Friday, October 07, 2005

Christian Vegetarians Unite!!

Not long ago my brother "informed" me that Catholics don't pray for animals. HUH?? was my reply. On what planet? Saints like Francis of Assisi and Martin de Porres viewed animals as our brothers and sisters in Christ. Created by the Divine, just as we were. Sadly, it's pretty common to find Christians out there who are deeply in need of formation.

Here's a lovely article from Go Veg about Pope John Paul II,

http://www.goveg.com/f-popejohnpaulii.asp

Pope John Paul II Taught Love for Animals

As Catholics around the world mourn the passing of His Holiness John Paul II, non-Catholic animal lovers remember his dream about animals.

Pope John Paul II taught love for animals more than any other pope in recent memory.

In 1990, His Holiness proclaimed that "the animals possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren." He went on to say that all animals are "fruit of the creative action of the Holy Spirit and merit respect" and that they are "as near to God as men are." Animal lovers everywhere were overjoyed!

The Holy Father reminded people that all living beings, including animals, came into being because of the "breath" of God. Animals possess the divine spark of life--the living quality that is the soul--and they are not inferior beings, as factory farmers, fur farmers, and others who exploit animals for profit would have us believe.

After he became Pope John Paul II, His Holiness went to Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, and spoke of the saint's love for animals. He declared, "We, too, are called to a similar attitude."

PETA is grateful that His Holiness spoke out so beautifully for animals and their souls, and we hope that his successor will also speak out for them with the same love and compassion. Catholics can honor his teachings by incorporating compassion for animals more fully into their own lives.


Holy Scripture tells us that God created the world to be vegetarian.

Genesis, Chapter 1 Verse 29-30, from the Jerusalem Bible - the official bible of the Holy See

God also said, "Look, to you I give all the seed-bearing plants everywhere on the surface of the earth, and all the trees with seed-bearing fruit; this will be your food. And to all the wild animals, all the birds of heaven and all the living creatures that creep along the ground, I give all the foliage of the plants as their food." And so it was.


Most modern translations have "interpreted" this text for us rather than leaving us to gleen our own understanding. They would have us believe that plant and animal was intended for our food. In truth we only began this struggle between man and beast after man's fall from grace. We are intended tol return to this happy vegetarian existance.

Isaiah, Chapter 11, Verse 6

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fattened calf together and a little child shall lead them.

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