Vatican City, Sep 1, 2016 / 13:32 pm
As the Catholic and Orthodox worlds unite to celebrate a day of prayer for the care of creation, the Vatican's social justice head is offering a reminder that the human person must be at the center of efforts to better the environment.
"It's very simple: the core of development is the human person. And that's why Pope Benedict referred to development as a vocation. It's a vocation that we people have and that basically is a spiritual reference," Cardinal Turkson told CNA Sept. 1.
"It's so important that we get a very clear perspective about what we're doing, about the dignity of people, about their own relationship and dignity, (and) relation with God," he said.
The cardinal stressed that it's especially important to remember that "in rendering service in any country to anybody, we seek to improve upon the image of God that already exists in the person."