The St. Francis Pledge

The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change will be launching a unique and unprecedented initiative, A Catholic Climate Covenant and the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor. This ambitious project is 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. This effort will be launched during the Easter season in 2009.

At the center of the Covenant will be 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.