Climate Change

Adrian Dominican Sisters

The Dominican Sisters of Adrian stand for climate and ecological justice and are committed to work for the common good of the whole Earth community. We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, when we must take steps to halt or lessen the impact of global climate change on our world. In fidelity to our call to reverence life, we recognize our place within the balance and harmony of Earth’s magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms. 

Learn more about the Adrian Dominican Sisters work on Climate Change/Ecology: Click Here

Congregation of Notre Dame

July, 2015

We are members of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame de Montréal, a congregation of over 900 women religious committed to education and present on four continents. Approximately the same number of associates also share our mission. Our presence in certain more vulnerable regions of the world, namely Africa and Central America, make us acutely aware of current global risks. The plight of women is one of our biggest concerns. We believe that a change is possible. Just as human action is responsible for the current crisis, so too concerted political will, civic engagement, which is part of our awareness raising process, and our concrete actions promoting transformation can save our planet and its plant, animal and human life.

Faced with the extreme urgency of the situation, we strongly call upon you, the Heads of State, to make a firm, concerted and binding commitment against the threat of global warming and to counteract the catastrophic consequences. For our part, we commit to support the positive decisions you will make on this matter.

Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul, USA

Heeding Pope Francis’ call in Laudato Si: Care for our Common Home, The
Amazon: New Paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology, as well as the 2030
United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, the Daughters of Charity of St.
Vincent de Paul of the United States and Canada adopt a stance toward protecting
and sustaining Mother Earth on a local, national, and global level. We will animate
this stance by:
1. Educating ourselves on environmental issues affecting our local cities, North
America and the World;
2. Fostering a consciousness of care for the environment within our local
communities and ministries and implementing alternative behaviors
whenever possible;
3. Participating in the Global Catholic Climate Movement and other
partnerships to support changes in governmental, corporate and personal
practices which impact the care of “our common home”.
4. Advocating for and supporting legislation that aims to protect Mother Earth
from further degradation and promotes environmentally friendly processes;
5. Praying that all people care for “our common home” by living in solidarity
with the Earth, its creatures and natural resources.

Original approved by Provinces 2015
Revision approved by Pronvines 2020

Dominican Sisters in Committed Collaboration: Amityville, Blauvelt, Caldwell, Hope, Sparkill, Maryknoll

We, the Dominican Sisters in Committed Collaboration in partnership with the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa believe that our present relationship with Earth and the resources provided by Earth are grievously imbalanced and harmful to the planet itself. The impact of human action stresses and overwhelms the self-sustaining, and self-correcting capacities of our environment, narrows bio-diversity, and threatens the capacity of Earth to support future generations.

 

We recognize that the reality of Global Climate Change negatively impacts the Community of Life in ways that go well beyond our understanding. We recognize that the negative impact on the human community is experienced more forcefully and comprehensively by persons who are living in poverty, living close to the land, and living in fragile ecological ecosystems.

 

We believe that we are called to protect the vitality, diversity, and uniqueness of Earth and the Community of Life sustained by Earth. This call compels us to act individually, communally, systemically on behalf of Earth, the Community of Life, and all future generations within this sacred community.

 

  1. We commit to lending our individual and collective voice to those efforts, consistent with our Catholic faith and the Dominican search for truth, that seek to mitigate the effects of Climate Change.
  2. We commit to changes in lifestyle individually and collectively that will reduce our carbon footprint upon the planet and encourage others to do the same in our homes, at places of work, at the institutions where we have influence and in our communities of worship.
  3. We commit to educating ourselves, family, friends, neighbors and colleagues about global warming and ways to address this challenge.
  4. We commit to joining like-minded groups to mobilize awareness and action toward a more sustainable future by working for systemic change and legislation to protect the environment and the community of life.
  5. We re-commit to responsible investments, supporting the development of sustainable energies and advocating for more environmentally responsible corporate policies and practice.

Sisters of St. Agnes

In light of the growing impact of climate change on the global community, we, the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, honoring our interdependence with all of God’s creation and in a spirit of nonviolence, personally and communally renew and recommit to care for Earth, home of all living creatures.

We commit to actions that:

  • Flow from a spirituality of integral ecology (Laudato Si’ – Chapter 4) that expresses interconnections among environmental, economic, scientific, social and cultural systems,
  • Respect Earth and the interdependence of all life,
  • Consume less of Earth’s nonrenewable resources through the six R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose, and restore,
  • Educate ourselves and others about the equitable development of renewable, cleaner energy sources in order to
    • mitigate the impact of climate change and
    • enable the most vulnerable to adapt to climate change.
  • Promote a low-carbon economy especially in Nicaragua and the USA where we serve,
  • Cooperate with governmental and non-governmental organizations that are committed to care for Earth.

Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, Joliet Wisconsin

As Joliet Franciscan Sisters, we commit to cultivating a reverent, interdependent relationship with earth and all its peoples.

–2004

 

Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth

Congregation Public Stand on Climate Change/Global Warming

We, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, recognizing the reality of global climate change and its negative impact on the entire community of Life, commit ourselves

  • to a deeper contemplation of the presence of God in the wonderful diversity of creation which compels us to a life of reverence for the sacredness of Earth;
  • to education about the reality of global warming in all our ministries;
  • to a special focus on the effects of global warming on those made poor, especially women and children;
  • to continual and sustained effort to reduce our carbon footprint in our local communities, sponsored and other ministries;
  • to join with other people of good will in advocating for policy changes that will reduce carbon emissions and promote the use of sustainable forms of energy.

We make this public stand as a Congregation inspired by our patrons and founders:

Saint Vincent de Paul and Saint Louise de Marillac who challenged social and economic structures from the perspective of those made poor; Saint Elizabeth Seton who took contemplative delight in God’s presence in creation; Mother Xavier, who met the needs of her age with energy and zeal.

U.S. Federation Sisters of St. Joseph

We, the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph Leadership Council, compelled by the gospel and by our heritage to be responsive to the dear neighbor without distinction, are
concerned for all of God’s creation and our sisters and brothers everywhere. Earth, which reflects God’s glory, is in great peril. We accept scientific evidence that climate change is
happening and is caused by human activity.

“There is now widespread acknowledgement that the countries least responsible for global climate change will be the ones most severely threatened by it.” (UN Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change 2007 Synthesis Report)

Climate change is a global issue that affects all creation. Th e United States alone adds almost six billion tons of carbon dioxide every year to the atmosphere. Th is seriously contributes
to climate change. All creation suffers the consequences.

“Climate change is expected to have a net negative impact on water scarcity globally this century. By the 2050s, the area subject to greater water stress due to climate change will be twice as large as the area experiencing decreased water stress.”(UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007 Synthesis Report)

In Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI writes, “Th e environment is God’s gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole.” (No. 48)

“Responses to global climate change should reflect our interdependence and common responsibility for the future of our planet.  Individual nations must measure their own self-interest against the greater common good and contribute equitably to global solutions.” — U.S. Bishops

May 2010