Pope Francis is PETA Asia’s Person of the Year

PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has chosen His Holiness Pope Francis as PETA Asia’s Person of the Year.

The first pope to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of all animals, Pope Francis has been known as a church leader who cares for animal welfare. He urged the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics and all citizens of the world to reject domination over God’s creation, treat animals with kindness, and respect the environment. In his 2015 treatise, Laudato Si’, the charismatic pope stressed the importance of treating animals with kindness, writing, “Every act of cruelty towards any creature is ‘contrary to human dignity’” and “We are not God. … [W]e must forcefully reject the notion that our being created in God’s image and given dominion over the earth justifies absolute domination over other creatures.”

The pope is also known for his environmental stewardship advocacy.

Other past Person of the Year awardees include actor Maggie Q, model Isabel Roces-Trebol, and Taiwanese singer Show Luo.

Source: petaasia.com