Archdiocese of Cincinnati | Catholic Social Action Office

|
|
St. Francis Pledge Newsletter
Spring 2022
a newsletter from the Care for Creation Task Force
|
|
|
Spring is coming!
We hope this newsletter finds you safe, enjoying the remainder of winter, and looking forward to spring, the beautiful season of rebirth and growth. We thank God for guiding us through the peace and quiet of winter, and we pray that our hearts are filled with God's grace, ready to be poured out on all of God's creation.
We are, of course, entering the holy Church season of Lent. We hope that your Lenten journey brings you closer to God - the God that is all around us, within us, and within our neighbors and all of creation.
Pace e bene,
Archdiocesan Care for Creation Task Force
|
|
HB 6 (and it's various components) continues to be dismantled, piece by piece. Just recently the subsidies for most of the coal plants were removed. Unfortunately, there has been no reinstatement of the environmental protections that were removed. Check out a more detailed run down of the components of the bill and what you can do.

|
|
Webinar Series from EarthConnection
March 24, 2022 – “Gardening with Native Plants”
Presenter: Kathy McDonald, Master Gardener
April 21, 2022 - “Ecospirituality through the Eyes of an Artist” – Part I
Presenter: Imogene Drummond, international artist, and filmmaker (New York)
April 28, 2022 - “Ecospirituality through the Eyes of an Artist” – Part II
May 12, 2022- “Explorations into the Life and Spirituality of Hildegard of Bingen” – Part I
Presenter: Maureen Wild, SC (Gabriola Island, Canada)
May 26, 2022 - “Explorations into the Life and Spirituality of Hildegard of Bingen” – Part II
All presentations are offered at 1 p.m. Eastern Time Zone
370 Neeb Road
Cincinnati, Ohio 45233
513-451-3937
|
|
From the Marianist Environmental Education Center
Nature & Spirit Hikes
Nature & Spirit hikes are new monthly opportunities for Friends of MEEC donors and volunteers to spend time with each other in the Mount St. John nature preserve with staff to build awareness of seasonal changes that inform our spiritual journey. We will heighten our observation skills, using all our senses to learn about - and from - the species in our larger Earth community and their Creator. We will learn and practice prayer and reflection techniques to nurture ourselves as stewards, peacemakers, and justice seekers.
We'll gather in Lot C at Mount Saint John at 12:45 on the fourth Friday of each month (including this Friday, March 4) unless otherwise noted on our website. Hikes will last 60-90 minutes. No registration is required, but we do ask you let us know you plan to attend by emailing info@meec.center by Wednesday prior.
Lenten Reflections
Each week will focus on one of the goals of the Laudato Si Action Platform (LSAP): response to the cry of the Earth; response to the cry of the poor; ecological economics; adoption of simple lifestyles; ecological education; ecological spirituality; and emphasis on community involvement and participatory action. LSAP is a seven year journey launched by Pope Francis to engage the entire human family in prayerful action to care for our common home.
Matt is a Lay Marianist, University of Dayton alum, engineer, and blood cancer survivor. He is active in the Saint Francis of Assisi Precious Planet ministry as well as the integral ecology team of the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative. He and his wife have two small children. Check out his blog at https://hairywitness.blog.
Reflections will be posted on the MEEC website. If you prefer, you may sign up to receive them by email here.

|
|
From the Diocese of Cleveland
Lenten Weekly Virtual Series: “Moving From Laudato Si’ to Laudato Do: Practical, Hopeful Ways to Live the Laudato Si’ Action Platform Goals”
Wednesday Evenings of Lent (7:00-8:00 PM) – Zoom event
Presented by the Cleveland Diocesan Social Action Office and featured weekly guest speakers
March 9: “Hearing and Responding to the Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor”
March 16: “Living Laudato Si’ through More Ethical Lifestyles, Purchasing and Consumption”
March 23: “Forming Our Faith and Discipleship to Live Laudato Si’ and Christ’s Gospel: Ecological Education and Spirituality”
March 30: “Community and Communal Ways to Live Laudato Si’: How We Are Interconnected and Better Together”
Followed by (in Easter season): “Where Do We Go From Here?” brainstorming and group discussion session during Laudato Si’ Week, May 2022 (Laudato Si’ Week Date TBD, but likely to be Wednesday, May 18, 2022 from 7-8 PM via Zoom)
Sponsored by: Cleveland Diocesan Social Action Office, with the support of the Conference of Religious Leadership's Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation Subcommittee.
TO REGISTER (and for Zoom link): Email Jeff Campbell, and include parish or school.

