Pope Francis has identified gluttony as potentially the gravest sin, emphasizing its detrimental impact on the environment. The Catholic leader acknowledged that while there is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying meals, humans have developed a tendency towards excessive indulgence when it comes to food.
Previously, the Pope has cautioned that our world is on the verge of collapse due to the rapidly accelerating climate change and the lack of action from global leaders. In October of last year, he specifically pointed out developed Western nations as the primary culprits responsible for this crisis.
During his weekly General Audience on Wednesday, the Pontiff argued that from a societal perspective, gluttony is “arguably the most perilous vice that is causing harm to the planet.” He condemned the “greediness with which we have been relentlessly exploiting the Earth’s resources for the past few centuries.”
According to Pope Francis, humans have increasingly adopted a predatory mindset towards food and resources, losing their sense of humanity and transforming into mere “consumers.”
A growing number of individuals are displaying an imbalanced relationship with food, leading to the development of eating disorders, as observed by the Pope. According to him, these disorders primarily stem from psychological and spiritual torment.
The Pope stated, “Food serves as an outward expression of an inner disposition: the inclination towards equilibrium or excess… It reflects the empathy of those who generously share their meals with the less fortunate, as well as the selfishness of those who hoard everything for themselves.”
In his Apostolic Exhortation released in October, the Catholic leader emphasized that the consequences of climate change, in the form of “extreme weather phenomena,” are becoming increasingly impossible to overlook.
Furthermore, he refuted the notion that developing nations bear the majority of responsibility for global warming. He highlighted that the per capita emissions in the United States are approximately twice as high as those in China and about seven times higher than the average of the poorest countries.
The Pope also expressed his disappointment with the lack of interest displayed by major economic powers in addressing this critical situation.
