 | | Required: Courageous and Faith-filled Action |
| Dear Friend, At a gathering of colleagues centered on climate change and solutions late last year, I expressed concerns about the lack of progress in the world’s efforts. I did so knowing that explicit focus on such concerns, based on factual information understood by most of us, is generally not well-received. But I felt that we needed to be grounded in the depth of these understandings, before exploring solutions, which have to be meaningful, viable, and transformative. After an uncomfortable silence, one colleague quipped, “Well, what you’ve said is what Pope Francis has already said.” She was right. A month before the gathering, Pope Francis issued Laudate Deum, an apostolic exhortation on what he explicitly names as “the global climate crisis”, because thus far, “our responses have not been adequate.” Pope Francis calls us to live into this reality, and to make it better with the courage and conviction of our faith. “Authentic faith not only gives strength to the human heart,” Pope Francis writes, “but also transforms life, transfigures our goals and sheds light on our relationship to others and with creation as a whole.” In 2024, we at The Covenant want to journey with you, all of us guided by the light of the Holy Spirit, working on climate solutions, grounded in both reality and faith. Our efforts are by their very nature, expressions of hope. May they be guided by the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and thus be meaningful, viable, and transformative. In this spirit, we have started the year with the Laudate Deum Action Pledge, asking you to commit to a variety of actions - prayers, words, and deeds - on the individual, institutional and societal levels - in response to Pope Francis’ calls in Laudate Deum. We are blessed to announce that over 2,000 people have signed the pledge. Thank you to those of you who have pledged! On Sunday, January 7th, the Epiphany of Our Lord, we shared with Pope Francis your names, home states and pledges. May he be inspired by your tangible commitments to care for our vulnerable neighbors and our common home! In the new year, we will continue to advance many of the actions within that pledge, recognizing them to be meaningful, viable, and transformative. We look forward to continued fellowship with so many of you on this shared journey in Christ. Transforming our Church A key Covenant mission is to weave the threads of creation care through the rich tapestry of the Church’s teachings, ministries and peoples. We collaborate with youth, young adults, parishioners, clergy, religious orders, parish and diocesan staff, partners, and allies to live into the spirit of Laudato Si’. This year we will increase collaboration across many of our programs - Youth Mobilization, Young Adult Mobilization, Creation Care Teams, the Interdiocesan Network, and Catholic Energies - so that dioceses can commit to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform and Net-zero pathways. Seeking to build bridges across divides We are all acutely aware of the divisions within our church and nation. As profound, perplexing and exasperating as they are, we must seek to build bridges across them. Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand.” Meaningful and durable progress on issues as profound as the climate crisis will not happen without successful efforts to build bridges across those divides. Prudence compels us to work with others, and with ever greater intention, care and energy, to construct them. We look forward to journeying with you in these challenging times, with the courage and conviction of our faith, and the gifts God has bestowed upon us all, guided by the light and gifts of the Holy Spirit, towards a thriving future, for the greater glory of God. With shared faith in Christ, Jose Jose Aguto
Executive Director
Catholic Climate Covenant |
|  | | Catholic Climate Covenant Updates |
| ACTION OF THE MONTH:
 Sign onto the Fossil fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Prior to COP28, the Covenant signed onto the Fossil fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, joining thousands of institutions (including many of our faith partners), and hundreds of thousands of individuals. The treaty leverages the modest but pivotal signal from COP28 for a global transition away from fossil fuels. Please consider signing onto this treaty as an individual, or as an institution if you are so authorized. May we work together to transform this signal into a tangible direction. |
|  New Year, new look for Catholic Climate Covenant 2023 was a year of reflection and growth for Catholic Climate Covenant. This Spring we created a new logo and tagline to define our work: “Together for Our Common Home.” This Winter we launched a new website. The updated look and navigation features ensure that all of our programs, prayers and other resources are easy to find and use. We’ve also been reflecting on the values that define The Covenant as an organization: our Catholic faith, collaboration, hope, working for justice and leadership. Read more about our core guiding values here. |
|  Have you seen our inspiring new video series? “God’s Creation Needs You” is a new video series featuring six Catholic communities across the nation caring for our common home through climate action, advocacy, farming, community organizing, service to others, solar energy, education, prayer and a focus on environmental justice. Watch for a new video each week!
