Vatican Prefect’s Message to Indiana’s Bishops on the Release of Integral Ecology: A Sacramental Vision
Message from Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J.
Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
I am very happy to support the pastoral letter Integral Ecology: A Sacramental Vision of the Indiana Catholic Conference. This document offers a thoughtful contribution to the Church’s ongoing reflection on the relationship between integral human development and care for creation.
The pastoral letter grounds ecological considerations in the Eucharistic life of the Church, echoing Pope Francis in his milestone encyclical Laudato si’, “It is in the Eucharist that all that has been created finds its greatest exaltation. Grace, which tends to manifest itself tangibly, found unsurpassable expression when God himself became man and gave himself as food for his creatures” (236). The pastoral letter highlights this essential dimension of integral ecology: the interconnection between faith, the human community, and the natural environment. Its attention to the history, landscapes, and social realities of Indiana demonstrates a commendable effort to apply the Church’s teaching within a concrete local context.
The document also rightly recalls that social concerns—especially those affecting families, the poor, workers, vulnerable communities and victims of war—are inseparable from environmental issues. This integrated approach reflects the direction consistently encouraged by the Magisterium and contributes to a clearer understanding of the responsibilities entrusted to the faithful.
Local initiatives in parishes, monasteries, schools, and communities show that ecological awareness can lead to constructive and practical forms of engagement, rooted in the life of the Church. Furthermore, as Laudato si’ states, “faith convictions can offer Christians, and some other believers as well, ample motivation to care for nature and for the most vulnerable of their brothers and sisters” (64).
Let me wholeheartedly encourage the dioceses of Indiana to continue fostering reflection and action regarding integral ecology in an attentive and balanced manner, and oriented toward the greatest common good. May this pastoral letter assist the local Church throughout the United States in advancing a deeper sense of responsibility for our shared home and for the people who inhabit it.
With the blessing of Pope Leo XIV, yours in Christ
+ Cardinal Michael Czerny S.J., Prefect