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Jun 7, 2014

Pentecost and eco-Pelagianism

As I took part in a parish door-to-door evangelization event this morning, I was struck with how it provided a model for those of us working to protect the environment.

While teams of us were knocking on doors to introduce people to the parish, another team remained at the church on their knees before the Blessed Sacrament. Their prayers were for those of us actively engaged in the world. Their trust was in God, not us.

I’ve helped with these “Days of Evangelization” before, but the timing of today’s—on the eve of the Feast of Pentecost—offered a time to reflect on a simple question for Catholics in particular and Christians in general who are engaged in ecological advocacy: are we a people who think of environmental protection primarily in terms of our own activity—of our own activism, petitions, and protests—or do we place our ultimate trust in God?

I’ve worked with environmental groups since college—which means since I was an ex-Catholic who didn’t give much thought to God, and who has since returned to the Church. In my younger days I marched, shouted slogans, and helped hold large signs at rallies. I argued for...

May 30, 2014

US Bishops: To protect climate, protect people

Not long before I heard that the United States bishops wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency about climate change and carbon pollution, I had read something unpleasantly in opposition to what the bishops wrote.

First, the good news. As you probably know by now, Bishop Thomas G. Wenski, Archbishop of Miami and Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, wrote to urge the federal environmental regulatory agency “to develop standards to reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants and thereby mitigate climate change.”

It’s a wonderful letter. It is significant for what it says and how it says it. This includes how the bishops itemize why climate-change mitigation is a Catholic issue.

Bishop Wenski writes that

[a]s the EPA takes steps to address climate change and reduce carbon pollution, we ask you to be guided by the following principles taken from our statement and the teaching of Pope Francis:

  • Respect for Human Life and Dignity. The regulations and all efforts to reduce the impact of climate change should respect human life and dignity, especially that of the poorest and most
...
May 27, 2014

Special interview: Foundations of Catholic ecology

With the new online home for Catholic Ecology, what better way to celebrate than a return to the basics—to the foundations of the Catholic engagement of ecology?

We are fortunate that Dr. Jame Schaefer, Associate Professor of theology at Marquette University, has taken the time to help us with this topic. Dr. Schaefer is the author of Theological Foundations for Environmental Ethics: Reconstructing Patristic & Medieval Concepts and her work at Marquette focuses on the constructive relationship of theology, the natural sciences, and technology with special attention to religious foundations for ecological ethics.

She worked with faculty of other disciplines to develop Marquette’s Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Ethics for which she serves as Director. For more on Dr. Schaefer, visit her Marquette faculty home page and her professional vision statement, which are both quite impressive.

Catholic Ecology: As the Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension, we’re reminded of the intimate link between heaven and earth in Christianity. Tell us a little about this link and what it should mean for believers.

Dr. Schaefer: Earth is where we first encounter God and strive to lead our temporal lives in...

May 22, 2014

The vine, the branches, and the Reporter's troubled editorial

I came home from a sobering conference on climate adaptation and read the National Catholic Reporter’s May 20th editorial “Climate change is church's No. 1 pro-life issue.”

While I am about to present a few concerns with the editorial, I want to applaud its intent and much of its content. Anthropogenic climate change is past debating. It’s an issue that will impact—and one could argue already is impacting—human life. As the editorial rightly observes, “[t]his is a human life issue of enormous proportions.” And I agree with its proposal that "[t]he Catholic church should become a major player in educating the public to the scientific data and in motivating people to act for change"—although I don't know why "church" is not capitalized.

And while there is much from the climate conference that I wish to share—and will over the next few weeks—for now my attention is turned toward my friends at the Reporter and their troubled call for us to move forward.

First, let’s consider the title.

Is climate change the “No. 1 pro-life issue”? The editorial’s author doesn't say this, but the header does. Now, anyone who has had...

May 16, 2014

Special interview: Bettering rural life with Christ. Part 2

Our conversation with Robert Gronski of Catholic Rural Life continues. Part 1 was posted on May 15th, the Feast of St. Isidore, the patron of farmers and laborers, and can be found here.

Catholic Ecology: You mentioned some of the big issues facing farmers today and referenced the economic crises that farmers have faced in the past. You also brought up some environmental concerns due to industrial agriculture. Is it accurate to say that agriculture is now facing an environmental crisis?

Robert Gronski: I would say we are headed to a crisis if we don’t seriously address the web of connections between the production of food, use of water and generation of energy. This is known by some as the Food-Water-Energy nexus and as you might guess ties into the discussion about climate change. (I don’t mean the controversy waged between proponents and denialists; I refer to those in academia, business and insurance, city governments, military, NGOs and others who are discussing how to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.)

It is not surprising to know that agriculture accounts for a major share of...

May 15, 2014

Special interview: Bettering rural life with Christ. Part 1

On the Feast of St. Isidore, the patron of farmers and laborers, we begin a two-part interview with Catholic Rural Life, looking especially at the issues faced by farmers in rural America.

Part 2 of the interview can be found here.

Introducing us to the organization is Robert Gronski, a part-time policy correspondent for Catholic Rural Life. His duties involve tracking federal legislation and policy perspectives on farm, food, environmental, and rural community issues, and helps frame these within the perspective of Catholic social teachings. He joined the staff of CRL in 1999 after completing doctoral studies in political economy of agriculture at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Department of Rural Sociology.

He also brings an international perspective to Catholic Rural Life with his development work experiences overseas, mainly Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Previously based at the CRL office in Des Moines, Iowa, when he worked as the full-time policy coordinator, Robert now works part-time from his family home in St. Louis, MO. Contact him at [email protected].

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About the Blog

Catholic Ecology posts my regular column in the Rhode Island Catholic, as well as scientific and theological commentary about the latest eco-news, both within and outside of the Catholic Church. What is contained herein is but one person's attempt to teach and defend the Church's teachings - ecological and otherwise. As such, I offer all contents of this blog for approval of the bishops of the Church. It is my hope that nothing herein will lead anyone astray from truth.