Seven things to know about Francis's planned eco-encyclical

As mentioned in the top ten eco-stories of 2013, there have been rumors of an environmental encyclical. On Friday the Vatican confirmed the rumors. And so now there’s lots of talk about what will be in it.

For clues, we look to Francis’s first major statement on ecology: his June 5th General Audience. In a handful of paragraphs Francis outlined his concerns as well as how they relate to others. Given that, what might a Pope Francis eco-encyclical look like?

Here’s what we know so far:

1. From yesterday's announcement, the document will be rooted in the John Paul II and Benedict XVI concept of “human ecology.”  

(Vatican Radio) The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, S.J., confirmed on Friday that Pope Francis has begun work on a draft text on the topic of ecology, which could become an encyclical. But, Father Lombardi said, the project is in an early stage, so it is too early to make any prediction about the timing of possible publication.

Father Lombardi said it is important to note that Pope Francis intends to put particular emphasis on the theme of “human ecology,” a phrase used by Pope Benedict to describe not only how people must defend and respect nature but how the nature of the person – masculine and feminine as created by God – must also be defended.

It’s no surprise that human ecology takes center stage in the Vatican news blurb. In his June 5th audience Francis rooted his words in his predecessors’: 

Moreover on various occasions Benedict XVI has recalled that this task entrusted to us by God the Creator requires us to grasp the pace and the logic of creation. Instead we are often guided by the pride of dominating, possessing, manipulating and exploiting; we do not “preserve” the earth, we do not respect it, we do not consider it as a freely-given gift to look after.

We are losing our attitude of wonder, of contemplation, of listening to creation and thus we no longer manage to interpret in it what Benedict XVI calls “the rhythm of the love-story between God and man”. Why does this happen? Why do we think and live horizontally, we have drifted away from God, we no longer read his signs.

However “cultivating and caring” do not only entail the relationship between us and the environment, between man and creation. They also concern human relations. The popes have spoken of a human ecology, closely connected with environmental ecology. We are living in a time of crisis; we see it in the environment, but above all we see it in men and women. The human person is in danger: this much is certain — the human person is in danger today, hence the urgent need for human ecology!

2. Also from that audience we find Francis connecting this conversation with economic matters—specific ones at that:

The peril is grave, because the cause of the problem is not superficial but deeply rooted. It is not merely a question of economics but of ethics and anthropology. The Church has frequently stressed this; and many are saying: yes, it is right, it is true... but the system continues unchanged since what dominates are the dynamics of an economy and a finance that are lacking in ethics. It is no longer man who commands, but money, money, cash commands. And God our Father gave us the task of protecting the earth — not for money, but for ourselves: for men and women. 

So be prepared for the pontiff to expand this conversation, espeically given the importance he placed on (and the reaction to) his statements on economics in his first papal exhortation.

3. And as we know, Francis is not one to speak only in theory. He speaks to each of us—and includes himself in his exhortations. When it comes to the environment, he exhorts us all to make changes. In this case that means that you and I need to throw out our “throw-away culture” because how you and I consume is a matter related to both our personal holiness (that is, living virtuously) and the common good: 

We have this task! Nevertheless men and women are sacrificed to the idols of profit and consumption: it is the “culture of waste”. If a computer breaks it is a tragedy, but poverty, the needs and dramas of so many people end up being considered normal. If on a winter's night, here on the Via Ottaviano — for example — someone dies, that is not news. If there are children in so many parts of the world who have nothing to eat, that is not news, it seems normal. It cannot be so! And yet these things enter into normality: that some homeless people should freeze to death on the street — this doesn’t make news. On the contrary, when the stock market drops 10 points in some cities, it constitutes a tragedy. Someone who dies is not news, but lowering income by 10 points is a tragedy!

4. All this will, of course, be linked to human life issues, specifically abortion and euthanasia. This will continue an important theme in B16 (who said that “[o]ur duties towards the environment are linked to our duties towards creation”). Pope Francis will of course underscore this in his own way, as he has often to date and did on June 5th: 

[P]eople are thrown aside as if they were trash. This “culture of waste” tends to become a common mentality that infects everyone. Human life, the person, are no longer seen as a primary value to be respected and safeguarded, especially if they are poor or disabled, if they are not yet useful — like the unborn child — or are no longer of any use — like the elderly person.

5. Francis is deeply concerned about how the previous two items are related—how human over consumption (and our throw-away mentality) is intrinsically related to the lives of people elsewhere, born and unborn. Again from the audience:

This culture of waste has also made us insensitive to wasting and throwing out excess foodstuffs, which is especially condemnable when, in every part of the world, unfortunately, many people and families suffer hunger and malnutrition. There was a time when our grandparents were very careful not to throw away any left over food. Consumerism has induced us to be accustomed to excess and to the daily waste of food, whose value, which goes far beyond mere financial parameters, we are no longer able to judge correctly.

