Advocacy opportunity and resources
As you know well, human activity is warming our planet at an unprecedented rate. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that humanity only has a few years to avoid catastrophic climate change. Solutions exist now that can help slow and even reverse this climate warming. However, we need faith-filled voices to strengthen our nation’s moral and political will to enact bold policies that dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and care for the common good.
Take action
The Catholic Climate Covenant is offering us the opportunity to take action NOW! Here are three simple and impactful actions you can take TODAY!
1. Sign and share The Catholic Climate Action Petition for Individuals,
2. Ask authorized leaders or representatives of Catholic institutions to sign the Climate Action Letter is for Catholic Institutions.
Utilize new EPA report on inequitable impact of climate change
Compelling advocacy narratives combine stories of impacted persons with concrete data. The new report from the Environmental Protection Agency on social vulnerability and climate change could be a useful tool as you shape messaging for your congregation, leadership, and elected officials. This report improves our understanding of the degree to which four socially vulnerable populations— defined based on income, educational attainment, race and ethnicity, and age—may be more exposed to the highest impacts of climate change. The data tracks with the Preferential Option for the Poor and helps us see how to advocate for those most vulnerable. You can access the full report HERE.
The Season of Creation continues! Webinars and resources
● Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor: Reducing our Carbon Footprint - In this webinar hosted by the Catholic Health Association on Sept. 23 from 1-2PM ET, Gary Cohen, president and founder of Health Care Without Harm, along with representatives from Ascension and Providence St. Joseph Health, will share how they are working to eliminate the carbon emissions of their organizations as well as concrete actions health care organizations can take to adopt renewable energy and achieve carbon neutrality. Learn more and register here. See all of CHA's 2021 Feast of St Francis resources.
● Season of Creation Liturgy Guide authored by Jim Hug, SJ and a talented creative team and with the partnership of the Ecology Desk of Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development: Laudato Si’ Action Platform and LISTEN: Laudato Si’ International Scholars of Tertiary Education Network. Click HERE to download in English and HERE for Spanish.
● Information and the guide for the Season of Creation 2021 can be found at https://seasonofcreation.org/
● Vatican News coverage highlighting ecumenical nature of the season.
Examples of impactful action as you prepare your LS plan
Thank you to everyone who continues to share their community and congregation efforts to prepare for the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. In the last update, we highlighted an example of a diocesan action plan that contained practical examples that could be applied to religious orders. If you are looking for more examples of impactful action, check out the LSAP resource HERE with specific activities by LS goal.
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