|
|
Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit
- Save the Date -
Thursday, June 16, 2022
Each year, the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit brings together hundreds of passionate leaders to share inspiring solution-oriented ideas that propel us toward a healthier, more resilient future. We are thrilled to announce that in 2022 the Summit will return to Xavier University's Cintas Center as an in-person, hybrid event on Thursday, June 16th. This year’s event is co-sponsored by The Brueggeman Center for Dialogue.
Our 2022 theme will explore Emergent Strategies for an Equitable, Climate Prepared Region. We are now accepting proposals for panel discussions, interactive workshops, and short talks, as well as field trips and community events for the day after the conference. Check out our sponsor and exhibitor opportunities. Award nominations are also now open for individuals and organizations that have made outstanding strides in impact, innovation and leadership. Learn more!

|
|
LAUDATO SI ACTION PLATFORM
We are happy to announce that Archbishop Schnurr has given us his blessing to officially join the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as a partner with the Laudato Si' Action Platform. We are thrilled to be joining dioceses from around the globe in this important effort.
We are planning on holding information sessions on the Laudato Si' Action Platform and how our Archdiocese will be implementing the different goals across the different sectors. We don't have hard dates set yet, but please be on the look out for an invitation for events to be held in late spring.
In case you missed it in the winter, here's a brief article
giving a bit more information on the new platform.
In May of this year the Vatican launched the 7-year Laudato Si’ Action Platform (laudatosiactionplatform.org). This initiative’s aim is to have every Catholic institution, from the family to large organizations, become ecologically sustainable in seven years. Pope Francis’ goal is “to help lead the world’s Catholics along a journey of intensified action in caring for creation.” In his video message on May 24th, Pope Francis stated that “We need a new ecological approach that can transform our way of dwelling in the world, our styles of life, our relationship with the resources of the Earth and, in general, our way of looking at humanity and of living life.”
“Our selfishness, our indifference and our irresponsible ways are threatening the future of our children…I therefore renew my appeal: let us overcome the temptation of selfishness that makes us predators of resources; let us cultivate respect for the gifts of the Earth and creation, let us inaugurate a lifestyle and a society that is finally eco-sustainable,” said Francis in his video address.
In his encyclical Laudato Si’, published five years ago, Pope Francis identified the ecological crisis as “a summons to profound interior conversion; a reexamining of our relationships with the Creator, with creation, and with our sisters and brothers.” He also noted that “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue…and calls for a spiritual and cultural revolution to realize integral ecology.”
The Laudato Si’ Action Platform focuses on seven sectors: families, parishes, schools, hospitals, businesses, organizations, and religious orders. It has seven goals: the response to the cry of the earth, the response to the cry of the poor, ecological economics, adoption of simple lifestyles, ecological education, ecological spirituality, and community involvement. More specific steps about how the various sectors can become active participants in working towards the action plan goals are available at www.catholicclimatecovenant.org.

“There is hope,” Pope Francis says. “We can all collaborate, each one with his own culture and experience, each one with her own initiatives and capacities, so that our mother Earth may be restored to her original beauty and creation may once again shine according to God’s plan.”
|
|
Helpful Hints
If you're looking for some practical ways to make an impact right now, check out these ideas!
Nations reached their climate agreements at COP 26 and now it’s up to us to continue to act and to advocate for the earth. Some actions we can take: cut back on the gas guzzling. Transportation is the largest source of carbon emissions in the U.S., accounting for about 28 percent of all GHG emissions. Questions to ask ourselves: Is this trip necessary? What about combining errands? Could that meeting happen over Zoom? Shall we carpool, walk, bike, or take public transit? Keeping in mind that how we drive can make our ride more fuel-efficient. We can save gas by accelerating and braking gradually, subduing our inner speed demon by keeping it at 50 miles per hour and using cruise control on long hauls. And we don’t want to be that person who leaves the car idling while chatting with neighbors, waiting for the train’s caboose, or idling in a school zone.
Servicing the car regularly can help keep it running efficiently. Simple things like checking and adjusting tire pressure and upgrading motor oil can increase fuel efficiency. Tending to a more serious problem, like a faulty oxygen sensor—which measures the composition of your car’s exhaust and helps calculate how much fuel to use—can improve mileage by as much as 40 percent. So be sure to tend to that check-engine light right away!
Another tip -- when packing cargo, using a hitch-mounted rack (the kind that attaches to the back of the car) instead of roof-top boxes makes the more aerodynamic, saving fuel, big time.
One key point: New cars generate anywhere from 6 to 35 tons of CO2 emissions during the manufacturing process, depending on the type of car and materials needed, which counteracts the fuel-efficient benefits of switching in the first place. That’s major, especially considering the average American’s carbon footprint is about 18 tCO2e per year. So while driving an electric car or a hybrid can help cut down on emissions in the long run, there’s no need to rush to upgrade to something new, no matter how shiny it is. The production of vehicles is actually hugely carbon intensive and may take away the gains from opting for an energy-efficient model. If you are buying a new car, look for a Smart Way certified vehicle—this government program run by the EPA certifies the lowest emitting cars each year.