Let us remember well, however, that whenever food is thrown out it is as if it were stolen from the table of the poor, from the hungry! I ask everyone to reflect on the problem of the loss and waste of food, to identify ways and approaches which, by seriously dealing with this problem, convey solidarity and sharing with the underprivileged.

That said, look for an eco-encyclical that challenges us all—especially in the hyper-consuming West—in very specific and sacrificial ways.

6. Given that Francis does like to surprise people, we can be sure that we’ll all be surprised with how he expands these themes. It's likely that he will get very specific—mentioning particular resources, places, and peoples. While the placement of matters that can be easily associated with a particular time can sometimes date a magisterial document, I can see how papal attention given to tangible and temporal ecological realities will do much to connect our duties toward the environment with our duties toward the human person.

7. Lastly, Francis has a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother. Like his predecessors, he routinely entrusts his papacy to her intercession. And so the theological hermeneutic of such encyclical will, it seems, be specifically Marian. After all, it was Mary, as creature, that allowed the grace of God to stir within her and bring into human history the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sin of the world. 

That’s my take. What’s yours? Put your wish list of ideas in the comments below. If I get a good many I may very well send them to the Holy Father. After all, we know that Francis likes to engage the People of God for the good of all people and all creation.

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Pope Francis to diplomats: build peace by protecting life, nature

Photo: Flicker/Catholic Church (England and Wales)

At today’s gathering with the Vatican diplomatic corps for the annual “State of the World” address, Pope Francis continued to confound pundits who seek to box him in this or that worldly ideological box.

As with his predecessors, Francis sounded the alarm on a wide range of present-day ills—including a growing culture of disposability “which demeans the person, disrupts the environment, and damages society,” as Benedict XVI put it when speaking of the link between the human person and the environment.

Francis put it this way:  

Peace is also threatened by every denial of human dignity, firstly the lack of access to adequate nutrition. We cannot be indifferent to those suffering from hunger, especially children, when we think of how much food is wasted every day in many parts of the world immersed in what I have often termed “the throwaway culture”. Unfortunately, what is thrown away is not only food and dispensable objects, but often human beings themselves, who are discarded as “unnecessary”. For example, it is frightful even to think there are children, victims of abortion, who will never see the light of day; children being used as soldiers, abused and killed in armed conflicts; and children being bought and sold in that terrible form of modern slavery which is human trafficking, which is a crime against humanity.

By now you may have noted in Francis a theme of connecting the environmental concept of disposability with abortion. This is a brilliant (and quite accurate) way of bridging issues and ideologies. In doing so he is really just making the same point that Benedict XVI was making in Caritas in Veritate, which is quoted at the masthead of this blog.

Also like Benedict XVI—who devoted an entire Message for World Day of Peace on the environment—Francis connects the need for sustainable environmental ethics with the quest for peace. 

Finally, I wish to mention another threat to peace, which arises from the greedy exploitation of environmental resources. Even if “nature is at our disposition”, all too often we do not “respect it or consider it a gracious gift which we must care for and set at the service of our brothers and sisters, including future generations”. Here too what is crucial is responsibility on the part of all in pursuing, in a spirit of fraternity, policies respectful of this earth which is our common home. I recall a popular saying: “God always forgives, we sometimes forgive, but when nature – creation – is mistreated, she never forgives!”. We have also witnessed the devastating effects of several recent natural disasters. In particular, I would mention once more the numerous victims and the great devastation caused in the Philippines and other countries of Southeast Asia as a result of typhoon Haiyan.

I am sure some may be uncomfortable with a pope popularizing a pantheistic view of nature. But Benedict XVI had also anthropomorphized nature when he spoke of nature having a “language,” that is, an inner logic that we can know and that we should follow.

Benedict XVI the professor may have used exacting language to express this truth while Pope Francis uses the language of the common person. No matter what style of communication you prefer, there is no denying the message that the faithful and the world are being taught: Like it or not, the laws of nature are real, unyielding, and they are necessary to follow if we truly seek peace and plenty on planet earth.

       

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If the United States is frozen, is climate change a hoax?

Chicago waits out the "polar vortex."  Photo: Flicker/akasped

By now you’re aware of the deadly cold that has spread across much of North America. (As I type it’s 8 degrees Fahrenheit outside my window. It was seven below zero a few nights ago. Much of the heartland has seen double-digit negatives.) This peculiar weather is not only inconvenient and uncomfortable for those with the means to stay warm, it is devastating for the homeless and for those who cannot afford to heat their homes.

In any event, a few critics of anthropogenic climate change are whooping it up. If it’s this cold, there can be no global warming. Right?

Well, not exactly.

First, let’s look at what is happening with this “polar vortex.” The Weather Channel website has a nice overview on the matter, including this passage:

One of several semi-permanent weather systems over the Earth, the polar vortex is an area of low pressure in the upper atmosphere, primarily in the stratosphere, the layer of the atmosphere above which most of our sensible weather occurs (known as the troposphere).

To emphasize, this vortex is semi-permanent. It is often in place near the poles. It is nothing new. 

