Have You Taken The Pledge?

Go to catholicclimatecovenant.org to view the video, "Who's Under Your Carbon Footprint?" and to sign the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor (if you have not done so already). The site has changed since the last time it was referenced in these blog pages, so it is worth another look.

Additionally, click here to access the May 18 joint letter (USCCB/CRS) addressed to the House of Representatives urging that the “fundamental moral measure of climate change legislation is how it affects the poor in our own country and around the world” and saying, “we are deeply disappointed that the funding resources committed to international adaptation fall fundamentally short of what is needed and the increase in available resources is pushed too far off into the future.”

R.I.P. Father Larry Rosebaugh

Click here to read the story of Father Larry Rosebaugh, an Oblate of Mary Immaculate, who was killed last week in Guatemala.

Pax Christi USA Announces 2009 Teacher of Peace

From the Pax Christi press release:

Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace movement, has recognized the life and witness of Bishop Leroy Matthiesen by naming him the 2009 recipient of the Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace Award. Pax Christi USA first gave the award to Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement, in 1978 and has since recognized some of the most significant U.S. Catholic activists for peace and justice of the past 30 years, including actor Martin Sheen; poet and priest Daniel Berrigan, S.J.; and Dead Man Walking author Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J. Bishop Matthiesen's life has been defined by his long and consistent advocacy for peace and justice, from his activism as a young priest on issues of racism to his prophetic call for the abolition of nuclear weapons as a bishop with a nuclear weapons assembly facility in his diocese.

"We believe Bishop Matthiesen fulfills the criteria for the Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace Award and exemplifies the theme 'to reach peace, teach peace,'" reads his nomination, submitted under the names of 20 individuals, including seven former Teacher of Peace Award recipients. "It is now time-long overdue-to honor a courageous bishop, who suffered for his conscientious stands for justice and peace."

Click here to read the rest of the article.

World Environment Day - June 5

June 5 is World Environment Day, a vehicle through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. Click here for a prayer (from the USG/UISG JPIC Commission in Rome) that can be adapted for your use to commemorate this day. Click here for the site of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

This I Believe

Dr. Paul Farmer, co-founder of Partners in Health, has recorded an "audio essay" for the National Public Radio "This I Believe" series. Click here to access the audio slide show (about 3 minutes long). The essay begins, "I believe health care is a human right," which summarizes the reason for the existence of Partners in Health.

Integrity of Creation

From the JPIC promoters in Rome:

At the recently held SEDOS/JPIC joint Seminar in Assisi for “Creation at the Heart of Mission” two draft letters were prepared for religious communities. One was a summary of the Seminar and an invitation to Religious Congregations to become more involved in Integrity of Creation issues. The second letter is to Religious Congregations as an invitation to lobby governments in their region on Climate Change. The first letter can be found in four languages on the wikispaces (click here for English). The second letter will be up on that website soon.

Additionally, you can find the presentations by the guest speakers as Adobe files and the news press releases.

Just a reminder that a prayer for World Environment Day (June 5) will be posted on this blog soon. Also, remember that you can access the booklet on creation entitled, "Earth Community, in Christ through the Integrity of Creation towards Justice and Peace for ALL" on the Social Justice page of the SCC Eastern Province website, www.scceast.org

Another Health Care Related Petition

The Coalition for Human Needs is circulating a sign-on letterthat responds to the Senate Finance Committee's recently released paper on health care coverage options. The letter advocates for options that best serve low-income and other vulnerable populations, options also advocated by CHA. Organizations can sign on by going to http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/125/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1953