Listen to the cry of the Earth, stop destruction says pope

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 31 - Pope Francis said at his general audience Wednesday ahead of the Catholic Church's month-long Time For Creation that people around the world must heed the cry of the Earth and avoid the destruction of the planet amid the human-caused climate crisis.
    "Tomorrow we will celebrate The World Day of Prayer for Creation. It is the start of the Time for Creation which will conclude on October 4, the feast day of St Francis of Assisi," Francis told the faithful in the Vatican.
    "May this year's theme, 'Listen to the voice of creation', favour in everyone a concrete commitment to take care of our common home.
    "In the throes of our consumer excesses," the pontiff added, "our sister Mother Earth weeps and implores us to stop our abuse and its destruction".
    In other remarks, Francis voiced the hope that Thursday's anniversary of the start of the Second World War would lead people to cultivate peace, and the hope that life would be reborn in the Italian quake-hit villages of Amatrice and Arquata. (ANSA).