Eco-Congregation Ireland is delighted to be partnering with Trócaire in its new eco award scheme for Catholic parishes, as outlined in the excellent new GLAS pastoral resource launched to accompany the recently updated Catholic Bishops’ pastoral, ‘The Cry of the Earth – A Call for Action for Climate Justice’.
Speaking at a press conference in Maynooth on 1st October, Bishop John McAreavey said the Bishops were conscious that the Church had a responsibility to support efforts to address the consequences of climate change and environmental degradation.
The pastoral reflection was first issued in 2009 but has been updated to include the latest scientific information and to take account of the most recent report findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The revised pastoral reflection has expanded the faith reflection to include contributions from Pope Francis, including his message for World Day of Peace in January 2014. The Bishop recalled that in his message, Pope Francis warned of the threats to peace from greed and the arrogance of dominion, possession, manipulation, and exploitation of the natural environment.
He explained that the major contribution of Cry of the Earth, when it was first published, was that it helped the Irish Church understand why and how care of the natural environment is rooted in the Christian faith.
“The document pays particular attention to the role of the Church, emphasising that the consequences of climate change and environmental degradation will always be most keenly felt by the most vulnerable,” he said.
“We have seen that members of our local Church communities are ready for the challenges of responding to climate change in a spirit of solidarity and, in re-launching this document, we are recognising the interest and awareness that exists already at local level. We are seeking to support that work by providing easily accessible materials for reflection both from a faith and scientific perspective.”
We highly recommend that you look at the pastoral reflection and the accompanying GLAS resource, which is full of practical suggestions for incorporating environmental care into church life.