Position of the Position of the Catholic ChurchCatholic Church

on on environmental environmental

issuesissues

Australian Religious Response Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC)to Climate Change (ARRCC)

Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II

Humanity has become more Humanity has become more sensitive to the sensitive to the “catastrophe” it is facing, “catastrophe” it is facing, “we must therefore “we must therefore stimulate and sustain the stimulate and sustain the ecological conversionecological conversion.”     .”    

(17 January, 2001)(17 January, 2001)

Desertification in the SahelDesertification in the Sahel

Australian Catholic BishopsAustralian Catholic Bishops

““We now urge Catholics as an We now urge Catholics as an essential part of their faith essential part of their faith commitment to respond with commitment to respond with sound judgments and sound judgments and resolute action to the reality resolute action to the reality of climate change.”of climate change.”

(November 2005)(November 2005)

Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI

"Before it is too late, it is "Before it is too late, it is necessary to make necessary to make courageous decisions that courageous decisions that reflect knowing how to re-reflect knowing how to re-create a strong alliance create a strong alliance between man and the earth." between man and the earth."

((2 September 2007) 2 September 2007)

Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI

climate change is a realityclimate change is a reality ““The Church has a responsibility The Church has a responsibility

towards creation, .... earth, towards creation, .... earth, water and air as gifts of God the water and air as gifts of God the Creator meant for everyone, and Creator meant for everyone, and above all to save mankind from above all to save mankind from the danger of self-destruction.”the danger of self-destruction.”

(1 January, 2010)(1 January, 2010)

Vatican, carbon neutral since 2012Vatican, carbon neutral since 2012

Holy See’s observer to the UNHoly See’s observer to the UN

““The scientific evidence for The scientific evidence for global warming and for global warming and for humanity's role in the humanity's role in the increase of greenhouse increase of greenhouse gasses becomes ever more gasses becomes ever more unimpeachable,” ....unimpeachable,” ....

(10 May, 2007)(10 May, 2007)

Our Lady of Fatima, KingsgroveOur Lady of Fatima, Kingsgrove Care for creation Care for creation

in Pastoral Planin Pastoral Plan Education via Education via

workshop + workshop + bulletinbulletin

Energy efficiencyEnergy efficiency 2015, solar 2015, solar

panels on panels on presbytery roof.presbytery roof.

St Charles Parish, WaverleySt Charles Parish, Waverley

Implementing Catholic Implementing Catholic Earthcare’s Earthcare’s environmental audit environmental audit tooltool

Will reuse, reduce and Will reuse, reduce and recycle water, waste recycle water, waste and energy as well as and energy as well as considering offsetting considering offsetting carbon emissionscarbon emissions

Rahamim Ecological Learning Rahamim Ecological Learning Community, S’s of Mercy, BathurstCommunity, S’s of Mercy, Bathurst

Community Community gardengarden

Rainwater Rainwater

harvestingharvesting Join local climate Join local climate

action groupaction group Minimum use of Minimum use of

energyenergy Host workshopsHost workshops

Caloundra Catholic parishCaloundra Catholic parish

• Seminar Seminar seriesseries

• Energy Energy auditaudit

• Energy Energy efficiencyefficiency

• Joining Joining actions with actions with local grouplocal groups

Solar panels, Caloundra Catholic ChSolar panels, Caloundra Catholic Ch

Solar panels Solar panels

Mount St Benedict’s Mount St Benedict’s College, College, Pennant HillsPennant Hills

St Ignatius College, Riverview, St Ignatius College, Riverview, Sustainability FestivalSustainability Festival

Pedal powered Pedal powered electricityelectricity

Catholics participate in Catholics participate in mining protestsmining protests

Pope Francis & Ecumenical Patriarch Pope Francis & Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Bartholomew I

““We acknowledge in We acknowledge in repentance the wrongful repentance the wrongful mistreatment of our planet, mistreatment of our planet, which is tantamount to sin which is tantamount to sin in the eyes of God.”in the eyes of God.”

(25 May 2014)(25 May 2014)

Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin

(States have) …. “a shared (States have) …. “a shared responsibility to protect our responsibility to protect our planet and the human family, planet and the human family, ensuring present and future ensuring present and future generations have the generations have the possibility of living in a safe possibility of living in a safe and worthy environment.”and worthy environment.”

(23 September, 2014)(23 September, 2014)

Pope FrancisPope Francis

Mankind has "slapped Mankind has "slapped nature in the face" …. “God nature in the face" …. “God always forgives, we men always forgives, we men sometimes forgive, nature sometimes forgive, nature never forgives. If you slap it, never forgives. If you slap it, it will always slap you it will always slap you back.”back.”(16 January, 2015)(16 January, 2015)