Pope Francis Explains Why Caring For The Earth Will Liberate Us All

The pontiff urged people to care for "our common home."

Pope Francis's take on climate change is clear: When the earth suffers, we all suffer. When the earth thrives, we all thrive.

On Friday, the pontiff released a powerful video decrying the degradation of the planet. Environmental decline, he said, is critically linked to global poverty, and we are all implicated in the habits that speed climate change.

"We need a change that unites us all, free from the slavery of consumerism," Francis said in the video.

In June 2015, the pontiff published a landmark encyclical, or papal letter, on climate change, in which he said that human activity and the production of greenhouse gases are largely to blame.

In Friday's video, Francis urged viewers to care for "our common home" for the sake of future generations.

Friday's message is the second in a monthly video series of prayer intentions the pontiff is releasing throughout the year. The full list of Francis's prayer intentions for 2016 can be found on the Apostleship of Prayer's website.

Also on HuffPost:

Pope On Climate Change

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot