Catholic College and University Leaders Sign Letter in Support of the Clean Power Plan

Faculty, staff, and presidents of Catholic institutions of higher education were among the 125 Catholic leaders who have signed a letter of support for the Clean Power Plan, promoted by the Catholic Climate Covenant. The Clean Power Plan is an effort by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce the carbon pollution of existing power plants by 30 percent by 2030. It is the nation’s most ambitious effort to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas pollution. The letter stresses the Church teaching on the care for creation that is deeply connected to the protection of human life and dignity, especially of the poor and vulnerable. Pope Francis, in Laudato Si’, advocates for the reduction of carbon dioxide and other polluting gases emissions through environmental policy.

Currently, the Clean Power Plan is being challenged by nearly two-dozen states. No matter the legal fate of the policy, signers urge Congress to replace the plan with new policies that reduce carbon emissions in an equal or more ambitious way, joining with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The bishops promote policy action on reducing carbon emissions in response to Pope Francis’ call in Laudato Si’.

The letter was delivered on February 16 to the new EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, as well as President Trump, top Congressional leaders, and state governors. Read the full letter here.

Fordham University to Host Catholic Social Teaching Conference

This week, Fordham University will host a conference titled, “Building Good Economies: An Interdisciplinary Conference Celebrating Catholic Social Teaching at 125.” In a convergence of higher education scholars, prominent experts in Catholic Social Teaching, and more, the conference will explore themes of economic justice, environmental justice, public health, and the 2016 presidential race.

Many speakers from Catholic higher education will present, including:

• Professor Juliet Schor of Boston College, who will be giving a talk titled, “Toward a New Economy: Time, Creativity and Community”.
• Professor Christiana Peppard  of Fordham University will be joining a panel on “Laudato Si, Ecology, and Sustainable Business” along with Carolyn Woo, President and CEO of Catholic Relief Services.
• Professors Maureen O’Connell of LaSalle University, John Carr of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University, Rev. Bryan Massingale of Marquette University, and Gregory Acevedo of the Fordham Graduate School of Social Service will comprise a panel titled, “Economy, Ecology, & Exclusion in an Election Year”.

Additionally, the opening panel will feature Hernando de Soto, President of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy in Lima, Peru. Responses will be given by Daniel Finn of Saint John’s University (MN) and Carolyn Woo.

The conference will take place Wednesday, April 20 to Friday, April 22, 2016 at the Fordham University Lincoln Center campus. Plenary sessions are free and open to the public. Register now to reserve a seat!

How does your college or university engage in dialogue on Catholic Social Teaching? Let us know! 

Molloy College to Host Cardinal Peter Turkson at “Catholics, Capitalism and Climate” Discussion

Next week, Molloy College of Rockville Centre, NY will host a lively discussion to continue the dialogue on climate.  Entitled “Catholics, Capitalism, and Climate,” the event features  Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, as the keynote speaker. As a principle contributor to Pope Francis’s recent encyclical Laudato Si’, Cardinal Turkson will offer his remarks on the encyclical and its significance.

After the Cardinal’s remarks, Fr. James Martin, SJ, editor at large for America Magazine, will moderate a panel including Meghan J. Clark, Ph.D., R.R. Reno, editor of First Things magazine, and Erin Lothes, Ph.D.

The event will take place at 2:00 p.m. on February 17, 2016 in Molloy College’s Madison Theater. For more information and to RSVP, please visit the Molloy website.

How is your college or university continuing to discuss climate change? Let us know! 

Fordham University Hosts Forum on “The Environment, the Poor, and the Struggle for Justice”

The relationship between the world’s poor, ecological degradation, and climate change has received renewed attention since the release of Laudato Si’.  In a recent forum, Fordham University explored these topics and more.

On November 3, the University’s Center on Religion and Culture hosted a panel entitled: “Our Planet’s Keeper?: The Environment, the Poor, and the Struggle for Justice”. The forum engaged religious and secular perspectives on “the twin challenges of ecological devastation and global poverty”. The speakers included:

• Óscar Andres Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga, SDB, archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras; former president of Caritas Internationalis, a global confederation of Catholic humanitarian organizations.
• Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University; special advisor on millennium development goals to the United Nations secretary-general.

Moderated by Joan Rosenhauer, executive vice president of Catholic Relief Services, the panel brought to the table essential insights into Catholic social teaching, environmental in justice, and the encyclical in general.

On Laudato Si’ and its potential to change the world, Sachs responded by citing a historic example of the political and perhaps life-saving power of Catholic social teaching. He reminded us of the impact that Pope John XXIII’s 1963 encyclical Pacem in terris had on former President John F. Kennedy, the Cold War, and international nuclear policy.  Sachs cited the seemingly coincidental relationship between the publishing of the encyclical, JFK’s commencement speech on peace at American University, and the signing of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the Treaty on Nuclear Non-Proliferation:

“The encyclical played a fundamental role in shifting the world. And here we are today. It’s happening again.”