The Northern Hemisphere polar vortex frequently, but not always, has centers in two main areas: near Canada's Baffin Island, and over northeast Siberia. There is a Southern Hemispheric version of the polar vortex, as well, within which depletion of the upper-atmospheric ozone layer occurs.

The vortex is strongest in winter, thanks to an increased temperature contrast between the polar regions and the mid-latitudes, including the United States.

Occasionally, pieces of the larger spin can break off and sweep toward southern Canada, helping to rive Arctic cold plunges into the U.S.

In the case of this outbreak, the main circulation of the polar vortex in the stratosphere and upper reaches of the troposphere remained in place over northern Greenland and near Baffin Island. If you think of the vortex as a spinning wheel, one of its "spokes" did extend southward into the U.S. as January began.

Meanwhile, lower in the atmosphere at jet stream level, a pair of upper-level disturbances, one from the northeast Pacific Ocean and another rotating southward out of Canada's Northwest Territories, merged to help dig a sharp southward plunge in the jet stream, unleashing the Arctic blast into the nation's Midwest, South and East. 

There's more at the web site, including graphics. But all that said, let’s remember a few other facts.

First, there have been these past few weeks record heat waves in the Southern Hemisphere. The Philippines is still recovering from one of the largest and strongest tropical storms ever seen on this planet. Then there's the United Kingdom. It and its neighbors have been bedeviled of late by strong storms and floods.

But since weather is not climate, we must keep everything in perspective. It’s the trends that count, not the weather of a single day or even a single year. Thus the intense heat in Australia and the intense cold in North America in themselves say little about the climate.

And so we must look at the first principles of climate change.

These include the off-the-chart rise in carbon concentrations in our atmosphere, as animated by this very helpful video from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Earth System Research Laboratory. The video nicely shows how recent rises (and falls) of carbon concentrations compare to historic ones—going back hundreds of thousands of years.

Next, there is evidence that the atmosphere is responding as one would expect when you mix in this much carbon and other greenhouse gases. Temperatures rise and snow fall levels drop. (NOAA has another helpful website to show us this.) Sea levels rise, too. (Again, thank you NOAA for yet another helpful tool: This sea-level rise viewer for the United States. If you know of seal-level projection resources for other parts of the world, please add them in the comments.)

And storm systems carry (and dump) more water because even slightly warmer air holds lots more water. Here’s a look at my own region of the globe.

Source: NOAA NWS/Taunton

The information plotted here shows what I could have told you without a graph, based on my experiences dealing with water pollution control infrastructure: storms in Rhode Island are dropping more rain than they had in the past. Even innocent New England passing summer showers have become the occasional tropical torrent.

Well, in any event, temperatures will begin to moderate tomorrow as the polar vortex snaps back into shape. Winter will continue and spring will come. The cycles of nature will go on but they will go on differently over time.

The science is clear on this—even if some deny it.

But if we can't agree on the science, could we not agree, if on nothing else, on the need to pray for those in harms way of foul weather. This prayer (which I've modified slightly) seems appropriate given tomorrow's gospel reading.

Jesus Christ a King of Glory has come in Peace. † God became man, † and the Word was made flesh. † Christ was born of a Virgin. † Christ suffered. † Christ was crucified. † Christ died. † Christ rose from the dead. † Christ ascended into Heaven. † Christ conquers. † Christ reigns. † Christ orders. † May Christ protect us from all storms, lightning, floods, cold, and heat. † Christ went through their midst in Peace, † and the Word was made Flesh. † Christ is with us with Mary. † Flee you enemy spirits because the Lion of the Generation of Judah, the Root David, has won. † Holy God! † Holy Powerful God! † Holy Immortal God! † Have mercy on us. Amen!

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The 2013 top ten Catholic ecology stories

It was a bit dizzying at times, wasn’t it?

Surprising, uncertain, joyful—however you describe the last twelve months in the life of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, 2013 was one for the books.

Much that happened included or impacted ecclesial activity in the eco-sector—so much so that a few items below are groupings of events that in their own right deserve more attention. But by any counting, we find a clear trend throughout 2013—an escalating momentum and a strong continuity of ecology’s presence within the Church’s internal teachings and her activity in the world.

As I am not a full-time blogger, I’m sure I missed some stories. And so I’m interested in what you would add (or subtract) to this list of 2013’s major eco-events. Feel free to put those in the comments.

