BOSCO EARTH CARE

A ‘Week’ Of Action

Faiths 4 Climate Justice Week of Action

 To Phase Out Fossil Fuels And To Support A Just Transition To Renewables

&

To Actively Support A Global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

3 May to 12 May 2024

BACKGROUND

From May 3rd to May 12th 2024 people of faith around the world will unite for a week of action saying that we urgently need to phase out fossil fuels - Faiths 4 Climate Justice Week of Action.

This is being organised by GreenFaith International. GreenFaith is a multidenominational faith-based group founded in 1992 in the USA when Greenfaith’s founders attended the Rio Earth Summit and were awakened to our sacred duty to protect the planet. Today they have staffed offices and grassroots members in GreenFaith Circles in Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania, Europe, Latin America and North America.

The Australian response is being coordinated by ARRCC (Australian Religious Response to Climate Change) which is an affiliated member organisation of Greenfaith. ARRCC is actively supported by many Catholic groups such as the Sisters of St Joseph, the Sisters of St John of God, the Sisters of Charity, the Mercy Sisters and Mercy Health, the Loreto Sisters,  the Good Samaritan Sisters, Caritas, the Edmond Rice Centre, the Passionists, the Jesuits and Pax Christi.

Previous global actions organised by Greenfaith have taken place in as many as 40 countries.

The time is right: at the November 2023 COP28 meeting, political leaders agreed that it’s time to “transition away” from fossil fuels. We badly need to accelerate this transition.

In the Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum (October 2023), Pope Francis says:

“Yet, with the passage of time, I have realized that our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point. In addition to this possibility, it is indubitable that the impact of climate change will increasingly prejudice the lives and families of many persons.” LD 2

He goes on to say:

“ … that authentic faith not only gives strength to the human heart, but also transforms life, transfigures our goals and sheds light on our relationship to others and with creation as a whole.” LD 61

“… that it is necessary to be honest and recognize that the most effective solutions will not come from individual efforts alone, but above all from major political decisions on the national and international level.” LD 69

Caritas Australia, the Australian Catholic Bishops’ social justice arm, said in preparation for COP28 and in response to Laudate Deum that:

“… the call from Laudate Deum is clear – at COP 28, all efforts must be put towards policy that ceases the extraction of fossil fuels and at the same time facilitates the just transition to an economy based on renewable energies. This endeavour requires courage to break through the economic interests of the fossil fuel extractors.

As individuals, in the lead up to the meeting, we can put pressure on our politicians to support this direction. We are also reminded that ‘every little bit helps’ (LD 70), so that in our own transition to the use of renewable energies and other essential lifestyle changes we are creating a culture of transformation.”

https://www.caritas.org.au/news/blog/explainer-laudate-deum-and-the-call-for-urgent-climate-action/

Faith communities speaking out together will help both to raise the prominence of this issue and move it squarely into the mainstream.

Our job as communities of faith is to show our politicians and others that the mainstream wants them to act on this necessity; that the door to do so is open, and we will help them walk through it.

Bishop Vincent Long when writing about the Christian response to the disastrous bushfires of 2019-2020 refers to the necessity of action as well as prayer. He says:

“Non-believers may dismiss our prayers as asking our ‘invisible friend’ for magical favors. However, as we pray for all those who are affected by the fires and the drought, and ask God for rain, our hearts and minds naturally turn to the deeper meaning of things. As we pray, we ask where God is in these dramatic events. We seek awareness of God’s call to us through the people, places and events of these times. Authentic prayer leads us to give God’s love flesh and blood in our responses. Prayer is not an alternative to action, it is part of our action.”

https://www.catholic.au/s/article/Fiery-Signs-of-the-Times

PROPOSAL

Given the invitation of Pope Francis in Laudate Deum, the Bosco Social Justice Group (BSJG) proposes that, over the period 3rd  to 12th May 2024, the Parish of St John Bosco engages in a series of events that will raise community awareness of, and commitment to, the urgent need to phase out fossil fuels and to support a just transition to renewables.

Note: the proposed period of action includes two weekends – the 4th & 5th and the 11th & 12th May.

BSJG proposes that:

firstly, it works with the relevant Parish personnel and groups – the Parish Priest, the Pastoral Associate, the Mission Leadership Team, the Parish Pastoral Council and the Liturgy Committee – to determine the level of Parish commitment and involvement; and

secondly, to work with Engadine Uniting Church to prepare joint involvement in some events.

(BSJG has worked with Engadine Uniting over a number of years on joint, awareness-raising, social justice-related projects.)

The events could include:

·         A prayer that is said at an appropriate time during every Parish event, especially at Parish masses – a proposed prayer, from the USCCB, follows;

·         A homily preached during weekend masses that explores the call of Pope Francis in Laudate Deum – maybe a lay member of the congregation might be invited to share the homily?;

·         Special and specific Prayers of the Faithful;

·         A banner that is prominently and publicly displayed supporting the call to end fossil fuels - there are designs already made at www.arrcc.org.au/banners;

·         Invite as many people as possible to come to a joint unfurling of these banners (organised by ARRCC).

·         Organise a service or prayers for the unfurling of the banner; 

·         A joint liturgy with other faith traditions in the local area, e.g., the local Engadine Uniting Church,  that celebrates “that authentic faith not only gives strength to the human heart” and that seeks to “transform life and transfigure our goals and shed light on our relationship to others and with creation as a whole” (LD 61)

·         Some public display of support for action on ending the proliferation of fossil fuels, such as:

o   inviting local federal, state and local politicians to a joint community meeting;

o   a prayer service outside the offices of politicians.

·         Endorse Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty as an Organisation – St John Bosco Parish formally joins the global network of groups calling for a Fossil Fuel Treaty (https://fossilfueltreaty.org/) and encourage individuals to do so.

This prayer is inspired by Laudate Deum, Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation on care for creation in follow-up to Laudato Si'. From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/prayer-inspired-pope-francis-laudate-deum-praise-god

We praise you, O God, Creator of all things,
whose mystery unfolds in “a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person’s face.”1 

Jesus, your Son, taught us to wonder
as he made his way throughout the land, contemplating the beauty of creation.2

We pray, O God, that you may stir in us
a reverent awareness of our invisible link with the entire created world.

We pray for humility—
to remember that we, too, are created and are not creation’s masters.

We pray for compassion—
for open eyes and hearts to welcome those forced to flee from their homes due to rising sea levels and drought.

We pray for repentance—
so that our thirst for power and domination may be transformed into service.

We pray for simplicity—
and the will to turn from our greed which impacts vulnerable people everywhere.

We pray for cultural conversion—
that we may simplify our lifestyles, reduce pollution and waste, and exercise prudence in our decision making.

We pray for policy changes—
that as a nation and world we may work together to reverse the course of climate change.

Our hearts ache as we ponder:
“The world sings of an infinite Love: how can we fail to care for it?”3 

We praise you, O God,
confident that you work in our hearts and through our actions, so that we may better care for our common home. Amen.

1 Laudate Deum, Quoting Laudato Si’, no. 233.
2 Laudate Deum, no. 64, quoting Laudato Si’, no. 97.
3 Laudate Deum, no. 65.