Pope: 'Even the fleeting life of the least of beings is the object of God's love'

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis has urged participants at a conference on ecology to promote “a more profound appreciation for the gift of our common home.”

In a message in which he conveyed his “prayerful best wishes to all the participants”, the Pope asked them to “communicate to the world the beautiful truth that every creature is ‘the object of the Father’s tenderness, who gives it its place in the world”.

Rediscovering the Intrinsic Value of All Creatures

The conference, entitled “Radical Ecological Conversion after Laudato Sì” and aiming to “Rediscover the Intrinsic Value of All Creatures” is taking place on 7 and 8 March at the Gregorian Pontifical University.

It provides a forum for priests, religious, scientists and teachers to explore the implications for the Church and Society of the teaching of the papal encyclical “Laudato Sì” on the intrinsic worth of all creatures, and the need to re-order human society so as to respect them, and the natural order of the Creation.

“Even the fleeting life of the least of beings, the Pope continued in his message, is the object of God’s love, and in its few seconds of existence, He enfolds it with His affection”.

Calling for conversion and renewal during Lent

Francis also pointed out that this message is even more urgent during the season of Lent which highlights the importance of conversion in the renewal of Christian life, and this, he said, includes the responsible stewardship of creation

Ecumenical Patriarch

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was one of the many Church leaders present at the two-day event organized by the Embassies of Georgia, Germany and the Netherlands to the Holy See.

In his address to conference participants Bartholomew referred to intensified efforts to work alongside Pope Francis and to their joint message of the 1st of September last year in which they declared together that “our obligation to use the earth’s goods responsibly implies the recognition of and respect for all people and living creatures.”