Cardinal Rodriguez spoke on Pope Francis’ authority on the matter of environmental injustice. In response to critiques that the pontiff should not meddle in political or scientific affairs he said:

“This is wrong. The encyclical talks about global warming in passing. Its main argument is that the earth is our common home. And every house needs maintenance—especially when we live in a house that is a little old.”

How is your campus engaging environmental justice? Let us know! 

St. Thomas Aquinas College Hosts Sustainability Event on Water

On Wednesday, November 4, St. Thomas Aquinas College (STAC) of Sparkill, NY held an event to discuss sustainability and water.  STAC’s School of Arts & Sciences, School of Business, and School of Education joined together to host the event, showing how issues around water relate to several areas of study. As part of the national discussion on sustainability, the event featured four presenters, each sponsored by one of the College’s Schools:

• Dr. John Rosko, associate professor of biology in the School of Arts and Sciences at the College
• Peter Coy, Economics editor of Bloomberg Businessweek magazine, sponsored by the School of Business
• Don Distante, director of planning at United Water (NY), sponsored by the School of Business
• Dr. Matthew Harke, a post-doctoral research scientist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, sponsored by the School of Education.

The presentations, given by the above speakers respectively, focused on:

• Sparkill Creek and the local water supply
• “Making Water More Liquid”
• “Water Resources: Current Issues and Future Solutions”
• “It’s Not Easy Being Blue-Green”, a study on fresh-water algae

For more information about STAC’s sustainability efforts, visit the College’s Global Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility website.

How does your campus promote water sustainability? Let us know! 

More Resources: Laudato Si

Looking for more resources on the new encyclical, Laudato Si’?  The USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development have shared the following resources:

• Bulletin Insert: “Praise Be to You, My Lord” – overviews important themes in the encyclical and includes suggestions for prayer and action.
• Discussion Guide on Laudato Si’ – for use in a small group setting, delves more deeply into main themes of Laudato Si’.
• Blog Post: Pope Francis’ New Encyclical—this post on JPHD’s ToGoForth.org blog is the first of several posts on Laudato Si’ during the next several weeks.
• Caring for God’s Creation: Resources for Liturgy, Preaching, and Taking Action – includes resources for preaching and teaching about care for God’s creation.
• Press Release – includes USCCB President Archbishop Kurtz’s “Statement on the Occasion of the Promulgation of Laudato Si’”
• Children’s books by USCCB, in collaboration with Loyola Press, on caring for God’s creation.
• USCCB Environment page—contains additional resources, including backgrounders and links to the U.S. Catholic bishops’ statements on environmental concerns.

Some additional helpful resources include:

• Catholic Climate Covenant—has resources, stories, opportunities for action, the St. Francis Pledge, and a sign-on thank you message to Pope Francis in English and Spanish.
• Catholic Relief Services Pope Francis page—includes stories of how climate change is impacting vulnerable communities around the world with whom CRS works.

Additionally, Cindy Wooden of Catholic News Service has shared a helpful glossary of terms used by Pope Francis, while John Allen of Crux has published two articles analyzing the history of the Church’s teachings on the environment and the impact of the encyclical in the U.S.

In light of the encyclical, many Catholic colleges and universities have shared how their Catholic mission drives their commitment to the environment and implementation of sustainability initiatives.

• Loyola University Chicago alumnus Zac Davis wrote a piece on how his alma mater leads the way in sustainability initiatives for America.
• Saint Vincent College shared their sustainability initiatives, inspired by the Benedictine tradition of environmental stewardship.
• University of Saint Francis (IN) campus ministry has shared that they, along with Our Sunday Visitor, will host a conference on campus this fall to discuss and study the encyclical.
• A community of scholars and practitioners gathered at University of St. Thomas (MN) to discuss Human and Natural Ecology: Economic, Political and Cultural Implications, in anticipation of the encyclical.  Visit the Center for Catholic Studies website to learn more and read presentation summaries.

Visit ACCU’s webpage on the release of Laudato Si to learn more!

Laudato Si Release: Learn

Earlier today, Pope Francis released his long-awaited encyclical letter, Laudato Si.  We at ACCU are sharing resources and best practices to help our campuses pray for commitment to care for creation, learn about the encyclical and our call to stewardship, and act upon our beliefs to work for the common good.

˜LEARN˜

Pope Francis has released his encyclical, Laudato Si, to teach Catholics around the world about environmental stewardship.  The full encyclical, along with brief comments, and a list of quotations, can be found on Catholic Climate Covenant’s website, while Jim Yardley and Laurie Goodstein have compiled a strong analysis of the themes of the encyclical for The New York Times.

Laudato Si continues Pope Francis’ commitment to caring for all members of creation and the world around us, furthering the Catholic Church’s engagement with environmental justice.  Catholic Climate Covenant explains that previous leaders Pope Benedict XVI and Saint John Paul II further developed the Church’s teachings on care for creation. The U.S. Bishops have interpreted and applied these teachings in a local context for the American Catholic Church through a number of statements and letters, including advocating for legislation that promotes responsible care for the environment.

