Chai Brady
Michel Roy of Caritas Internationalis The World Meeting of Families is a time when Ireland will be at the “centre of the world” and is an opportunity for organisers to highlight climate change issues, the Secretary General of the world’s largest Catholic Charity has said.
Michel Roy of Caritas Internationalis – a worldwide confederation of over 165 Caritas organisations – spoke to The Irish Catholic after a Global Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM) conference held in Maynooth.
“There are various factors that will bring Ireland to engage more, the World Meeting of Families is an event in which a strong voice can be pushed for,” said Mr Roy, “but I think your parliamentarians and your government are listening to the people, and so that’s from the grassroots.”
With the Environmental Protection Agency predicting last year that Ireland would not reach the carbon emission reduction commitments set out in the Paris climate agreement, the Government faces international pressure to increase efforts.
The Secretary General said: “This is the right moment and with the World Meeting of Families I think Ireland is really the centre of the world where significant steps can be made.”
The GCCM started as a grassroots movement in 2014 and encourages the divestment of fossil fuels and lifestyle changes in order to preserve the environment and implement the Pope’s encyclical on the environment Laudato Si’.
“We have taken a number of initiatives, like the Laudato Si’ Pledge, inviting everyone to pledge through prayer and action to change their way of living to something more sustainable,” added Mr Roy.