Reaction Paper – Franciscan Conservation versus Benedictine Stewardship

Franciscan Conservation implies an absolute identification with nature; that is a certain kinship in which nature, may it be the living or the inanimate, is treated as an equal to man. There is a respect that nature as a separate equal being should not be interfered with in its natural course. Benedictine stewardship, on the other hand, means not only providing protection to nature against human misbehaviour but also transforming the soil in response to human development while all the same maintaining beauty and grace. In the Benedictine sense, we are not a master but are in a spirit of stewardship. However, this stewardship entails the cultivation of soil, the promotion of labor through the combination of physical and intellectual work.

In essence, the two concepts must be taken into consideration in the conservation of nature. A proper appreciation together with physical and intellectual labor is an important factor in the preservation of nature. The practice of one concept alone may not effectively reach the end goal of both concepts. Appreciation without action cannot create any results while action without appreciation may create a different outcome. Thus, present day society must consider both the Franciscan Conservation and Benedictine Stewardship in the preservation of nature.