Br. Steve Herro, O. Praem.

Norbertine Center for Spirituality

June 10, 2015

Why the name change?

Not about polar bears
Not a scientific treatise on climatology
Is founded on premises that all creation is sacred
and that the marginalized bear the greatest brunt
on degradation of our environment

Catholic Church, and John Paul. The Ecological Crisis: a Common Responsibility: Message of His
Holiness Pope John Paul II for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace 1 January 1990. Washington,
D.C.: USCC, 1989.
United States Catholic Conference. Renewing the Earth: An Invitation to Reflection and Action on
Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching : a Pastoral Statement of the United States Catholic
Conference, November 14, 1991. Washington, D.C.: Office for Pub. and Promotion Services, United
States Catholic Conference, 1992.
Catholic Church. Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good.
Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2001.
Gore, Al, et al. An inconvenient truth. Hollywood, Calif: Paramount, 2006.

1. This is how the name came into my heart: Francis of Assisi. For me, he is the man of

poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation; these days we do
not have a very good relationship with creation, do we? Audience with media
representatives, March 16, 2013
2. I once heard something beautiful: the earth is not an inheritance that we receive
from our parents, but a loan that our children give to us, in order that we safeguard it and
make it flourish and return it to them. Pontifical Message to the Expo of Ideas, Feb. 7,
2015
3. Interest in production, availability and accessibility of foodstuffs, in climate change
and in agricultural trade should certainly inspire rules and technical measures, but the
first concern must be the individual person, who lacks daily nourishment, who has given
up thinking about life, family and social relationships, and instead fights only for
survival. Address to the Second International Conference on Nutrition, Nov. 20, 2014
4. The thirst for power and possessions knows no limits. In this system, which tends to
devour everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like
the environment, is defenseless before the interests of the deified market. The Joy of
the Gospel, Nov. 23, 2013.

5. Respect for the environment means more than using cleaner products or recycling

what we use. These are important aspects, but not enough. We need to see, with the
eyes of faith, the beauty of Gods saving plan, the link between the natural environment
and the dignity of the human person.As stewards of Gods creation, we are called to
make the earth a beautiful garden for the human family. When we destroy our forests,
ravage our soil, and pollute our seas, we betray that noble calling. Address to young
people in Manila, Philippines, Jan. 18, 2015.
6. When we hear that people have meetings about how to preserve creation, we can
say, No, they are the greens! No, they are not the greens! This is the Christian! This
is our response to the first creation of God. And, our responsibility. A Christian who
does not protect creation, who does not let it grow, is a Christian who does not care
about the work of God, that work that was born from the love of God for us. And this is
the first response to the first creation: protect creation, make it grow. Homily, Feb. 9,
2015.

Teresa Berger, Professor of Liturgical Studies at the Yale Divinity School and
Thomas E. Golden Jr. Professor of Catholic Theology

Amy Goodman, Democracy Now address

international interest and impact of Popes
priority on creation and environment.

Dec. 31, 2014

Human ecologypopularized by Pope Benedict. Concern

for the environment is linked to care for the individual, family,
and social ethics. It suggests a holistic approach to both
human growth and environmental protection, realizing that
the former cannot exist without the latter.
Throwaway culturepopularized by Pope Francis.
Denunciation of throwing away not only paper, plastic, but
wasting food while people are starving and throwing away
people considered less useful (unborn, sick, and elderly)
Integral ecologyPope Francis calls for dialogue and a
new solidarity, changing of hearts in which the human
person, and not pursuit of profit, is the key value that must
direct our search for the global and universal common good

Catholics who believe in the common good are always concerned about those living in
poverty and on the margins
Catholics ask the question, Why are people poor and marginalized? and take steps to
address these problems
Catholics believe that morality is framed in promoting and protecting life.
Environmental degradation that erode coastlines and dry waterways impact life.

Climate change affects everyone, but

especially the poor and most vulnerable
people. Impelled by our Catholic faith, we call
on you to drastically cut carbon emissions to
keep the global temperature rise below the
dangerousthreshold of 1.5C, and to aid the
worlds poorest in coping with climate change
impacts. Petition of Global Catholic Climate Movement, endorsed by Pope
Francis representative on May 7, 2015

Integral ecology interrelates issues of human ecology, development, and natural environment.
1.The

Call to be protectors is integral and all-embracing

Call to protect and care for creation AND human person and reciprocal.
2.Care

for creation is a virtue in its own right

For the Christian, to care for Gods ongoing work of creation is a duty, irrespective of the causes of
climate change. To care for creation, to develop and live an integral ecology as the basis for
development and peace in the world, is a fundamental Christian duty.
3.We

will, we must, care for what we cherish and revere

Binding regulations, policies, and targets are necessary tools for affecting climate change and poverty,
but will not be effective without a change in heart. St. Francis response was one of reverence based
on kinship with God, our neighbor, and embracing a holiness espoused in Genesis, wisdom literature,
and psalms.
4.The

call to dialogue and new global solidarity

Everyone, large and small, rich and poor, has a part to play in solidarity.

