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Calling All Scholars!

The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic University of America, and CUA’s Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies are cosponsoring a scholars’ conference to explore the implications of recent papal teaching, particularly that of Pope Benedict XVI, on creation, solidarity and environmental justice.  Scholars across academic disciplines (especially from theology, religious studies, philosophy, and economics, as well as public health, history, biology and other sciences) are encouraged to submit proposals for papers addressing the implications of Pope Benedict XVI’s ecological vision, particularly for the Catholic Church in the United States.  Click here to view the Call for Papers,  Proposals are due March 15, 2012.

Climate Impacts Hitting Africans Hard

As scientists have been saying, Africa will be particularly hard-hit by climate change.  Their sober predictions are today being felt in the Horn of Africa.  U.S. Catholic reports that dramatically changing and unpredictable weather patterns create food stresses and climate change-induced drought is forcing farmers to abandon centuries-long practices defined by distinct agricultural seasons.  In light of these food challenges,  [t]he Ethiopian Catholic Church has convened regional meetings on climate change and has worked with its partners such as [Coalition member] Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Church’s Caritas network to initiate humanitarian projects focused on food security.  A recent Catholic News Service story helps personalize the struggles of many in Africa experiencing the impacts of climate change.

Catholic Groups Applaud Final Mercury Rule

Just before Christmas, members of the Coalition, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA)  and Franciscan Action Network (FAN), joined the National Association of Evangelicals and the Evangelical Environmental Network in applauding the Environmental Protection Agency’s final rule on reducing mercury and other toxic emissions from coal and oil burning power plants. They highlighted its importance in pro-life terms.  Health experts say it will dramatically reduce toxic exposure to pre-born children and prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks, and 130,000 childhood asthma attacks each year. A statement in support of the new rule came from Bishop Blaire (of Stockton and chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development) .

Pope Urges International Agreement on Climate Change

On Nov. 25, Pope Benedict XVI addressed delegates of 194 countries gathering in Durban, South Africa for the latest round of international climate change negotiations. He urged that they reach a strong global agreement to address the challenge of climate change: I hope that all members of the international community can agree on a responsible, credible and supportive response to this worrisome and complex phenomenon, keeping in mind the needs of the poorest populations and of future generations. Click here for the Catholic News Service (CNS) story.

Bishop Blaire Calls for Stewardship and Human Dignity

(Nov. 9, 2011) In a speech to an ecumenical gathering in Louisville, Kentucky, Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton, CA and chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, addressed the Christian vocation to cultivate and care for God’s good gift of Creation, by reducing our consumption and our carbon footprint in order to ease the effects of climate change on the world’s poorest people.  In doing so, Bishop Blaire identified how this commitment connects to Catholic concerns for human life and human dignity: People of faith bring a unique and important message: about the care of God’s creation, about those most vulnerable to environmental injustice.  Read Bishop Blaire’s entire statement here.  See coverage by Catholic News Service (scroll down to “People” story).

Educating Students about Catholic Social Teaching & Sustainability

(Oct. 13, 2011) The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change has launched significant resources for Catholic high school aged youth and for institutions of higher learning.  A six-session program Friending Planet Earth: Helping Youth Understand Solidarity & Sustainability in Light of Climate Change was produced in partnership with the Center for Ministry Development.  Schools that are engaged in projects making the connection between Catholic Social Teaching and sustainability may also apply for the St. Francis Care for Creation Award, offered in collaboration with the National Council of Catholic Women.  Catholic colleges and universities are invited to utilize Sustainability and Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration, to help them strengthen their commitments to  Catholic mission, to “cultivate and care for” (Genesis 2:15) God’s good gift of Creation, to link these efforts to impacts on poor people at home and abroad and to develop sustainable campus communities.

Feast of St. Francis: Opportunity for Action

On Tuesday, Oct. 4 the Catholic community celebrates everyone’s favorite Saint, Francis of Assisi.  St. Francis lived with the passion of Christ’s love.  He knew that human lives are interdependent with all of creation and with our neighbor and that when we honor all of creation we honor God. As the Feast of St. Francis nears, the Coalition and its many national partners are encouraging their members to take the St. Francis Pledge in honor of St. Francis and spread the word to others. Many resources are available to assist parishes, schools, and individuals to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis by promoting the St. Francis Pledge to care for creation and the poor.

