 Viatorians Endorse the Catholic Climate Covenant
9/12/2011
The Provincial Council of the Clerics of St. Viator (Viatorians) strongly supports the Catholic Climate Covenant, which promotes the values of stewardship in caring for God’s creation, and solidarity in our response to the poor.
Specifically, they point to the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor, as one way for Catholics to advance the covenant. The St. Francis Pledge is a promise by Catholic individuals, to consciously reduce their carbon footprint, and to live out their faith by protecting God’s creation and advocating on behalf of people in poverty, who face the harshest impacts of global climate change.
Both the pledge and the climate covenant --- which embodies values from the life of St. Francis --- are ways to respond to the call of Pope Benedict XVI and the U.S. bishops, to embrace climate change solutions consistent with Catholic social teaching.
As climate disruption escalates and weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable (dramatic flooding, prolonged droughts, etc.) one thing is for certain: the life and dignity of those with the fewest resources and living in
the poorest places on earth will be impacted the most. As Pope Benedict reminds us: “Environmental degradation makes the life of the poor especially unbearable.”
Take the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor:
- PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God’s Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.
- LEARN about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of climate change.
- ASSESS how we—as individuals and in our families, parishes and other affiliations—contribute to climate change by our own energy use, consumption and waste.
- ACT to change our choices and behaviors to reduce the ways we contribute to climate change.
- ADVOCATE for Catholic principles and priorities in climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact those who are poor and vulnerable.
For more information, visit www.CatholicClimateCovenant.org |
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