Thousands of elephants are poached each year so that their tusks can be used to make religious art. Elephants -- who a century ago existed in the millions -- are now considered endangered.

The crisis remains unchanged a year after 46 countries pledged to control the illegal trade. Several tons of confiscated ivory has been burned already this year to discourage poaching.

By signing the CITES 1989 Treaty, the Vatican would be agreeing to a ban on the global trade of ivory. Such an action could yield an enormous response from Catholics around the world, and make a considerable difference. 

Under the Seventh Commandment in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 2418), it is stated: “It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly.”

Animals are apart of God's community, we cannot bring them to extinction!