But for now, here’s my top ten:

10. Scholars examine, publish on Benedict XVI’s eco-statements

This first item provides appropriate continuity with 2012, when the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Climate Covenant, and the Catholic University of America held a unique conference on the eco-thought of Pope Benedict XVI. "A Catholic Consultation on Environmental Justice and Climate Change: Assessing Pope Benedict XVI’s Ecological Vision for the Catholic Church in the United States" brought together five bishops, over a dozen academic presenters and moderators, and a great many others seeking to unpack the words of Pope Benedict XVI in the context of emerging scientific understandings of a changing climate. The event’s papers were published this spring—and they make a valuable resource for scholars or anyone interested in the impact of Benedict XVI on Catholic eco-engagement. Edited by Jame Schaefer, associate professor of systematic theology and ethics at Marquette University, and Tobias Winright, associate professor of theological ethics at Saint Louis University, Environmental Justice and Climate Change: Assessing Pope Benedict XVI's Ecological Vision for the Catholic Church in the United States explores four key areas in connection with Benedict XVI’s teachings: human and natural ecology/human life and dignity; solidarity, justice, poverty and the common good; sacramentality of creation; and our Catholic faith in action. Publishers describe the work as the “product of mutual collaboration by bishops, scholars and staff, this anthology provides the most thorough treatment of Benedict XVI’s contributions to ecological teaching,” saying that it “offers fruitful directions for advancing concern among Catholics in the United States about ongoing threats to the integrity of Earth.” Ordering instructions and more information about this significant resource can be found here.

9.  Filipino bishops, archbishop demonstrate ecclesial eco-engagement

Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila. 

Photo: Flicker/James Sarmiento

We find toward the end of 2013 a model example of ecclesial concerns over a local issue that has widespread social and ecological implications. Twenty one bishops in the Archdiocese of Manila—including its archbishop, the Most Reverend Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, D.D.—wrote to their nation’s president with their concerns over the Manila Bay Reclamation Project, a massive mixed-use development proposal that includes the construction of artificial islands in Manila Bay. While the project has stirred concern among many sectors, the Church is expressing its own particular blend of caution. The bishops' letter calls attention to scripture, Catholic social teachings, and the writings of Bl. John Paul II and Benedict XVI. It also echoes statements by Pope Francis that urge the Church to encourage economic models of development that do not bring excessive profit to some by bringing pain to others—or that have no regard for the natural world. What will happen with this proposed development is anyone’s guess. But that a local church has made this such a priority is in itself worthy of high praise and a place on this top ten listing. (It should be noted that the Filipino bishops have a history of eco-concern. In 2010, for instance, they issued this letter about mining. The letter rather emphatically concludes “reflecting on our role as Stewards of God's creation, we, the bishops of Eastern Visayas, call on to our responsible leaders in government, in the private sector and all those who harbor intentions of mining our region to listen to the voices of our people, ‘Bring back the Beautiful Land we had once; STOP MINING IN OUR REGION.’” Emphasis original.)

  

  

8. More Catholic institutions and parishes go green, raise eco-awareness

Photo: Flicker/ Andreas Demmelbauer

Whether it was because of solar installations or academic involvement, Catholic communities made news with their eco-concerns and green energy use. This spring we saw the University of Notre Dame host a conference on climate change that “aimed to understand climate change and learn how to address it with an ethical, religious, and social lens.” Conference organizers say that the event represents the beginning of more studies on climate change and social values. There was also news from the Catholic University of America. It seems they’ve been busy with extensive renewable energy projects thanks to the vision and efforts of CUA staff and students. Joining the green-energy fun has been a series of parishes and religious orders, like Blessed Sacrament Parish and its school in Scottsdale, Arizona and Mount St.Mary's Cistercian Abbey in Wrentham, Massachusetts. The Diocese of Honolulu takes the prize for the continuation in 2013 of an impressive program of solar installations at 22 parishes as well as at its diocesan headquarters. In all, the work accounts for a third of the diocese’s parishes. Our compliments to His Excellency, Bishop Larry Silva for this fantastic initiative. These projects add to existing green church infrastructure across the globe. No doubt we’ll be seeing more—but for now, please add in the comments any additional green energy projects from 2013, from years past, of those planned. 

7. Growing Catholic opposition to fracking

Photo from @dpoliti

2013 also saw a growing Catholic wariness over hydraulic “fracking”—that under-regulated technique of drawing out natural gas from fragile shale deposits across the globe. The process uses millions of gallons of water to shake things up underground. One of the problems with fracking is what to do with the polluted wastewater—water that’s filled with proprietary chemicals and anything it picks up in its journey into and out of the depths of the earth. Then there are issues of groundwater contamination. The list of concerns with fracking goes on. While the Church seeks to balance any good that can come from technological breakthroughs to help lower energy costs, we know that the ends don’t justify the means. And so we’ve seen members of the Church step up and say no to fracking. In Kentucky, for instance, the Sisters of Loretto and Our Lady of Gethsemani have refused to grant an easement for a natural gas pipeline on their property. There is also the now famous photo of Pope Francis holding an anti-fracking t-shirt. The pope did not appear pleased in the photo, and there is no official word yet on what any of this means. But there is talk of an encyclical on ecology, or at least one about social issues that would include ecology. If so, we’ll likely hear about this from the pontiff himself. For now, Dennis Sadowski at Catholic News Service has an in-depth series on the Church and fracking. It makes for good reading and explains in detail why the Church-fracking link is on this list.

