‘Embrace’ Pope’s word on climate change

Realising that the planet is on the brink of a precipice that can only be stopped by the actions of humans who need an “ecological conversion”, is an idea that can’t be understated according to several prominent academics.

Over the weekend more than 100 people gathered in the Dromantine Conference Centre in Co. Down for a meeting about the environment. ‘Our Parish, Our Common Home’ conference, inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, was hosted by the Society of African Missionaries.

The conference began with a scientific overview by Dr John Sweeney, former professor of Maynooth University who highlighted the severity of the “exceptional” warming of the earth, and how the warmest three years on record have been in the last three years.

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As a climate scientist who has worked on climate change issues for almost 40 years at the university and has over 100 publications on this and related topics, he said climate change is already affecting countries in Africa and Asia.

Flooding and drought have become more severe than ever before and certain places in the developing world face “cultural extinction” because of the consumerism and excess of the developed world, he said, “disproportionately we have a great deal to answer for”.

Dublin priest and author Msgr Dermot Lane said at the conference: “I think that one of the key moments in bringing about the conversion that is required is to use a new language – a different language – people are saying that the young people are leaving our Church, why is that?”

“Because they don’t find the language of Laudato Si’ in their prayers, in their worship, in the way the Eucharist is celebrated. Young people grow up with an evolutionary outlook, and the evolutionary outlook raises all kinds of searching questions as to where is the presence of the Spirit in all of this?

“So, I believe very strongly we have to begin to pray the new cosmology, the new cosmic story, we have to initiate a spirituality that can embrace the earth.”

Active

Nowadays young people are heavily involved in environmental matters, many schoolchildren are extremely informed and active in combatting climate change and its impact on the earth the Coordinator of the Laudato Si’ Project in Trócaire Dr Lorna Gold told conference goers.

Heavily involved in the school climate strikes that saw young people taking to the streets to highlight the need to combat human causes of global warming, Dr Gold gave an overview of the encyclical.

“It’s very important that we within the Church have read this document, understand this document, because sometimes I feel in the work that I do it’s read more outside the Church than within,” she said.

Dr Gold highlighted a message Pope Francis gives in the encyclical saying “our relationship with the earth has become fractured” and “we are living in a time of crisis in terms of our relationship with the natural world”.

Several speakers highlighted the destruction of the earth’s delicate eco-systems, particularly over the last few decades, and how human interference is  irrefutably the main driving force.

Catherine Devitt of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice said that Laudato Si’ invites everyone to value all life on the planet.

“We talk about justice and we talk about rights, but isn’t it time that we also need to consider the rights and the place of other species? And to consider that our concept of the common good now needs to include and expand and embrace all other species on the planet,” she said.

Development

“Laudato Si’ does say that, it provides far more in offering a new development in Catholic teaching around the clarity of non-human creatures and their value.”

Hosted by the Northern Ireland Catholic Council on Social Affairs, the Bishops’ Council for Justice and Peace and the Laudato Si’ Working Group of the Council for Catechetics, it encouraged many parish representatives to bring the message of Laudato Si’ to their community.

The need to act both as an individual as well as a community, whether it be as a family or within a parish, was highlighted as being integral to successfully responding to Pope Francis call in Laudato Si’ during the conference.

What they said…

-Taking a break outside during the conference are Amy Dinsmore (18), Dr Lorna Gold of Trocáire, Niamh Murphy (17), Paulina Bork (17), Eve McPartland (16), teacher Sr Yvonne Hannah from Our Lady’s Grammar School in Newry and at the back: Dr John Sweeney Emeritus Professor of Maynooth University. Sr Yvonne, who came with some of her students [pictured], said: “The variety of speakers were excellent, you know things but it’s great to be reminded. We also learnt a lot. I’ve found that young people always are very interested in climate change, it’s adults who have to get on board, a lot of the speakers spoke about that.”

-Msgr Jim Carroll, Anne Fitzpatrick from Mayobridge parish, Seamus Farrell of the Diocese of Derry’s Laudato Si’ group, Frances McNally, Youth Director in Dromore diocese and Youth Leader Niamh Rocks. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Frances McNally said: “I suppose the whole event really fires people up, I’m certainly fired up to go back to my work and get young people involved in protecting our common home. I’m thinking of a prayer walk, environmental walk, planting trees, it’s going to be action based. I think young people are more engaged if there’s Faith in action.”

-Sandra Garry, part of the event’s organising team, is part of the Northern Ireland Catholic Council on Social Affairs (NICCOSA).

-Anne Connolly, Fr Joe McVeigh and Andrea Connolly outside the SMA’s Dromantine Convention Centre in Co. Down. Fr McVeigh said the talks were “very inspiring”. 
  “When I go home this is going to be from now on a big part of what I’m going to say at Mass, I think it should be a priority – this issue – in every parish in every diocese in Ireland. We should be putting pressure on our politicians and our political leaders to act in a very meaningful way to reduce carbon emissions.”

-Fr Robert Fleck of the Diocese of Down and Connor, Communications Officer for the Irish bishops Brenda Drumm and Bishop Noel Treanor of Down and Connor.

-Bernadette Campbell of Trócaire and Aileen Kelly. Ms Kelly said the conference highlighted for her the short time period before there’s a “point of no return” regarding the climate. “If everybody here goes home to their parish and starts some small thing, I was thinking of starting a pollination garden…it will have ripple effects.”