Lent Disgraced

In this Holy season of Lent, some Catholic groups are trying to devote practices of sacrifice and penance to the politics of special interest groups. This corruption of our solemn practices is a disgrace. Shades of the special interest groups taking liberties, even in our seminaries, after Vatican II. We all know where that led.

Science and Religion

Abstract

In this Holy season of Lent, some Catholic groups are trying to devote practices of sacrifice and penance to the politics of special interest groups. This corruption of our solemn practices is a disgrace. Shades of the special interest groups taking liberties, even in our seminaries, after Vatican II. We all know where that led.

Lent Disgraced

The misguided comments of our Holy Father, the beloved Pope Francis, about global warming have stirred things up even before his anticipated encyclical. The pope, as most know, has included the reduction of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) among the things crucially needed to help the poor, helping the poor had been his lifelong crusade. Unfortunately, he has been advised by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, specifically the Catholic Climate Covenant. In turn, the Covenant relies on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which uses the now fully discredited results of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC has predicted that rising levels of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere cause a “crisis” of increased global warming producing catastrophic damage worldwide. The global temperature has not changed for the past twenty years, and CO2 has been conclusively shown scientifically to not affect global warming.

Unwittingly, the Holy Father has shot the poor in the foot, since CO2 enhances crop growth immensely, which is especially important to the poor everywhere and critical to the starving people in third-world countries. And ironically, this hurts the poor in the United States in ways other than stinting in agriculture. The various taxes/penalties/shares imposed by the EPA on energy producers based on their “Carbon footprint”, particularly those producers using fossil fuels, are, guess what passed directly on to the consumers. The consumers with the least amount of money to devote to essentials such as electricity, heating, and car gasoline, are the poorest among us.

Pope Francis of course means well but should be more careful about accepting advice from non-scientists about scientific matters or about anything from politicized special interest groups outside his purview of guiding the Church on matters of faith and morals. 

So what does this have to do with the Holy season of Lent?

Groups, such as the “GCCM(1)”, described by the following article, while not having a legitimate climate scientist among them, have “emotionally” joined the environmentalist crusade against the helpful gas CO2. This group and others like them have succeeded to taint the solemn season of Lent(1) by promoting a dedication of Catholic Lenten practices to the unfounded reduction of CO2. 

I imagine this pope was strongly influenced to quickly accept the unfounded political campaign against the effect of CO2 on global warming by his upbringing in socialist Argentina, where he achieved his well-deserved fame by leading causes for the poor. I pray that his remarks on matters where he’s uninformed, or misinformed, will be better informed in the future. However, we must not regard his comments as “teachings”, or that he has “abused his powers” as some say. As all Catholics should know, but they don’t, his “powers” are confined to matters of faith and morals. Pope John Paul II decried the evils of moral relativism, about which then-Cardinal Ratzinger (who became Pope Benedict XVI) was his “point man”, preaching and writing scholarly books on the subject. That is the sort of social problem about which we expect popes to guide us.

However, God knows we have had both good and bad popes throughout history, the latter bringing grief to many. They have all been human beings, warts and all. Thankfully we have had the Holy Spirit, as promised by Christ, protecting us from errors in faith and morals, as has been the case without fail even in periods of “bad popes”. But Pope Francis is far from a bad pope, just one who has been grossly misguided by his Papal Academy.

Referenced Article:

Catholics Around The World Will Fast For Climate Action During Lent

February 18

Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, and though some Catholics will be giving up sugar or coffee or junk food, others will be taking the 40-day test of self-control one step further. They’ll be giving up food (or at least one meal) for at least one day during Lent, and will be doing so as a call for action on climate change.

The group organizing the fast, the Global Catholic Climate Movement(1), is also encouraging participants to abstain from activities that produce carbon emissions or waste during their fasting day. It’s also encouraging participants to pray for “the urgent solution of the climate change crisis” and for “easing the suffering of the poor and those affected by disease and severe weather” during their fasting day.

“The essential message is to reduce our carbon footprint and increase our spiritual footprint,” Jacqui Rémond, Director of Catholic Earthcare Australia, which is organizing Australia’s fast, said.

The fast comes about a month after Pope Francis told reporters that he thought climate change was mostly the fault of human beings. It also comes a few months after news broke that, this year, Pope Francis would be releasing an influential document called an encyclical on why Catholics should do their part to mitigate climate change. The document will be distributed to thousands of Catholic bishops and priests around the world, who will then distribute it to parishioners.

The Global Catholic Climate Movement

The GCCM is an international coalition of Catholic organizations and individuals that, in union with and in support of the pope and bishops, seeks to raise a strong Catholic voice in global climate change discussions. We are laity, religious, and clergy, theologians, scientists, and activists from all over the world, united by our Catholic faith and our work on environmental and social issues. Our goal, underpinned by Catholic teachings, is to fulfill our scriptural obligation to care for God’s creation, for the poor who are the most vulnerable to extreme weather events, and for future generations who will face the worst impacts of climate change. We encourage Catholics to renew our relationship with creation and with our brothers and sisters in poverty, and we urge our political leaders to commit to ambitious climate action at the COP21 summit in Paris to solve this urgent crisis and keep the global temperature increase below 1.5 degree Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels (aligned with the Bishops’ Statement at Lima). Read our introductory Statement to the Church and the World.

