Among the many initiatives taking place in occasion of "A Time for Creation", that liturgical period at the start of Autumn dedicated to prayer for the protection of creation and the promotion of sustainable life styles, an ecumenical gathering was held in the suggestive confines of Villa Pignatelli in Naples with the title: "New sobriety for inhabiting the earth".

At the meeting, promoted by the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), Laura Casorio of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy stressed the role of the churches as social catalysts in making people aware, an effort that has been going on for some years now. "In the attempt to go beyond mere suggestions on how to live with sobriety, this effort of awareness consists also in knowing the consequences of our actions, which are not always so obvious, that condition our society, such as in the face of immigration and for environmental disasters". Among the other speakers were Mons. Vincenzo Paglia, bishop of Terni-Narni-Amelia and President of the Commission for Ecumenism and Dialogue of the CEI and Archbishop Gennadios Zervos, Orthodox Metropolita of Italy. All agreed that in the face of climatic problems the churches are called to responsibility. Zervos told of how the care of the environment is a commandment for Christians, and that sobriety means also sobriety in humility, warning that we are administrators and not bosses of the earth. Paglia reiterated the necessity of avoiding consumerism and that we consume from within and without, that we are dealing with a spiritual problem as well.

From press service NEV - Notizie evangeliche, 30 September 2008