by Philip Banchong Chaiyara*

The Catholic Church together with Caritas and the Commission of Justice and Peace organised the event for 15 November. According to Mgr Banchong Chaiyara, President of the Commission, protecting human rights means heeding Pope Francis’ appeal on climate and human relations. For him, Catholics can be “a force for change”.

Bangkok (AsiaNews) – On 15 November 15, the Catholic Church in Thailand along with Caritas Thailand and the Commission of Justice and Peace of the country will hold Human Rights Day.

Mgr Philip Banchong Chaiyara, bishop of Ubonrachthani, (eastern Thailand) and President of the Commission of Justice and Peace, sent a message for the occasion to all the Catholic faithful.

According to the prelate, only by heeding Pope Francis’ appeal to safeguard human ecology and the environment will man’s fundamental rights be preserved. Here is his message.

On Sunday 15th 2015, the Catholic Church in Thailand takes an opportunity in inviting every Christian to respond to Pope Francis’ appeal towards the increase of severe national phenomenon which effects the environment, the agriculture, the steady economy, and towards the way of life and well-being of the people, additionally it is a significant reason that severely worsens of poverty problem now.

As we are well aware of the past decades there is a rapid change of the nature and environment, the world climate change, the long and dry summer, thunderstorms, cyclone and typhoon, the degree of El Niño and La Niña phenomenon are coincided with the turbulent climate, all of which have affected to the career of agriculture, fishery, the product of which are not enough for consumption.  Aquatic animals and other living creatures along the coast which are quick to changes are risk of extinct.  The spread of new diseases and the diseases re-occurred in the world regions and in Thailand, such natural perils directly influence the lower class people of the society.

All of these are ecological crisis which closely linked up with what is called modern development.  This is the consequence from the moral relation that occurred when human being do not respect in the dignity of their fellow man.  Human do not take good care of God’s creatures in accordance with God’s will, the mission of which God has mandated to human since the Creation.  If human destroy the nature from their irresponsible behavior, the environment in the society has also been wounded.  Such dangers are severely threatening towards the right to live of the entire humanity, especially an access to necessary factor that is the fundamental right of humanity and it is also an important factor towards an authentic development of the humanity.

The Second Vatican Council stated that “God desires the world and the creatures in this world prepared for each and every human and the whole nation” because the world is the mutual legacy for everybody.  All that exits in the world are for the benefit of everyone, as our common home inherited from the abundant creatures which our ancestors has carried out their mission of “Taking care and Protecting”  (Gen 1:28;  2:15)  Therefore, the Catholic Church in Thailand under Commission of Justice and Peace has realized the responsibility of Thai Catholic which is part of the process of ‘a change of heart’, adjusting our own lives and restoring our ecological relation by respecting the moral and faith principles between human and human and human and environment in order to respond to the task of solving problem of climate change which is at present an urgent issue.

Thus with gratitude and responsibility, we should start living our life in every single day with simplicity, self-sufficiency, discipline, trying to correct the behavior of used and threw away or wasteful food which has strong influence in our everyday life. The habit of reducing, quitting, stopping the unnecessary things, reducing the garbage, respecting and taking care of nature, preserving the land for agriculture with a period of self-revival, reducing the use of chemical substance in order not to have any toxin left over in the river, using of alternative energy and do not damage the food chain of the living creatures.  We, Catholic, should practice those suggestions in our daily living filled with an instinct of sacrificing and thinking of others in order that everyone should have an access to the necessary factor happily and befitting of human dignity as ours. This is inseparably an ecological relation between human and nature.

To be one with the Universal Church who cares for the severe problem of climate change, I would like to call for every Catholic to start without delay.  With confidence that from a concrete practice within the social context whether in family, the  school, the working places, in all occupation and all community everyone is capable of becoming measurable forces towards the recovery of environment and climate.  This is an appropriate time for us to get closer to God by correcting and reviving our relation with gratitude and respect to the nature and environment, with our brothers and sisters and with the living God.

May Jesus pour his blessing upon you who build and uphold Justice and Peace.

* Bishop of Ubonrachthani and President of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace

• thailand
• human
• rights
• day
• climate
• environment