Popes John Paul and Benedict have called for international response to environmental
degradation and climate change since 1990, but perhaps the weight of the hugely
popular
Pope Francis will move the chains even more.

Pope Francis links economy of exclusion with environmental degradation

An economic system centered on the god of money needs to plunder nature to

sustain the frenetic rhythm of consumption that is inherent to it, Pope Francis,
Oct. 28, 2014
The threats that arise from global inequality and the destruction of the
environment are inter-related, and they are the greatest threats we face as a
human family today, Cardinal Turkson, March 5, 2015
We have been negotiating this issue at the political level for more than 20 years, and
we look to Pope Francis to untangle this stalemate, because this issue is beyond merely
a political issue, Naderev Sano, the Philippines climate commissionertoldDemocracy
Now. It is a profound moral issue that affects the whole world.

The pope is part of the radical green movement that is at its

core anti-Christian, anti-people, and antiprogress,writesStephen Moore, a Catholic who is an
economist at the Heritage Foundation in Washington.
Robert George of Princeton University, a prominent Catholic
philosopher,arguesthat the pope should steer clear of an
area wherein his own misguided viewthe science is
unsettled.
The idea that carbon dioxide is a carcinogen that is harmful
to our environment is almost comical, Cong. John Boehner

What makes Pope Francis so real is his lack of intellectual jargon; he expresses virtues
of simplicity and compassion and sees the poor as real, suffering people. When he casts
light on the poor and the environment, it is not a metaphysical light; these are not
merely conceptual ideas. He wants to see real change take place in the way we care for
one another and the things of the Earth. He wants the church to have a living doctrine
of creation. He indicates that we must take science seriously; that much of the data is
pointing to global warming and the disastrous impacts continuous warming will have up
ahead.

Papal Bull,which is very formal and uses prescriptive and dogmatic language.
Decrees, which address a very particular problem requiring precise response and
action.
Apostolic lettersand messages, which are characteristically pastoral,
encouraging, and inspirational.

Encyclicals can have some features of all these categories but are generally longer;
the thinking behind the statements are deeper and articulated more expansively.
Encyclicals are exhortative in tone. They counsel and encourage and thus make clear
that what is said is not to be taken lightly. They deal with complex social and moral
issues and back up their claims with reference to the Bible and to Catholic tradition
and doctrines.

While Encyclicals do not compel Catholics to believe and act in accordance with
what is said, the expectation is that all Catholics (and it is hoped all people of good
will) will use the teaching as guidance for their life style and moral commitments. For
theologians, both clerical and lay, relevant encyclicals have traditionally informed
their scholarship and continue to do so. The title of an encyclical is the first two
words of the document in Latin, the official language in which encyclicals are written.

1.

2.
3.
4.
5.

Energy is good, but not amoral. Decisions that we make about energy use have
moral implications.
There is a global responsibility to care for Gods creation
Overconsumption is immoral
International action is key to solving climate change
Sustainable development requires renewable energy

Based on the assumptions that:

1. Tackling climate change is part of our duty as Christians to love and care
for Gods creation; its an important dimension of our stewardship of the
earth.
2. Our sisters and brothers across the world are being pushed deeper into
poverty due to the changing climate and
3. Our faith moves us to speak out in solidarity.
Therefore:
1.Live more simply; consume less energy and emit less carbon dioxide
2.Praying for those most affected by environmental degradation
3.Lobby policy makers at the local, national, and international levels whose
actions impact law and regulations that can limit harm to individuals and the
environment as a result of human behavior.
4.Stay connected to the movement by signing the pledge for Catholic Climate
Covenant and Global Catholic Climate Movement
5.Suggestions for individual, congregation/business/school, and political
responses in the coming months.

1.

2.

3.
4.

5.

6.
7.

Laudato Si (On the Care of Our Common Home) will be posted in English at
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/index.html
Sr. Ilia Delio, OSF is a Franciscan Sister of Washington D.C. and Director of Catholic
Studies at Georgetown University, where she is also Visiting Professor at
Georgetown University
Catholic Climate Covenant, http://www.catholicclimatecovenant.org/
Catholic Rural Life and stewardship of creation,
https://catholicrurallife.org/category/stewardship/
Franciscan Action Network and climate justice,
https://franciscanaction.org/issues/climate-justice
Global Catholic Climate Movement, http://catholicclimatemovement.global/
Selected quotes of Pope Francis by Subject, http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-andteachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/upload/pope-francisquotes1.pdf