6. Ghana's Cardinal Turkson continues to highlight ecology

Photo: Flicker/Catholic Church (England and Wales)

We’ve already heard about Filipino bishops and their own Cardinal Tagle. 2013 also saw the Australian bishops’ council add ecology and stewardship to their voting guide. But few bishops, archbishops, or Princes of the Church have expressed ecclesial eco-concerns as clearly, boldly, and as often as Peter Cardinal Turkson of Ghana. Continuing a history of statements about the natural environment, the cardinal spoke at 2013’s World Youth Day by linking ecology and human life (as had Benedict XVI). “We cannot show concern for the earth and not show concern for human life,” Cardinal Turkson said. “Neither can we show concern for human life and not show concern for the environment or the earth. The two go hand-in-hand.” The cardinal also noted that it would take a sincere “conversion of heart” to bring about authentic and meaningful changes to the way humanity relates to its natural, life-giving environment. Later in the year the cardinal spoke in the United States regarding transgenic crops. He may have upset those opposed to genetically modified organisms in the food supply, but his words nonetheless were those of a Prince of the Church applying Catholic teachings on faith and reason for the benefit of the common good. (One of the arguments made by Church leaders in support of transgenic plants is that they require less pesticides and herbicides, which come with their own ecological and human health impacts. Such endorsements come, of course, with caveats that no research or technology can override moral laws.) No matter where you stand on a particular ecological issue, you can be sure that Cardinal Turkson will either comfort or challenge you as he continues to provide an inspired magisterial voice for the good of people and the planet.

5. African Catholics seek sustainability

Archbishop Peter J. Kairo (right) and Allen Ottaro

Other African voices are also sounding the eco-alarm—and in doing so they are being rather constructive in how they offer the Gospel of Jesus Christ to efforts in environmental planning and policy. Kenya’s Archbishop Peter J. Kairo has offered a particularly steady voice for the environment. Most recently he spoke at an interfaith eco-gathering in Nairobi titled “Faiths care for nature and protect wildlife.”  According to conference attendee Allen Ottaro, executive director of the Conference of Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability inAfrica (CYNESA), half of the participants at this event were Catholic, indicating the growing Catholic involvement in the ecological issues of Kenya in particular and Africa in general. Ottaro’s group itself highlights the growing concerns of African youth—especially within the Church—for the continent's social and environmental challenges. You can read much more about the interfaith gathering, Ottaro, and CYNESA in an interview with him here.

4. Growing bonds between faith and secular policy makers

The secular world is increasingly looking to faith communities to help right the societal and ecological ills of our day. In part this comes from the realization that faith speaks to the heart in ways that secular environmental advocates cannot. For its part, the Catholic Church brings a proven track record of placing faith and reason into dialogue. The Church also brings a rather large, well-organized structure to local and international matters, a point that Allen Ottaro notes in his interview noted above. And so in 2013, there have been increased efforts by secular entities to work with the Church on matters of environmental protection and sustainability. Dr. Robert Brinkmann, a sustainability expert at Hofstra University, expressed this in opening remarks of his interview of me in August. He notes that “science and policy can only do so much to try to deal with the environmental issues we are facing. Our broader culture has a great influence on the planet in ways that transcend any type of policy directive we can try to bring forward.  Religion is a great way to examine the environment and the human condition.” (I had also interviewed Dr. Brinkmann on the current status of sustainability studies. It’s one of the most popular posts at Catholic Ecology in 2013.) I’ve also seen this desire among the secular world to work with the Church in my professional activities with climate-change policy makers—locally and nationally. Internationally there is the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, founded in 1995 by His Royal Highness Prince Philip. The group seeks to help secular environmental efforts benefit from the enthusiasm and moral teachings of faith communities. In July, ARC delivered a letter to Pope Francis asking him to call special attention to issues in the Amazon Basin. The letter preceded by a few days the Pope’s attendance at Rio’s World Youth Day. And indeed, the pontiff did exhort the bishops of Brazil to protect Amazon—and by extension its ecology and peoples. In doing so, the pope was able to elevate the issue in ways that secular organizations could not. (While the Church must be cautious that its primary mission entrusted to it by Christ is not cast aside for secular interests, the Church’s work with the secular world is a means of New Evangelization, a reality that Benedict XVI proved more than once. But again, as we see in the next item on this list, the Church must be cautious.)

