Christmas Gifts & Social Justice

(Originally posted December 2010; edited June 2014)

Most of us are launching into our Christmas gift shopping. As we have heard many times in recent years, there are ways to be socially responsible in our gift-giving. For example, we are urged not to buy things that will be quickly used up and then discarded, such as "gag gifts" or cheap trinkets. Instead, think about giving "experiences" (such as theatre or concert tickets) rather than merchandise. Such an approach will enhance the life of the recipient, support local artists, and be kinder to the environment.

       We can also donate to a charity in the name of the other person. Programs such as Catholic Relief Services (http://gifts.crs.org) and Heifer International (www.heifer.org) have "gift catalogs" where you can be such things as shares in promoting peace in southern Sudan or a flock of ducks for a needy family in China.

       In your gift-giving this Christmas, be creative -- and be just! 

Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins.

Prayers for Peace

The first reading for this first Sunday of Advent contains probably the most famous passage from the prophet Isaiah:

They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again. (Is 2:4NAB)

Peace continues to be a significant matter in today's world, and it increasingly involves religion. Many commentators decry "Islamic terror," and churches, synagogues, and mosques have been targets of attacks. 
       In recognition of all this, Pope Benedict has set the theme for the upcoming World Day of Peace (January 1, 2011) as "Religious Freedom, the Path to Peace." Parishes and families are encouraged to see what they can do to prepare for the World Day of Peace by checking out the resources on the US bishops' web site. The link is http://bit.ly/e8VKH2.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Thanksgiving Dinner & Social Justice

As we prepare for our feasts on Thanksgiving Day, it's worth a few minutes of our time to remember those who have little to eat. Hunger is still an issue, both in our neighborhood and around the world. 
       Tomorrow, November 22, the Bread for the World Institute (www.bread.org) is releasing its annual Hunger Report. The 2011 Hunger Report addresses the role of the United States in mobilizing global commitments to increase investments in agriculture, food security, and nutrition in developing countries. It will also include Christian Study Guide offering a variety of activities and Biblical themes to help users reflect on information included in the report. As part of your preparations for the day on which we recall what we are thankful for, please consider reading this report and taking some action to reduce hunger in the world.
       The report will be available on the internet at www.hungerreport.org and available in hard-copy from the same web site. 
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Saving Farmland & Social Justice

The American Farmland Trust has reported that more than one acre of farmland is being lost every minute in the United States, which adds up to nearly a million acres per year. This land is most often near urban areas and is being used for highways, shopping malls and housing developments. Most of this land is in Texas, California, Florida, Arizona and North Carolina. The American Farmland Trust explains that smart growth strategies, including more efficient development, can help slow the conversion and fragmentation of our farm and ranch land. Visit www.farmland.org and www.farmlandinfo.org for more information.
       Many thanks to JustFaith Ministries for this information!
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Human Trafficking & Social Justice

A recent press release (http://bit.ly/bjj8PN) from the US bishops is a reminder that chattle slavery has not been wiped off the face of the earth yet, but it does have a new name: human trafficking. Ten years ago, President Clinton signed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) to fight human trafficking operations and to rescue and assist victims of human trafficking in the United States
       Simultaneous with the press release, the Migration & Refugee Services of the US bishops released Reflections:  Health and Human Service’s Service Mechanism for Foreign National Survivors, which provided a reminder that many of the victims of human trafficking are children. There are many other important findings in Reflections; interested parties can read it at http://bit.ly/9SMVAR.
      Finally, the bishops point out that, like so many pieces of Federal legislation, TVPA has to be periodically re-authorized, and it is due for re-authorizing again in 2011. Please watch for opportunities to encourage the newly elected Congress and the President to pass this important piece of social justice legislation.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Consumer Protection & Social Justice

