Rome's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development hosted a conference this week on “Mining for the Common Good," which was capped with an address by the Holy Father himself.
Attended by other Christian denominations as well as Catholic eco-groups and charities, the event was supported and included representatives of the mining industry from North America, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
Importantly, peoples impacted by mining projects were also in attendance.
As published on the Vatican website, Pope Francis's address was his usual vital blend of theology, previous papal teachings, and current events, bringing an important pastoral contribution to the life-and-death realities of the mining sector.
Dear brothers and sisters,
I extend my warm welcome to all of you and I thank Cardinal Turkson for his introduction. I thank you all for having come to the Vatican to engage in this dialogue on the theme of “Mining for the Common Good”.
In my Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, concerned about the worrying of the Planet, I underlined how important it is “to enter into dialogue with all people about our common home” (n. 3). We need a dialogue that responds effectively to the “cry of...