Resources

Catholic Climate Covenant: The St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor

Today the great gift of God’s Creation is exposed to serious dangers and lifestyles which can degrade it. Environmental pollution is making particularly unsustainable the lives of the poor of the world … we must pledge ourselves to take care of creation and to share its resources in solidarity.
—Pope Benedict XVI

Resources to Promote the Catholic Climate Covenant:

Direct Mail resource sent to all parishes, elementary schools, and diocesan directors of religious education and youth ministry. Download it in English (PDF) or Spanish (PDF)
Bulletin Inserts and Clip Art (PDF)
Covenant Print Ad: The Coalition is launching a nationwide ad campaign. It asks the question "Who's Under Your Carbon Footprint" and encourages widespread participation in the St. Francis Pledge. Downloadable Print Ad (PDF)
Use this flyer to promote the Catholic Climate Covenant (PDF)

Endorsements from Bishops:

Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton endorses Catholic Climate Covenant. See the statement and the list of prayer and actions the diocese has "taken to address global warming and its effects on our disadvantaged communities." (PDF)

Archbishop Henry Mansell of Hartford endorses Catholic Climate Covenant. The Archdiocese will "foster continued engagement on this serious issue that has profound implications for humanity, but most especially for the poor and vulnerable." See his letter here (PDF)

Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk of Cincinnati endorses the Catholic Climate Covenant and has "authorized the creation of a Climate Change Task Force" comprised of "staff and volunteers from across the Archdiocess [who] will strategize on how we can live out the five elements of the pledge." See entire statement (PDF)

Bishop Sam Jacobs of Houma-Thibodaux endorses the Catholic Climate Covenant because "scientific and public discourse have converged in making climate change both an urgent practical concern and a moral imperative for Catholics in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux." Click here to view his entire statement (PDF).

New Endorsement from National Organization:

National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy endorses Covenant

What is the Catholic Climate Covenant?

A Catholic Climate Covenant and the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor, is a unique and unprecedented initiative in response to a growing desire by the Catholic community to respond, in faith, to climate change. It will also be a demonstration of a common Catholic commitment to care for God's creation and to stand with the poor and vulnerable people in our nation and around the world who face the impacts of a changing climate.

See Catholic News Service Blog for coverage.

This effort will be launched on
Earth Day, April 22,2009

At the center of the Covenant is The St. Francis Pledge calling Catholic individuals, groups and institutions to make a serious commitment to all of the following:

PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God's creation and for the poor and vulnerable;

LEARN about and educate others on the moral dimensions of climate change;

ASSESS our participation-as individuals and organizations-in contributing to climate change (i.e. consumption and conservation);

ACT to change our choices and behaviors contributing to climate change and;

ADVOCATE Catholic principles and priorities in climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact the poor and vulnerable.

We need your stories!

Many of you may already be fulfilling elements of the pledge.

Learn how many national Catholic organizations and institutions are taking action on climate change

Because of the scope and reach of this project, we would be grateful if you would share some of your ideas and activities. In turn, we will include these resources to help others fulfill their St. Francis Pledge. For example:

What prayer resources might you recommend that are helpful in fulfilling the first part of the pledge?
What actions to reduce your carbon footprint have you, your diocese, your parish, your school taken that others might find easy to replicate in their own settings?

Please send to: info@catholicsandclimatechange.org

Working together, individuals, parishes, dioceses, religious orders and other organizations can help reduce our climate impact, enable us to add a distinctly religious and moral perspective to the discussion and change the nature of the climate debate.

We’ll keep you posted as the Catholic Climate Covenant unfolds! Sign up now (if you have not already signed up with the Coalition).

Our earth speaks to us, and we must listen if we want to survive.
—Pope Benedict XVI, July 24, 2007