Authorities in Washington State recently investigated sickness of nine freshman of a state college who attended an off-campus party. It turns out that the cause of their sickness was the consumption of a significant amount of an alcoholic energy drink, which led to alcohol poisoning. Authorities are now considering a legal ban on such beverages.
       In other parts of the country, voters and legislators are considering whether to legalize marijuana, citing comparisons with Prohibition in the last century. Meanwhile, some politicians are objecting to the new federal regulations on mortgage lenders to prevent the sort of financial problems of 2008 from happening again.
       All these raise the question as to the appropriate level of government in regulating personal activities and businesses.
       Although buyers should beware at all times, it seems reasonable that government should step in anytime a person or business exploits our freedoms to cause harm — whether intended or not — to others. After all, governments have a moral obligation to look out for the common good, especially in situations where the powerful are exploiting the weak.
       Please remember that when you cast your votes in a few days.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Speaking Up & Social Justice

Generally speaking, most of us can easily identify when things are right or just. A trivial example would be that we know it is wrong when we see someone doing 100 mph on an urban expressway. Nonetheless, how many of us are comfortable enough in our judgment to do something about it? In other words, if we see someone doing 100 mph, would we call it in to the police?
     This is an important issue because it is just as much of a sin to not take action (when we are able) as it is to actively commit some form of evil. After all, in the Penitential Rite of the Mass we ask forgiveness for what we have done and for what we have failed to do. We may think of speaking up as being intrusive or being a "busy-body," but in fact, if something is truly wrong, the evil will persist — and perhaps even snowball — as long as it is allowed, and we become cooperators with evil if we sit back and do nothing.
       As President John F. Kennedy used to say, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

World Mission Sunday & Social Justice

Next Sunday is World Mission Sunday. Most parishes in most dioceses will be taking up a second collection for the Church's various missionary activities and organizations. The following quote from Pope Benedict in his Message for World Mission Sunday 2010 shows the connection between the Church's missionary efforts and social justice:

"[A]wareness of the call to proclaim the Gospel not only encourages every individual member of the faithful but also all diocesan and parish communities to integral renewal and ever greater openness to missionary cooperation among the Churches, to promote the proclamation of the Gospel in the heart of every person, of every people, culture, race and nationality in every place. This awareness is nourished through the work of … priests, consecrated people, catechists and lay missionaries in the constant endeavour to encourage ecclesial communion so that even the phenomenon of 'interculturality' may be integrated in a model of unity in which the Gospel is a leaven of freedom and progress, a source of brotherhood, humility and peace."

Thus, a donation to the next Sunday's second collection isn't strictly a contribution for charity; it is also a contribution to freedom, progress, and peace — in short, justice.  So please, prayerfully consider your contribution to this collection.
       For the complete text of the pope's message, go to http://bit.ly/ci1AYT. For an excellent video on the purpose of the collection, check out http://vimeo.com/14881162.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Reproductive Technologies & Social Justice

TThere was news this past week that the scientist who developed the technique of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) would receive a Nobel prize. However, IVF and some other forms of assisted fertility are contrary to Catholic teaching. This may puzzle some people who believe that Catholic teaching is to have as many children as possible.
       A more correct statement would be that Catholics are to accept children as God gives them. Furthermore, Pope Paul VI declared in Humanae vitae that Catholic couples have a duty to plan their family size. 
       Children are indeed a gift from God, as any couple who has had difficulty conceiving a child will tell you. A child comes into being because God wills it, not because a person or a couple wants it. There are many techniques for working through issues of infertility that are consistent with Catholic teaching, but IVF is not one of them because in IVF many viable lives are aborted as part of the process.
       A good resource that explains Catholic teaching on infertility treatment can be found at www.usccb.org/LifeGivingLove/.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Midterm Elections & Social Justice, part 2

