
The first, a workshop entitled "Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity: the Moral Dimensions of Climate Change and Sustainable Humanity," was led by the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences, Religions for Peace, and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The final report from this workshop calls for action to "address the challenges of human-induced climate change, extreme poverty, and social marginalization, including human trafficking, in the context of sustainable development."
The second meeting was that of Caritas Internationalis, the Church's worldwide humanitarian and development organization, which explored the theme, "One Human Family, Caring for Creation." In his opening homily, Pope Francis said:
"We must do what we can so that everyone has something to eat, but we must also remind the powerful of the Earth that God will call them to judgement one day, and there it will be revealed if they really tried to provide food for Him in every person (cf. Matt. 25:35) and if they did what they could to preserve the environment so that it could produce this food."
Pope Francis' encyclical on ecology has been called the most anticipated papal encyclical in the past 50 years, and excitement continues to grow as its release date nears. To read some of what people are saying, follow the links below.
- Dan Misleh, Catholic Climate Covenant Executive Director in the New York Times
- Dan Misleh in the National Journal
- Lonnie Ellis, OFS, Covenant Associate Director in the Global Post
- Dan DiLeo in the National Catholic Reporter
- Our Sunday Visitor Editorial Board
- Christiana Peppard, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theology at Fordham University in the Daily Beast
- Vincent J. Miller, Gudorf Chair in Catholic Theology and Culture at the University of Dayton in America Magazine