Members of the Global Catholic Climate Movement

Signatories of Our Statement to the Church and the World include:

• Acción Católica Argentina (Argentina)
• Anthony Annett, Earth Institute at Columbia University (USA)
• Archdiocese of Manila Ecology Ministry (Philippines)
• ATTEND: Network of Diaconie, Diocese of Antwerp (Belgium)
• Ballarat Diocesan Ecological Sustainability Committee (Australia)
• Bill Patenaude, CatholicEcology.net (USA)
• Caritas Diócesis Morón (Argentina)
• Catholic Charities (USA)
• Catholic Earthcare Australia (Australia)
• Catholic Institute of Development Justice and Peace (Nigeria)
• Catholic Rural Life (USA)
• Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (Africa)
• Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (USA)
• Catholics in Coalition for Justice and Peace (Australia)
• Celia Deane Drummond, University of Notre Dame (USA)
• Centre d’Estudis Cristianisme i Justícia (Spain)
• Charles Camosy, Fordham University (USA)
• Ciara Shannon, Our Voices (Asia)
• CIJP Vedruna Carmelites (International)
• Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach (USA)
• Columban Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation (Korea)
• Columban Missionary Society, Philippine Region (Philippines)
• Crónica Blanca Argentina (Argentina)
• Dan Misleh, Catholic Climate Covenant (USA)
• Daniela Pelussi OFS (adm) (Argentina)
• Earth Link (Australia)
• EcoJesuit (Asia/Europe)
• Écologie, paroles de chrétiens, Diocèse de Nantes (France)
• Ecospiritualiteit Nederlandstalige Provincie Zusters van Liefde J.M. (Belgium)
• EDiPA Equipo Diocesano de Pastoral Ambiental, Obispado de San Isidro (Argentina)
• English Speaking Conference of the Order of Friars Minor (Canada, England, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, USA)
• Erin Lothes, College of Saint Elizabeth (USA)
• Franciscan Action Network (USA)
• Franciscan Friars of the Province of the Holy Spirit (Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia)
• Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota, Leadership Team (USA)
• Franciscans International
• Grupo de Ecología y Ecumenismo, Parroquia Ntra. Sra. del Valle, Buenos Aires (Argentina)
• Holly Taylor Coolman, Providence College (USA)
• Holy Cross International Justice Office
• Ignatian Solidarity Network (USA)
• Ignatian Volunteer Corps (USA)
• The integrity of Creation Working Group (ICWG), JPIC of the International Union of Superior Generals (UISG), and Union of Superior Generals (USG)
• InteRed (Spain)
• International Shalom Network, Congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame
• Jeffry Odell Korgen, Our Voices, and GreenFaith (USA)
• Jesuit Companions in Indigenous Ministry, Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific
• Jesuit European Social Centre (Europe)
• John Berkman, Regis College, University of Toronto (USA)
• John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, Catholic Theological Union (USA)
• Justice, Peace, and Development Office, Catholic Bishops’ Conference (India)
• Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Office, OFM Capuchins
• La Machi (Argentina)
• Leadership Conference of Women Religious (USA)
• Leadership Team, Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth (USA)
• Lindo Lío (Argentina)
• Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns (International)
• Mercy International Association
• Missionary Society of St. Columban, General Council
• Nancy M. Rourke, Canisius College (USA)
• Office of Life, Justice, and Peace, Diocese of Orange (USA)
• OFS Canada
• Pablo Canziani, Red Argentina de Laicos, Acción Católica Argentina and Conicet (Argentina)
• Pat O’Donovan, RSM (Ireland)
• Pat Siemen OP, Barry University School of Law (USA)
• Paul Clarke, St Mary’s University and Pop Up Foundation (UK/France)
• Pax Christi France
• Pax Christi International
• Reconciliation with Creation, Jesuit Conference Asia Pacific
• Religious on Water (USA)
• Robert Gibbons, University of Oxford (UK)
• Service Intercommunautaire d’Animation Franciscaine (Canada)
• Sinsinawa Dominican Leadership Team (USA)
• Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Congressional Leadership (International)
• Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Western Province Leadership (USA & Belize)
• Sisters of Charity of New York (USA)
• Sisters of Mercy of the Americas’ Institute Leadership Team (USA)
• Sisters of Mercy, Parramatta (Australia)
• Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia (USA)
• Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace Leadership Team (USA)
• Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi (USA)
• Sisters of St. Francis, Rochester, MN (USA)
• Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
• Sisters of the Presentation (USA)
• SSJ Earth Center, Philadelphia, PA (USA)
• Stephen B. Bevans, SVD, Catholic Theological Union (USA)
• The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (Canada)
• Tobias Winright, Saint Louis University (USA)
• Tomás Insua, GCCM (Argentina)
• Waterspirit (USA)
• VOSERDEM (Bolivia)
• Yeb Saño, Climate Walk and Fast for the Climate (Philippines)