New Toolkit for Colleges on Sustainability & Catholic Mission

(Sept. 6, 2011) As Catholic colleges and universities across the country begin a new school year, eight national Catholic organizations are publishing and promoting an exciting new resource, Sustainability and Catholic Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration.  This new resource will help schools strengthen ongoing commitments to  Catholic mission, to “cultivate and care for” (Genesis 2:15) God’s good gift of Creation,  to link these efforts to impacts on poor people at home and abroad and to develop sustainable campus communities.   Read more about it and all the co-sponsors in the Press Release here.  Download the Toolkit here.

Celebrate the Feast of St. Francis: Take the St. Francis Pledge

(Aug.2011) The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change is renewing its call for Catholics around the country to join the Catholic Climate Covenant by taking and registering the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor for the Feast of St. Francis, October 4, 2011.   Postcards have been sent urging every pastor, principal , youth and college campus minister to take the Pledge, highlighting new resources to aid in their success.  The step-by-step Catholic Parish and School Planning Guide to Take the St. Francis Pledge and many other updated resources are available on the new Feast of St. Francis Resources webpage to make your planning and educational efforts successful.

USCCB & CRS Call Budget Cuts “Morally Unacceptable”

(July 29, 2011)  Bishop Hubbard of the USCCB and Ken Hackett of Catholic Relief Services declared  “morally unacceptable, even deadly cuts to poverty-focused humanitarian and development assistance,”  in their letter  to the chairman and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee.  Click here for the letter on foreign operations appropriations and here for their letter encouraging a balanced approach to budget and debt negotiations.

Bishops Welcome EPA’s Rule to Cut Mercury

On June 20, Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton in his role as Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter  to the Environmental Protection Agency welcoming recently proposed and first-ever national standards to reduce mercury and other toxics from power plants. Read the press release from the USCCB.  To comment on the mercury rule, send here by August 2.

The St. Francis Care for Creation Award from NCCW

The National Council of Catholic Women, with the support of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, has launched the St. Francis Care for Creation Award that will recognize schools that put their faith into action to reduce their carbon footprint, care for the “least of these,” and raise the Catholic voice on behalf of the environment and the poor.  Activities must take place between May of 2011 and May of 2012.  NCCW hopes to award 15 schools in the 2011-2012 school year.  There is no fee to apply and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.  Learn more and apply for the St. Francis Care for Creation Award here.

Vatican Releases Major Climate Change Report

5/6/11  A working group of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, one of the oldest scientific institutes in the world, issued a sobering report on the impacts for humankind as a result of the global retreat of mountain glaciers as a result of human activity leading to climate change.  In their declaration, the working group calls, “on all people and nations to recognize the serious and potentially irreversible impacts of global warming caused by the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and by changes in forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other land uses.”  Read summary here.   View entire report here.   Hear the Working Group co-chair, Veerabhadran Ramanathan interviewed by Coalition director, Dan Misleh.

Pope at Easter: Without attention to all of Creation, Salvation History is too small

4/26/11 Easter greetings to all of you!  As the Church celebrated this most holy of days, Pope Benedict XVI offered a beautiful reflection on Creation during the Easter Vigil: Our profession of faith begins with the words: “We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth”. If we omit the beginning of the Credo, the whole history of salvation becomes too limited and too small. The Church is not some kind of association that concerns itself with man’s religious needs but is limited to that objective. No, she brings man into contact with God and thus with the source of all things. Therefore we relate to God as Creator, and so we have a responsibility for creation. Our responsibility extends as far as creation because it comes from the Creator.
Read the Easter Vigil homily in its entirety here.

Climate Ambassadors Available Nationwide

4/4/11 We are pleased to introduce 24 trained Catholic Climate Ambassadors. These 24 Ambassadors are available to offer presentations on the moral implications of climate change consistent with Catholic teaching as outlined by our Holy Father in his World Day of Peace Message of 2010, If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation, and in the U.S. Catholic bishops’ statement, Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good. See more information and how to contact Climate Ambassadors here.