Caring for our Earth is a requirement of our faith, as through this practice we become stewards of creation. In doing so, we are compelled to live and act in ways that protect the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants, whether human or non-human, in caring for creation we show respect and love to the Creator. Our bond to creation primordially calls us to be advocates and disciples in the current issues that environmentally threaten the integrity of our planet. The mitigation of human-induced climate change affects us all and the future of our younger generations.

“Concern for the environment thus needs to be joined to a sincere love for our fellow human beings and an unwavering commitment to resolving the problems of society.” — Pope Francis, Laudato Si', 91

 

26 Key Quotes from Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the Environment, Laudato Si'

CLICK HERE FOR THE 26 KEY QUOTES FROM POPE FRANCIS

CLIMATE CHANGE - You Can Help! 
WHAT CATHOLICS ARE DOING TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE? – An Example from the Sisters of Providence 

While you are learning of wildfires, droughts, storms, consider making your own Climate Agreement. You can model it after the one written for the Sisters of Providence. It was developed as an action of resistance to climate change that is significant, doable, and at least roughly measurable.

Climate Change Manifesto
Whereas this precious and beautiful planet is our mother and our only home. Yet, for more than two centuries, many humans in Western societies have

• Treated Earth with superiority and disdain
• Made choices based on greed and privilege
• Failed to speak and act for the common good
• Related to Earth with attitudes of irreverence, exploitation, and control

and whereas the results of these attitudes and actions, such as the following, intersect and demand continuous justice:

• Severe weather events, crop failure, pests, and sea level rise, affecting all who depend for their livelihood on subsistence farming
• Low rainfall, lengthening the time spent (mostly by women and girls) in fetching water and caring for crops, thus precluding time for school and necessary self-care
• Extreme and prolonged heat levels, which foster increased violence and assault, especially within families and in crowded cities
• Desertification, famine, and drought, forcing people to endure certain misery and probably death in flight from their homelands

and whereas all of these destructive realities and countless others disproportionately affect women, children, and people of color, therefore, we the members of the Climate Change Task Force, enter and invite all others to enter into the Providence Climate Agreement.

Make your own pledge!