signatures for the campaign.

The signatures will be submitted to the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to be held in Paris in December.