 Thank you to everyone who gave to our year-end campaign! Your generous contributions will help the Covenant continue serving our community and upholding Catholic teachings. We are sincerely grateful for everyone who contributed. If you haven’t yet, you can still make a donation on our website. Join our 3rd Annual Chicago Catholic Youth Climate Summit! Catholics between the ages of 14-18 are invited to join their peers from across the Chicago area for a day of discernment, fellowship, prayer, and empowerment for the care of our common home, led by and engaging with high school peers. The event is co-sponsored by The Covenant and the Archdiocese of Chicago, and is co-led by Kayla Jacobs, who leads the Covenant’s Youth Mobilization Program. Cardinal Blase J. Cupich will celebrate Mass with the students at the beginning of the Summit. Families are welcome to join and support their teens for Mass. When: February 25, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Where: St. Ignatius College Prep, 1076 Roosevelt Road, Chicago Pre-Registration required: forms.office.com/r/fZyjcAMBt2 |
| Catholic Climate Covenant in the News - Bishop Tyson calls on Catholics to be ‘courageous’ in looking honestly at climate change data
Bishop Joseph Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima spoke with NCR shortly after a meeting in the White House officials, where a delegation of U.S. bishops and a Catholic sister discussed climate change and environmental protection in light of Pope Francis' recent climate teaching in Laudate Deum. Bishop Tyson, who also serves as the episcopal moderator for the Catholic Climate Covenant, said Catholics need to be “courageous” in looking honestly at the scientific data. He also spoke about "the need for us to prayerfully study, to read, to reflect, to find steps that we can take in our local area to depolarize and rehumanize the questions of how we're working together to care for the Earth." - Creation advocates face opposition among believers and church leaders
Atmos, a non-profit magazine about climate and culture, covered the mixed responses climate change elicits from religious leaders. The Covenant’s Executive Director Jose Aguto told Atmos that he walks a fine line. “We know the overarching tenor of the church is not enthusiastic about these issues, so we find our allies where they are, recognizing we’re working with a minority of bishops in our nation.” Still, Jose said, Pope Francis’ letter this fall, Laudate Deum, “puts a lot of wind in our sails.” Read the whole article. - Chicago archdiocese switches to renewable energy
The Chicago Archdiocese announced that its nearly 400 parishes, schools and offices will switch to 100% renewable energy sources this month. Through its energy supplier the archdiocese has purchased enough renewable energy certificates to cover the electricity consumption for its more than 2,000 buildings. The announcement was timed to the 87th birthday of Pope Francis. Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich said that the pope's message to COP28, reminded everyone that "the future of us all depends on the present that we now choose." "As an expression of our commitment to the sanctity of life, the Archdiocese of Chicago has chosen to do all we can to ensure generations to come have a future," Cupich said. The Covenant’s Founder Dan Misleh told National Catholic Reporter that “Pope Francis was very clear in Laudate Deum that we need to step up and take this issue seriously. So I think the fact that an archdiocese as large as Chicago has done this is very significant. And I'm hoping that more dioceses will follow suit." |
|
|
| |  Join the Franciscan Sisters and one of their most popular speakers Jean Ponzi of the Missouri Botanical Gardens, on January 9 at 6:30 pm. The first Franciscans For Earth Eco-Series Event of 2024 will take place in the Assisi Room at Tau Center in Kirkwood, MO. Register: https://franciscansisters-olph.org/events/ffe-jan2024-kirkwood-309/ Epiphany Catholic Church will host John Mundell, Global Director of Pope Francis' Laudato Si Action Platform, from 9:00-12 pm on Jan. 20. Mundell will speak about how “to care for our common home and achieve climate and ecological justice in collaboration with all people of good will.” Location: Community Center at Epiphany Catholic Church, 914 Old Harrods Creek Road, Louisville, KY. All parishes and the public are invited. There is no cost to attend. Register here. |
| | Pope top newsmaker in climate change, NCR’s EarthBeat says National Catholic Reporter’s EarthBeat reviewed a busy year in faith and climate journalism, listing the site’s 10 most-red news stories. Pope Francis graced the headlines of six of the top 10, largely due to the announcement and release of his new apostolic exhortation, Laudate Deum. Other popular stories included those about climate action being taken by Catholic sisters, such as setting up conservation easements and land trusts, impact investing and political advocacy. The Archdiocese of Nairobi has started a milk processing plant to help communities in Kenya fight food insecurity and malnutrition. Named Caritas Dairy, the milk processing plant is the project of Caritas Nairobi. The factory will buy and sell milk from thousands of farmers, in an effort to empower their work and bolster the communities' food availability. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns has posted an video with first-hand accounts from three representatives of Catholic organizations who were in Dubai for the UN Climate Conference: Lisa Sullivan and Sr. Susan Nchubiri, MM, from the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, and special guest Dr. Gina Castillo, Climate Policy and Research Advisor at Catholic Relief Services. Watch a recording of the webinar. The Times of San Diego wrote a profile of Christina Bagaglio Slentz, the San Diego Diocese’s associate director for Creation Care Ministry. Though she has faced some opposition, Slentz, a one-time naval intelligence officer and naval reservist is undeterred in her mission, the paper writes. National Catholic Reporter takes readers deep inside the Catholic Theological Society of America’s decision to divest from fossil fuels. The divestment forced CTSA to find another firm to manage its endowment. |
| | The Covenant is seeking to hire a Communications Manager to replace the wonderful Elena Gaona, who has joined the League of Conservation Voters’ Chispa program. More information here. The Covenant is also seeking to hire for the newly created position of Policy Advisor. More information here. NETWORK is expanding its political ministry to include Climate Justice. The person in this position will organize and develop effective lobby strategies and build relationships on Capitol Hill and with the Administration to advocate for just, inclusive and effective federal environmental legislation and executive action. More information here. |
|
|
|
|
| | Catholic Climate Covenant provides all programs and resources free of charge. We rely on the generosity of our supporters to inspire and equip people and institutions to care for creation. With 20 national partners, we guide the U.S. Church's response to climate change by educating, giving public witness, and offering resources. Thank you for your support. |
|
|
| Contact Us Catholic Climate Covenant
1400 Quincy St. NE
Franciscan Monastery Attn: Catholic Climate Covenant
Washington, District of Columbia 20017
202-987-7581
info@catholicclimatecovenant.org |
|
|
| |
|
|