3. The 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

The fortieth anniversary of the legalization of abortion in the United States is on this list for interrelated reasons. As noted by Cardinal Turkson and by Benedict XVI, and many others, there is an inextricable link between abortion and ecological issues. This does not imply an equivalency between these realities. But abortion and ecology are connected. (When a cardinal and a pope can be called upon to make such a point, the point is valid, even if many do not wish to admit it.) The anniversary of Roe v. Wade makes this list because the decision (and the culture of death that it signifies) must warn Catholic ecologists against aligning ourselves too closely with those who support the “right to choose.” I say this because this self-imposed “right” is a symptom of a cultural inability to sacrifice for the good of innocent life. And if a culture cannot sacrifice for the good of others—if it will not encourage and support the life of unborn children, no matter the stage of growth—then that culture ultimately will be of no help in championing ecological issues (which, I argue, is why (whether they know it or not) so many secular groups are looking to the Church for help). After all, conservation and stewardship require sacrifice and self-control. This is also true for a culture that supports so-called same-sex marriage. We threaten all life when the desires of individuals—biological, emotional, or otherwise—trump the needs of the greater good, such as nurturing a culture of fertility and family cohesion. “Choice” as it is understood by many today ultimately justifies any choice to meet any need, desire, or whim. This regressive understanding of “choice” comes from the same source as modern pathologies that encourages the over consumption of the planet’s resources and the pollution of its water and air. This is why Pope Francis, as did his predecessors, links a culture of disposability and consumption with a culture of death. It is no coincidence that in the forty years since the United States Supreme Court paved the way to the death of tens of millions of unborn children, the United States and the world has also seen rampant, widespread, and often irreversible ecological damage. If disposing of babies can be justified, so can the disposal of other forms of life. Thus 2013 was a learning opportunity—a year to reflect on exactly who our allies in ecological protection are and who are not, no matter how much they believe otherwise.

2. Benedict XVI, the “green pope,” retires

Photo: Flicker/ Catholic Church (England and Wales)

Many of us will never forget where we were when the news sunk in—after we made certain that the reports were true, that Benedict XVI was indeed stepping down from the Throne of St. Peter. There is much to say about this moment in Church history. The humble abdication of power is in itself a lesson to the faithful and the world. But our task here is to focus on the ecological. Benedict was called the “green pope” by the faithful and the secular media for a reason. He boldly carried the eco-concerns of Bl. John Paul II deeper into the twenty-first century. But his championing of the environment was not mere theory. He put his words into practice. In all, he continued to ingrain them into magisterial teachings. No longer would pontifical eco-statements be considered the whim of one pope. Benedict XVI made certain we knew that the world’s ecological wellbeing concerned the Church deeply—and, professor that he was, he also taught us why. And so many Catholics and those outside of the Church worried that the retirement of Benedict XVI meant the end of powerful pontifical statements and actions that championed life on earth. But as I noted in the period between pontiffs, after Benedict XVI it would be impossible for any pontiff to ignore the cries of the earth. While I was correct, I underestimated what would happen next …

1. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio elected pontiff, takes name of St. Francis 

Photo: Flicker/ Catholic Church (England and Wales)

Habemus Papam! Francisco! With those words, the eco-sphere lit up and flooded social media. Catholic ecologists and many others shouted a collective Alleluia! While some wondered early on which Francis had been the inspiration for the name chosen by Cardinal Bergoglio, the obvious choice was the patron saint of ecologists. The name fit for many reasons, especially for a man who saw much work ahead to rebuild the Church with building blocks that his predecessors had provided him—we can’t overlook that. We also can’t overlook that St. Francis was not just known for his love of creation, but also for the virtuous lifestyles needed to protect creation—and souls. Nor can we forget that St. Francis knew the importance of the Cross. Thus taking the name of Francis of Assisi was an inspired choice on many levels. Since he first stepped onto the balcony overlooking the many thousands in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis has done and said much that has challenged every sector of the Church. (As I said to a friend recently, if your Catholic faith never challenges you, something is wrong.) This new pope—the first from the New World—has brought to the Throne of St. Peter an Ignatian spirituality and a practical background that not only eschews thrones (even if he understands why they are needed) but that uniquely champions the least among us—including the goodness of all life. Pope Francis has already said much about human consumption and life on earth. As we’ve seen already, he seems to condemn fracking while supporting the protection of the Amazon Basin. He exhorts us all to consume and discard less. He asks us to live simply and care for creation. One can be sure that much more ecologically themed statements, magisterial documents, and environmentally important actions will be coming from this pope. Fortunately, with the secular media enamored by his simple and dramatic ways, his words on the link between virtue, grace, and ecology will be heard by many millions. 

And so what exactly awaits the world of Catholic ecology? One can only wonder. My guess is that with Pope Francis continuing his predecessors’ eco-interest, the 2014 top-ten list will demonstrate once again the acceleration seen already in the historic 365 days that made up 2013.

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Caesar decrees, Christ saves: Good news for Catholic ecologists

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus 
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment, 
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
Luke 2:1-2

Caesar Augustus could never have imagined what you and I take for granted: a child born in a subjugated corner of his empire would build a kingdom that would outlast Rome—and every empire after. The glad tidings preached and lived by this child would bring to human existence a strength and a meaning that no human governance could offer. 

Christ came as a ruler unlike any other: He came with infinite power and in utter humility. He came to challenge the way we humans go about our business. Christians proclaim that these truths should illuminate every human activity—including how we seek to coexist with the rest of creation, an endeavor that of late has taken on increasingly political overtones.

