The Vatican on Friday helped launch a campaign encouraging Catholic organisations, bishops’ conferences and religious communities to divest from the mining sector for the sake of human ecology – one of several initiatives marking the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical last year laudato si‘, which called for greater attention to environmental issues.
Sister Nina Krapic, MVZ, in her first press conference after being appointed Deputy Director of the Holy See Press Office by Pope Leo XIV, explained how institutions have responded to environmental crises by incorporating the teachings of Pope Francis.
“In response to the reality of the environmental crisis, nearly 40 faith-based organizations have come together to launch ‘The Environment’.”Forum for disinvestment in mining industry,” He said. “This initiative promotes ethical finance within the framework of integral ecology and Church documents on technology and responsible investment.”
Cardinal Fabio Baggio, Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, said the mining industry is essential to access essential minerals, but it has negatively impacted local communities.
“We know that minerals are essential to many aspects of contemporary life. However, we also know that too often their extraction has been done without listening to local communities. It is important to hear the voices of communities who directly experience challenges and conflicts caused by both legal and illegal mining,” he said.
Cardinal Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri of Guatemala described how he was personally affected by mining in his diocese of Huehuetenango.
He said, “A Canadian mining company came to buy the land after learning that it contained gold and silver. It promised to give jobs to our people, but soon the environmental damage began. Destruction of nature, indiscriminate use of water and use of cyanide.” “Was it legal? Yes. Did it promote the growth of these populations? No.”
Yolanda Flores, a Peruvian indigenous leader, passionately expressed the need for clergy, religious and faithful to accompany indigenous peoples.
“Our agriculture, and especially our waters, our rivers, our streams and our high-altitude wetlands, are burned and destroyed by mining,” he said. “Why do these things happen? We want our bishops, our parish priests not only to dedicate themselves to the sacraments but to be with us, to guide us, to walk together to forge new paths, new paths.”
