For Earth Day, this week: Pray-Study-Act

PRAYER - STUDY - ACTION

Earth Day 2021

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Greetings of peace!

As we approach Earth Day on April 22nd, we recognize that the climate crisis is presenting increasingly urgent troubles for all of creation. Natural disasters are becoming stronger and more deadly with each season that passes, temperatures globally are rising at twice the rate that they used to, and sea levels are increasing at record speeds. When COVID first caused people to start staying home, the birds in Wuhan were reportedly able to be heard after years of silence and the sky was cleared of smog where it was previously covered in gray clouds. It should not take a life-altering pandemic for people to start taking measures to repair the damage caused by climate change.

As we move forward, nourishing the earth and cherishing her ability to breathe freely, we must commit to further progress that builds on the foundation that our slowed-down lives have created. In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis writes,

Nor can we overlook another kind of debt: the “ecological debt” that exists especially between the global north and south. We are, in fact, in debt to nature itself, as well as the people and countries affected by human-induced ecological degradation and biodiversity loss (51-52).

Climate colonialism is exacerbating economic and ecological inequalities between the global north and south. Any efforts for global equity that do not center the voices of those striving for climate justice are failing to holistically address the crises of the current moment. We stand in gratitude in appreciation for the folks paving a way for ecological justice -- especially the Indigenous leaders that remain in the forefront of the movement.

Please find below ways you can pray, study and act on Earth Day and throughout this week. I hope especially that, if you're a young adult between the ages of 20-39, you'll join us for our Evening of Dialogue on Ecological Justice this Wednesday; and that all of you will join us on Thursday for our second virtual Peace Mass, this one focused especially on the theme of care for creation.

In peace,

Lauren Bailey

National Field Organizer, Pax Christi USA

PRAYER

WE HOLD THE EARTH

from Interfaith Power and Light

We hold brothers and sisters who suffer from storms

and droughts intensified by climate change.

We hold all species that suffer.

We hold world leaders delegated to make

decisions for life.

We pray that the web of life may be mended through

courageous actions to limit carbon emissions.

We pray for right actions for adaptation and mitigation

to help our already suffering earth community.

We pray that love and wisdom might inspire my

actions and our actions as communities, so that we may, with integrity, look into the eyes of

brothers & sisters and all beings and truthfully say, we are doing our part to care for them and

the future of the children.

May love transform us and our world with new steps toward life. Amen.

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> Join the Nationwide Climate Prayer on Earth Day, April 22: Across the nation, people of all faiths will join their voices together to pray for action on climate change on Earth Day 12pm (your local time). Join us! When we stand together and raise up our voices we can have the power to change hearts and minds. Sign up at this link to join us.

STUDY

CLIMATE JUSTICE CAN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT RACIAL JUSTICE

by David Lammy

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> Read "The biggest problem with carbon offsetting is that it doesn’t really work," by Alia Al Ghusain.“Then there’s the issue of climate colonialism, which Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò defines as 'the domination of less powerful countries and peoples by richer countries through initiatives meant to slow the pace of climate breakdown.' It’s cheaper to set up offsetting projects in the Global South, which means that they may come at the cost of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, or they may be on land that would be better used for meeting local community needs...”

> Watch the Catholic Climate Covenant's Earth Day 2021 Program recording. A pre-recorded Earth Day 2021 program is now available! It’s an authentic live run-through of this year's Restore our Common Home program with staff from Catholic Climate Covenant.

ACTIONS

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY IN COMMUNITY

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH THE PAX CHRISTI USA COMMUNITY THIS WEEK: Pax Christi USA is offering 2 opportunities for our members, friends and partners to gather to celebrate/honor Earth Day this week.

> All young adults (ages 20-39) are invited to join the Pax Christi USA Young Adult Caucus (PCYAC) for an Evening of Dialogue on Ecological Justice on Wednesday, April 21st at 8pm ET/5pm PT. For more information and to register, click here.

> Our Pax Christi USA community will be joined by Fr. Jacek Orzechowski, ofm to celebrate April’s virtual Peace Mass. On April 22nd at 8pm ET/5pm PT, join the Pax Christi USA community to share in an Earth Day Mass. To read more and/or register, click here.

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SUPPORT 2 ACTIONS BY OUR PARTNERS

TAKE LEGISLATIVE ACTION FOR EARTH DAY: Urge your representative and 2 senators to support (or co-sponsor) energy innovation and carbon dividend legislation. Click here for an action alert from the Catholic Climate Covenant that you can direct to your Members of Congress.

STAND WITH POPE FRANCIS: Through his writings and his words, Pope Francis continues proclaiming a dire plea for people of faith to act on climate change. Show your support by signing the Catholic Petition for just action on COVID and the Climate Emergency from our partners at the Global Catholic Climate Movement. Click here to sign the petition and stand with Pope Francis.