And this brings us to good news: Since the birth of Christ, every Christmas has been a political event. 

Yes, in some ways we witness this in the perennial charges of state-sponsored proselytization when public school students dare sing Christmas hymns, or in lawsuits against the placement of Christian imagery on public property. In more volatile areas, Christmas—and Christianity in general—comes with fiery and lethal persecution. 

For some of us, it may seem that these anti-Christian sentiments are a new reality. But, as we know from the Gospels and Church history, Christianity has more often than not been an unwelcome stranger in a dark and frightened world.

Jesus and the Centurion by Paolo Veronese (1528 - 1588)

Luke squarely places the coming of the Son of God within the regulatory activities of the greatest empire of his age—indeed, of any known to his world. Mark does likewise, briefly and rather subversively. Their shared point was simple: Peace on earth, justice, and the proper ordering of human and cosmic affairs come only from our willing to be elevated by the presence of God—the divine author of nature’s laws and thus the true author of the just laws of man.

None of this means that Christ came to discourage human governance. He came to baptize it—along with all human activity—because he came to baptize us.

This Christian proclamation is one that Catholics must never forget, no matter what our vocations. It is a truth that Catholics engaged in ecological issues must especially embrace and live.

In his first encyclical, God is Love, Benedict XVI taught us about the blending of divine love and human governance. In doing so he reminded us of the place of the Christian disciple in matters of worldly activity. These words are particularly important for those who seek a purely political solution to our ecological ills.

In part, Benedict XVI wrote that

[j]ustice is both the aim and the intrinsic criterion of all politics. Politics is more than a mere mechanism for defining the rules of public life: its origin and its goal are found in justice, which by its very nature has to do with ethics. The State must inevitably face the question of how justice can be achieved here and now. But this presupposes an even more radical question: what is justice? The problem is one of practical reason; but if reason is to be exercised properly, it must undergo constant purification, since it can never be completely free of the danger of a certain ethical blindness caused by the dazzling effect of power and special interests.

Here politics and faith meet. Faith by its specific nature is an encounter with the living God—an encounter opening up new horizons extending beyond the sphere of reason. But it is also a purifying force for reason itself. From God's standpoint, faith liberates reason from its blind spots and therefore helps it to be ever more fully itself. Faith enables reason to do its work more effectively and to see its proper object more clearly. This is where Catholic social doctrine has its place: it has no intention of giving the Church power over the State. Even less is it an attempt to impose on those who do not share the faith ways of thinking and modes of conduct proper to faith. Its aim is simply to help purify reason and to contribute, here and now, to the acknowledgment and attainment of what is just.

Further along, he adds that

[t]he Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper. A just society must be the achievement of politics, not of the Church. Yet the promotion of justice through efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to the demands of the common good is something which concerns the Church deeply.

Love—caritas—will always prove necessary, even in the most just society. There is no ordering of the State so just that it can eliminate the need for a service of love. Whoever wants to eliminate love is preparing to eliminate man as such. There will always be suffering which cries out for consolation and help. There will always be loneliness. There will always be situations of material need where help in the form of concrete love of neighbor is indispensable. The State which would provide everything, absorbing everything into itself, would ultimately become a mere bureaucracy incapable of guaranteeing the very thing which the suffering person—every person—needs: namely, loving personal concern. We do not need a State which regulates and controls everything, but a State which, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, generously acknowledges and supports initiatives arising from the different social forces and combines spontaneity with closeness to those in need. The Church is one of those living forces: she is alive with the love enkindled by the Spirit of Christ.

Pope Francis has already echoed and built upon these words and will continue to do so. In his exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel," Francis quotes his predecessor’s words from God is Love, adding that 

[a]ll Christians, their pastors included, are called to show concern for the building of a better world. This is essential, for the Church’s social thought is primarily positive: it offers proposals, it works for change and in this sense it constantly points to the hope born of the loving heart of Jesus Christ.

For our purposes, this means that Catholics engaging in ecological policy must first be concerned with the conversion of hearts and the salvation of souls. And these ends come only from an encounter with the loving heart of Jesus Christ, as Pope Francis put it.

What all this is saying is that the primary task of the ecologically minded is not stirring social upheaval. Yes, there are times to peacefully protest (as with the annual March for Life in Washington D.C.) and to add our voices to local and national legislative hearings. We are to engage the political process. But we cannot seek to do good by doing harm, which some political activities can encourage and justify. Like Christ—who did not break into human history in Caesar’s palace with an army of angels around him, but as a naked infant born in a manger—anyone who seeks to save mankind from ecologically damaging lifestyles must work with patience, charity, and humility. Indeed, we must embrace the virtues taught and demonstrated by Christ.

But it is human to want to resist this—the path of the cross. And yet the ways of God are not the ways of Caesar, or you, or me. God's ways are infinitely good, right, just, and true. Christ lost on the day of his state-sponsored execution. But in allowing this loss He baptized it and won eternity for humanity—and for all creation.

