St. John the Baptist of New Brighton


	The 7 Basic Principles of Catholic Social Teaching: u Life and dignity of the human person � Call to family, community, and participation � Human rights and responsibilities � Option for the poor and vulnerable � Dignity of work and the rights of workers � Solidarity � Care for God's creation


	Global Warming? So What?! A Catholic Moral Perspective Moira Heffron, St. John's Parishioner (with Anne Marie Bartlett, St. John's Social Justice Coordinator)

THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING. PERIOD. FULL STO P. SO WHAT?

As a child growing up on the high plains, I was very attuned to climate and weather, taking joy in hours of sunshine and learning messages in the big sky and the smells of the constant wind. Our parents didn't watch the evening news to learn how to dress us the following day, but they did tell stories of drought, of the Great Depression, of storms. Safe in a world of expanding technology as satellites began to twinkle alongside the stars, I somehow thought we had things all figured out, that now we knew better. Well, as good ol' St. Paul says, "When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child..."

In the words of Teilhard de Chardin, "As Jacob said, awakening from his dream, the world, this palpable world, which we were wont to treat with the boredom and disrespect with which we habitually regard places with no sacred association for us, is in truth a holy place, and we did not know it." And it is the place we are given to care for and live. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) reminds us of our 2-fold obligation:

(1) to act as stewards of creation, and

(2) to be in community with the poor and powerless, those
particularly vulnerable to the likely consequences of global warming.

I was one parishioner from over 90 parishes who gathered at Pax Christi Church on a sparkling October afternoon in 2006 for "Global Warming: a Catholic Perspective Forum and Kick-Off Event."

Joined together in beautiful music and meditative reflections, we became an energized and informed community listening to:

� Dr. John Hart as he shared his cogent information and sources of spiritual strength;

� J. Drake Hamilton of Fresh Energy as she clearly
outlined action steps;

� and above all, explorer Will Steger as he gave his
stunning eyewitness account of the effects -- already termed the colossal hangover from our fossil fuel binge by meteorologist Paul Douglas. (The Archdiocese will be making a DVD of the Pax Christi event available.)

I couldn't help but remember an event 20 years ago where I heard Minnesotan Ann Bancroft talk of her amazing expedition, and the sense of hope, inspiration, and participation in the world community that we, as listeners, felt. Now that sense has taken on tones of urgency and sadness as Paul Douglas explained that the changes scientists are documenting are for the first time global and cannot be explained by cycles of natural causes.

All this, and then we heard from Will Steger that, regardless of what we do, some species (polar bears?!) will be extinct in the next 20 years.

Robin Linde of the Archdiocesan Global Warming Action Team invited us not only to work with the team, but also to take action now, at home, in our parish, and in public policy. You may have seen Don Shelby's television editorials, you may have read Paul Douglas' blog, you may have seen a global warming movie, you may have attended this event as well -- whatever path you have taken to become aware -- you realize that, "at its core, the environmental crisis is a moral challenge." (USCCB)

The climate is changing. So what? It is about the future of God's creation, our one human family, and the action we take. That's what!

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?

The Office for Social Justice is asking parishes in the Archdiocese and every individual family to take the Minnesota Energy Challenge. To do this, go to www.mnenergychallenge.org. This free website allows us to account for our household CO² emissions and then track our challenge. When you go to the website, choose the "Archdiocesan Global Warming Action Team" (look under Other Teams).

Some of you may have heard that Archbishop Harry J. Flynn and two other faith leaders met with Senator Norm Coleman about global warming. They delivered "sign-on" solutions. To learn more, you can go to www.osjspm.org/globalwarming for additional information.

It should be no surprise to any of us that we are not doing a very good job of tending to our earth, which is really one of our main responsibilities as children of God's great creation. I hope that you might consider taking the Energy Challenge. Let us know what comes of it for your family, and we can print it in a future Forerunner. As with most things in life, if everyone would do one's part, the big job would get a lot easier.

Socks for the Homeless

sponsored by St. John's St. Vincent de Paul Society