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1.2. The Unfolding of the Creation Protection Approach in the Social Teaching of the Church instruments to God, which can be used to the extent that they lead to the attainment of this ultimate end (i.e. God — ed.)." Pope John XXIII put it this way in his encyclical Pacem in ferris.§ The common good must include all that is due to each nation individually." One interpretation of the idea of the common good now appears as a common heritage (authentically: common heritage or common concern of humanity). In his encyclical Gaudium et spes, Pope Paul VI wrote that man must therefore regard his rightfully possessed wealth as not only his own, but also common, in the sense that he may benefit not only himself but also others.”° The process of the Catholic Church’ turning towards ecological problems, which began in the sixties, cu/minates in the Pope Paul VT’s message to the UN Conference in Stockholm in 1972, which firmly takes a stand for the goodness of creation as a whole, our responsibility towards our natural environment and future generations, and the idea of solidarity.”’ He pointed out that never before was there such a need to appeal to the moral consciousness of man as it is today, in this age so strongly defined by human development. For the danger does not arise from development, nor from science: on the contrary, if they are used well, they can solve many of the problems threatening humanity. The real danger lies in man, who has ever more powerful tools, such as those capable of destruction, but also of the noblest achievements. The modern concept of development itself is questioned only in Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Redemptor hominis.” The question of development, its impact on the natural environment and its compatibility with the goals of Christian human life are also dealt with in the encyclicals Laborem exercens 3 Sollicitudo rei socialis”*. 17 Ibid. 18 Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris (encyclical, 11 April 1963), Acta Apostolicae Sedis 55 (1963): 257-304, https://www.vatican.va/content/john-xxiii/hu/encyclicals/documents/hf_j-xxiii_ enc_11041963_pacem.html. Y Tbid., paras. 55-56. 2° Gaudium et Spes: Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (7 December 1965), para. 60, https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vatii_const_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html. A Pope Paul VI, Visit of His Holiness Pope Paul VI to the United Nations: Address to the United Nations Organization (4 October 1965), https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/ speeches/1965/documents/hf_p-vi_spe_19651004_united-nations.html. 2 Pope John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis (encyclical, 4 March 1979), Acta Apostolicae Sedis 71 (1979): 257-324, https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/ hf_jp-ii_enc_04031979_redemptor-hominis.html. 3 Pope John Paul II, Laborem Exercens (encyclical, 14 September 1981), Acta Apostolicae Sedis 73, no. 9 (1981): 577-647, https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/ documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_14091981_laborem-exercens.html. 4 Pope John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (encyclical, 30 December 1987), Acta Apostolicae Sedis 80 (1988): 513-86, https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/ documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_30121987_sollicitudo-rei-socialis.html. 17