|
|
Laudato Si' Communities:
You can do it!
We want to recognize Catholic parishes and schools that live out Pope Francis' Laudato Si' message of caring for God's creation.
Qualifying parishes or schools will:
- Earn the title "Laudato Si' Community" at an annual recognition event; Receive an eco-friendly banner to display in or outside their building
- Be featured on the Archdiocesan website, Facebook page, and in other Archdiocesan media outlets and communications.
To earn this designation, parishes/schools should:
1. Complete a facilities assessment and meet a target score for environmental stewardship practices
2. Have 10 percent of its member-households complete their own household assessment
3. Host or provide a Care for Creation formation program to parishioners/students
We are accepting applications for our 2022 communities. Qualifying communities will be recognized around the feast of St. Francis (10/4). For more information, check out the website. If you have any questions, let us know.

|
|
Laudato Si' Communities - Highlight
Each season, we're celebrating one of our recipients.
For this spring newsletter, we're highlighting the Sisters of Divine Providence, the first of our two 2021 honorees and our first out-of-state recipient (they're in Melbourne, KY). For their project, they have installed a butterfly garden, upped their recycling, increased their energy efficiency, and entered into an agreement with the Campbell County Nature Conservancy to help protect their wetlands and woods. They've also started moving their car fleet to hybrids, grown (and eaten) more local produce, and asked all of their households to consider sustainability with all of their purchases.
Congrats to the Sisters of Divine Providence
on becoming a 2021 Laudato Si' Community!!
|
|
The following items are provided by the Archdiocesan Care for Creation Task Force Prayer and Learning Teams for use where appropriate in parish liturgies and bulletins during the coming months. |
|
March
Bulletin Prayer
Good and gracious God, we are surrounded by chaos in our world today. Give us the grace and the strength to be voices of hope. Help us to find hope within ourselves through prayer and contemplation that we might truly be a light in the darkness for others.
Intercession
For all those who are suffering from depression and anxiety during these difficult times may we be signs of hope, we pray to the Lord…
Papal Quote
“The present world system is certainly unsustainable from a number of points of view…Hope would have us recognize that there is always a way out, that we can always redirect our steps, that we can always do something to solve our problems.” (Laudato Si’ #61) - Pope Francis
|
|
April
Bulletin Prayer
As spring blossoms burst forth all around us, we ask for the gifts of wonder and amazement and the ability to see the interconnectedness of all in God’s creation.
Intercession
That we might take the time to see the beauty around us and give thanks that all of creation is infused with God, we pray to the Lord.
Papal Quote
“Inner peace is closely related to care for ecology and for the common good because, lived out authentically, it is reflected in a balanced lifestyle together with a capacity for wonder which takes us to a deeper understanding of life.” (LS #225) – Pope Francis
|
|
May
Bulletin Prayer
Loving God, help us to be faithful to your call to care for the environment and live out of both Gospel and Church teachings that challenge us to be faithful stewards of Earth, your precious gift.
Intercession
That we may see ourselves as integrally connected to the entire web of life and realize the negative consequences of our overuse of resources on our sisters and brothers throughout the world, we pray to the Lord…
Papal Quote
“The Earth is indeed a precious gift of the Creator who, in designing its intrinsic order, has given us bearings that guide us as stewards of his creation. Precisely from within this framework, the Church considers matters concerning the environment and its protection intimately linked to the theme of integral human development.” -Pope Benedict XVI,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
‌
‌
‌