Pope Francis said Monday that protecting the environment comes with being a Christian.
The Religion News Service reports that Francis made the comments during a homily Monday morning in a chapel at his Vatican residence.
"A Christian who does not protect creation, who does not let it grow, is a Christian who does not care about the work of God; that work that was born from the love of God for us," Francis said. "And this is the first response to the first creation: protect creation, make it grow."
The Pope, who took the name Francis after the patron saint of the environment, St. Francis of Assisi, has advocated for protecting the environment since he was elected into his position in 2013.
"In the 'first creation,' we must respond with the responsibility that the Lord gives us," Francis said Monday. "Even for us there is a responsibility to nurture the Earth, to nurture creation, to keep it and make it grow according to its laws. We are the lords of creation, not its masters."
The Pope, according to the Religion News Service report, is working on a document about the environment. It will reportedly be completed by the summer ahead of
his visit to the United States in September.
The Pope will also
address a joint session of Congress when he visits the U.S., a trip that will take him to Washington, New York, and Philadelphia.
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