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WASHINGTON
During the Easter season, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change plans to publicly unveil a "Catholic Climate Covenant," a new initiative to make U.S. Catholics more aware of what they can do to stem climate change and its effects. It will be unveiled with a public event on Earth Day, April 22.
The covenant includes "The St. Francis Pledge to Protect Creation and the Poor," modeled after St. Francis of Assisi, whose "Canticle of the Sun" praised God's creation in the form of, among other things, earth, water and creatures. The pledge is "a solemn commitment made by Catholic individuals, groups and institutions to honor God's creation and serve the poor," according to the pledge's preamble.
The pledge asks Catholics to pray and reflect on the duty to care for God's creation and protect the poor and vulnerable; learn about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of climate change; assess "how each of us ... is contributing to climate change," both in terms of consumption and conservation; act "to change our choices and behaviors contributing to climate change"; and advocate for Catholic principles and priorities in discussions and decisions about climate change, especially their impact on the poor and vulnerable.