Pope sends videomessage to symposium on "Laudato si"

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a video message to an International Symposium on his ecological encyclical "Laudato si”, entitled, “The care of the common home, a necessary conversion to human ecology."

The event which is taking place this week in Costa Rica has been organized by the Catholic University of Costa Rica in collaboration with the Ratzinger Foundation.

In the videomessage, the Pope notes that, “the problems of the destruction of the natural environment are increasingly serious and the consequences on the lives of people are dramatic.”

He goes on to say that to deal with them, “we need to have a broad view of the causes, the nature of the crisis and its various aspects.

The Holy Father stresses that this world problem cannot be denied, adding that “without a true conversion of our attitudes and our daily behaviours, technical solutions will not save our common home.”

Quoting from his predecessor Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Pope says, a "human ecology" is needed, which puts the integral development of the human person at the centre and calls on them to take responsibility for the common good, and for the respect and good administration of the creatures that God has entrusted to us.”

In the message, Pope Francis also expresses the hope that that Symposium will give a strong impetus to the collaboration of Catholic Universities - particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean - for the study of problems, and possible solutions; “and also to suggest concrete proposals, in order to inspire a greater responsibility in the care of our common home, not only in individual persons but also in political, social, ecclesial communities and in families.”

The International Symposium on “Laudato Si” takes place from the 29th of November to the 1st December.