Other Resources to Learn More

Looking for a short history of the Church’s teaching on stewardship?  Watch “Catholicism and the Challenge of Ecology“, a video from Catholic News Service.

Interested in a resource more specific to Catholic higher education?  Xavier University has compiled a list of resources on higher education, Catholic identity, and sustainability.  Highlights include remarks on sustainability and Catholic mission from the president, Fr. Michael Graham, SJ, and professor Kathleen Smythe, Ph.D. on Jesuit identity and sustainability.

Laudato Si Release: Act

Earlier today, Pope Francis released his long-awaited encyclical letter, Laudato Si.  We at ACCU are sharing resources and best practices to help our campuses pray for commitment to care for creation, learn about the encyclical and our call to stewardship, and act upon our beliefs to work for the common good.

˜ACT˜

ACCU member institutions have acted upon their call to care for creation through a number of sustainability and environmental justice initiatives.

• The Catholic Climate Covenant, with support from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities, and the Catholic Campus Ministry Association, have produced Sustainability and Catholic Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration (PDF; 3MB).  Through mission-based initiatives, the Toolkit offers practical suggestions to inspire individuals, families, schools, parishes, and dioceses to follow the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change’s St. Francis Pledge.
• 29 Catholic colleges and universities have taken the St. Francis Pledge, sponsored by the Catholic Climate Covenant, committing to living out the value of care for creation through reflection, action, and advocacy.  These campuses include: Aquinas College (MI), Cabrini College, Chestnut Hill College, College of Saint Benedict, Creighton University, Gonzaga University, John Carroll University, Lewis University, Loyola University Chicago, Marquette University, Mercyhurst University, Mount St. Joseph University, Neumann University, Rosemont College, Saint Anselm College, Saint Francis University, Saint John’s University (MN), Saint Joseph’s College (IN), Saint Mary’s College of California, Saint Michael’s College, Salve Regina University, Seattle University, St. Thomas More College, Stonehill College, University of Notre Dame, University of Portland, Villanova University, Viterbo University, and Xavier University.
• The Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability at Seattle University lives out a core tenet of the university mission.  The Center has undertaken a number of initiatives, including supporting faculty and student research through fellowships.  Dr. Trileigh Tucker, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Seattle University, and one of CEJS’s first Faculty Fellows, developed a teaching resource on environmental justice, compiling syllabi, assessment methods, and foundational documents used frequently in courses on environmental justice.
• Benedictine University in Illinois has received a $46,000 Food Scrap Composting Revitalization and Advancement Program (F-SCRAP) grant from the state to allow for the diversion of food scraps generated in the campus cafeteria and other buildings.
• In spring 2015, Cabrini College held a conference, “Faith, Climate, and Health”, to examine how climate change affects the health of the most vulnerable citizens.
• At the University of Portland, professors Dr. Russell Butkus and Dr. Steven Kolmes, teach a course entitled “Theology in Ecological Perspective”, exploring Catholic and Christian teaching and environmental science.

Read more ways ACCU member campuses have undertaken sustainability initiatives on the ACCU website.  Check back frequently as we will post new updates and ways that ACCU campuses react to the Laudato Si to the blog!

Professor connects with Catholic Social Teaching

At the recent Faith, Food, and the Environment symposium, Dr. Christopher J. Thompson, Academic Dean of the St. Paul Seminary at the University of St. Thomas, spoke about the intersection of faith and ecology. Among other topics, this professor discussed how he connects literature to nature, nature to ecology, and ecology to Catholic Social Teaching in his classes. He encourages Catholics (especially Catholics in higher education!) to develop an authentic human ecology. Read his entire post here, or see the excerpt below:

“And so my first challenge, an invitation goes first to my own community, namely, the Catholic intellectual community, to continue the work of this conference beyond these few days. If we hope to promote an authentic human ecology, a comprehensive culture of life, then we have to celebrate the life of agriculture and begin to consider concrete ways in which food growers and producers can become contributors to the life of the university at large.”

 

New Resource: Creating a Climate for Solidarity 35th Anniversary of St. Francis Named as the Patron Saint of Those Who Promote Ecology

October 2014 marks the 35^th anniversary of St. Francis named as the Patron Saint of those who promote ecology by St. John Paul II. Pope Francis, equally inspired by St. Francis, highlighted early in his pontificate how the poor are disproportionately and unjustly harmed by environmental degradation, including climate change.

From St. Francis to Pope Francis to You! Creating a Climate for Solidarity is a 90 minute multimedia presentation combining short video testimonials with group reflection processes that highlight the impacts of climate change on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people and communities. Each program will be offered in Parish, College, and Youth versions and in both English and Spanish.

Visit the Catholic Climate Covenant website for more information about these resources.