And so it must be for us.

After all, Christmas is about the salvation that comes from humility. From trust. It is about the small, sacrificial ways in which God’s grace appears, when allowed to—sacramentally and otherwise. It is about God’s victory over man’s vices. It is about the Word made flesh—the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

Few today know any words or songs of praise to Caesar Augustus. But centuries before Christ’s birth, the Hebrew people were already singing in praise of the coming of the King of kings. We hear these words, in part, in Psalm 96, which millions of Christians sing at Midnight Mass—words that remind us of what should be a joyful, peaceful relationship between God, nature, and the human race.

Sing to the LORD a new song;

sing to the LORD, all you lands.

Sing to the LORD; bless his name.

R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Announce his salvation, day after day.

Tell his glory among the nations;

among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.

R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;

let the sea and what fills it resound;

let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!

Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.

R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;

for he comes to rule the earth.

He shall rule the world with justice

and the peoples with his constancy.

R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas.

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Bishops of Manila: development must balance common good

A man of the people—and the planet: Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila

Photo: Flicker/James Sarmiento

In a unique example of episcopal involvement in city planning and commercial development, twenty one bishops in the Archdiocese of Manila—including its archbishop, the Most Reverend Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, D.D.—have written to the president of the Philippines with their concerns for the Manila Bay Reclamation Project, a massive mixed-use development proposal that includes the construction of artificial islands in Manila Bay. 

While the project has stirred concern among many sectors, the Church is expressing its own particular blend of caution.

The bishops' letter calls attention to scripture, Catholic social teachings, and the writings of Bl. John Paul II and Benedict XVI. It also echoes statements by Pope Francis that urge the Church to encourage economic models of development that do not bring excessive profit to some by bringing pain to others—or that have no regard for the natural world. Quoting the Holy Father, Archbishop Tagle writes that the bishops 

appeal to you [President Simeon Benigno C. Aquino III] to be with us in responding to the call of Pope Francis. “Please, I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be ‘protectors’ of creation, protectors of one another and of the environment”

Make no mistake, this letter is not an opinion piece. The bishops have done their homework. Their comments express the findings of researchers that have studied the development’s risk to flooding and earthquakes, as well as its impact on ecosystems. The letter also suggests that public investments in this project would be better spent maintaining and improving existing communities. 

Sunset on Manila Bay. Project critics worry about lost 

views should the proposed development be built  

Photo: Flicker/Roslyn in Starfish Island

The bishops conclude with an impressive blend of faith, reason, and policy analysis. 

The scientific, legal and moral basis of our opposition for the reclamation of Manila Bay echoes God’s message. The Scriptures tell us in the Book of Genesis that after creating the heavens, the earth, the sea, and man and woman, “God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen 1:31).  Manila Bay is God’s creation and is God’s gift to the Filipino people. Blessed John Paul II constantly reminded us of this during. In a message for World Day of Peace titled, “Peace with God the Creator, Peace with All of Creation,” he warned us that “we cannot interfere in one area of the ecosystem without paying due attention both to the consequences of such interference in other areas and to the well-being of future generations.” Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI elaborated on this in his own 2010 World Day of Peace message, “If you want to cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.”

At the heart of Catholic social teaching is the concept of the Common Good. This is what should guide us in our decision regarding the Reclamation project. So we ask, “who stands to benefit from this project?”  

There is no question that the Project will generate spectacular profits for the corporations pushing the projects and for Local Government Units, many of which have serious debt problems. Should the decision to allow the project be determined only by financial considerations? Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in his last World Day of Peace Message on January 1, 2013, pointed out that “the predominant (economic) model of recent decades called for seeking maximum profit and consumption ... aimed at considering individuals solely in terms of their ability to meet the demands of competitiveness.” He said further that much tension and conflict are caused “by the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mindset which also finds expression in an unregulated financial capitalism.” He thus called for “a new economic model” and “a new model of development...as well as a new approach to the economy”.

A vision based on this “new model of development” is already being pursued to restore Manila Bay to its former richness. Our own Supreme Court decided, en banc, on December 18, 2008, in favor of the people and ordered all concerned agencies of the government to undertake a Mandatory Clean up and Rehabilitation of Manila Bay. According to research, the bay’s toxicity level has not made it unfit for marine life such as hasa-hasa, bisugo, squid, crab, shrimp, oyster and mussels, that sustains  the livelihood of settlers along the coastlines of Cavite, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan. “There is hope of restoration of Manila Bay’s marine resources. Manila Bay, with all its pollution, still contains life and gives life,” Dr. Laura David of UP-MSI told the Manila Standard Today newspaper (July 24, 2013).

This is really, really good stuff.

Will this episcopal statement have any effect? Perhaps. The Philippines is a predominately Catholic country. Whatever happens, I’ll make sure to keep you posted on these pages.

But for now, may God bless Archbishop Tagle and the bishops who have joined their signatures to his. Their involvement in this local eco-issue serves as a model of local churches everywhere.

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