For a couple of decades now, negative campaigning has been commonplace in the US. Negative campaigning is marked primarily by a candidate saying how they are not like their opponent. Sometimes it goes further by using innuendo, half-truths, out-of-context statements, and even name-calling in an attempt to turn the voters off to the other candidate. The sad truth is that this strategy has been statistically proven to work, despite the un-Christian character of the approach.
       Recently, as campaigns began in Australia, the main television network in Australia invited the two candidates for prime minister to be interviewed (separately) for the morning news program. The network did one thing to make the interviews compelling: they insisted that each candidate talk only about themselves and their political views. Furthermore, when either candidate began saying things like, "My opponent says…," the interviewer cut them off and did not permit them to proceed. From the standpoint of these American eyes and ears, it was remarkable.
       Perhaps the approach of the Australian television network is a good approach for us: look only at what each candidate says about herself or himself and cut them off (or tune them out) when they start the negative rhetoric. Once we know what a candidate stands for, then we can apply our well-formed consciences to make a good decision.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Midterm Elections & Social Justice, part 1

As we move into fall, we start seeing and hearing campaign rhetoric once again. This year is not a presidential election year, but it is a year in which all members of the US House and a third of the US Senators are elected. In addition, there may be other state and local races, referenda, and initiatives.
       The US bishops update their document Faithful Citizenship (www.faithfulcitizenship.org) only in presidential election years, but it is nonetheless applicable for the midterm elections, as well. In the campaign period leading up to every election, Catholics should review Faithful Citizenship, form their consciences on the issues, and then vote their consciences on election day. It is time-consuming and at times difficult, especially to figure out what a candidate's stand is (or isn't) on an issue. However, it is what we must do to truly live our faith in the public square.
       (Next week: Negative campaigning.)
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
  

Buying the Poor for a Pair of Sandals

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy
and destroy the poor of the land!…

Never will I forget a thing they have done! (Amos 8:4,7LFM)

In the first reading for this Sunday, the profit Amos decries the neglect of the poor and lists some of the abuses, such as adjusting weights and measures to cheat the poor out of what is justly theirs. 
       The line that should catch our attention in these days refers to "buy[ing]… the poor for a pair of sandals." How often do we prefer shoes that were made in foreign sweatshops just because we can get away with paying a lower price for them? When we defend doing so by claiming that the people who work in those sweatshops are at least doing better than their neighbors, isn't that like buying the poor for a pair of sandals?
       Furthermore, wouldn't our country be better off economically if we would search out domestically produced goods, made by factories that pay just wages?
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

Building Hope through Social Justice

This weekend in the Archdiocese of Seattle, parishes will be taking up the annual Build Hope collection. This special collection supports the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) and the Catholic Communication Campaign. CCHD is the organization nationally that the US bishops has established to fund and promote social justice activities in the US. CCHD fight poverty and injustice by investing in organization that involve the poor in the development and execution of their programs. This principle was reaffirmed in Pope Benedict's encyclical Caritas in veritate as the only way to truly solve problems and bring about the development of peoples.
       Please see the CCHD web site (www.usccb.org/cchd/) for more information, and please be generous when the baskets are passed this weekend.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

The Bishops' Annual Labor Day Statement

Each year for Labor Day, the US bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development issues a Labor Day Statement. At over four pages in length, this year's statement is the longest of recent years. Yet, this is for good reason, as the opening paragraphs of the statement point out. With the West Virginia mine disaster, the explosion of the oil rig in the Gulf, and high unemployment, this past year has been marked by some significant events and conditions. As the bishops review the history of papal writings on the matter — from Pope Leo XIII's Rerum novarum to Pope Benedict XVI's Caritas in veritate — the bishops conclude that the protecting the life and dignity of each worker should be at the heart of a new "social contract" for the growth and governance of our economy.
       This year's statement (and other statements by the bishops on labor) can be found at http://bit.ly/9vcbkG.
       Happy Labor Day!
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

Back to School Shopping & Social Justice

This is the time of year when students are preparing to head back to school. In recent years, this has also been an occasion for families to go on shopping sprees, filling their homes with new clothes and gadgets. It is important to realize, though, that the consumer mentality in this country of buying things because they are cheap or because advertising has created the desire for them has resulted in poverty and environmental problems in other countries.
       So, this year, as you do your back-to-school shopping ask yourself a few questions: 

• Do I really need this item, or is someone else (like a TV ad) telling me that I want it?
• If I need the item, do I really need a new one, or will a used one serve my needs just fine? Have I looked in thrift and second-hand stores lately?
• What do I know about the people who made the item? Was it most likely produced in a facility with fair labor practices, or was it most likely made with sweatshop labor? 

Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

Mary & Social Justice

This Sunday, we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and we hear in the gospel Mary's song of social justice, the Magnificat. With a careful read, it is easy to see that the mother of Jesus was a radical proponent of social justice:

[The Almighty] has shown the strength of his arm,
      and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
      and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
      and the rich he has sent away empty.

What can we do this week to lift up the lowly and fill the hungry with good things? It's what our Mother would like us to do!
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

"Much Will Be Required" & Social Justice

The gospel for this Sunday ends with Jesus saying to his disciples, "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." In the United States, we have been entrusted with much: rich natural resources, fertile land that can produce much food, an abundant supply of clean water, and a temperate climate that supports a wide range of human activity, such as industry and tourism. As a result, our nation has emerged as a world leader in nearly every respect.

       In such a blessed position, God demands much of us. With our power and resources, we have a biblical obligation to do even more than other nations to bring about God's reign on earth. Therefore, it is important for us as a nation to promote the cause of justice and mercy throughout the world. We are uniquely called upon to be promoters of the common good and agents of peace, reconciliation, and environmentalism. Our bishops realize this, and are constantly asking Catholics to make their voices heard on such issues. For an overview of current issues and an easy way to make your voice heard, go to http://capwiz.com/catholicbishops/home/.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

The Church's Liturgy & Social Justice, part 3

How we pray and who we pray for in our liturgical assemblies must praise God by demonstrating our concern for God's least ones. The General Intercessions, in particular, have ample opportunity for this. Besides praying for our sick and deceased loved ones (which most parishes do), we should also be sure to pray for suffering people throughout the world, regardless of whether they're related to us by faith or blood. While we're at it, we should also pray for our enemies.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

The Church's Liturgy & Social Justice, part 2

[This sound-bite is prepared for running in bulletins on 7/25/2010]

One important aspect of achieving social justice is also a part of our liturgy: reconciliation. Justice is a matter of right relationship. If something is keeping us from right relationship, such as a past wrong or unfair discrimination, we must be reconciled in order to return to a right and just relationship. Reconciliation involves (1) acknowledging our faults to the offended party, (2) asking for and receiving forgiveness, and (3) making reparations and/or doing penance.
       To model that for us in our interpersonal relationships, we have the Sacrament of Penance and the Penitential Rite of the Mass by which we are reconciled with God. The Sacrament of Penance provides the fullest expression of reconciliation (as outlined above) and is our only way of reconciling serious sins against God's law. The Penitential Rite of the Mass heals the lesser offenses so that we can be properly disposed for our reception of Holy Communion.
       The challenge for us is to take these opportunities for reconciliation seriously. This Sunday, when the liturgy comes to the Penitential Rite, make a serious examination of your conscience, fervently ask God for forgiveness, and then feel the forgiveness God offers through the words of the priest.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

The Church's Liturgy & Social Justice, part 1

At the end of every Mass, we are urged to "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord." The new language of the Order of Mass which will be implemented in the US next year has a new option, which is, "Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life." The two are seen as equivalent by the Church: loving and serving the Lord means living the faith. 
       It means being the "good Samaritan" as we heard about last Sunday. 
       It means striving for justice in our world, as we are told time and again by Jesus and the prophets who came before him. 
       It means being a force for reconciliation, not only between ourselves and one another, but also between polarizing forces in our world.
       And it is (or should be) the Church's liturgy that causes us to see what must be done and to provide an example of how we are to live between Sundays. More on this in the coming weeks.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

Random Acts of Kindness & Social Justice

The Sunday gospel for this week is the familiar story of the lawyer who tests Jesus about salvation and ends up getting the parable of the "good Samaritan." It's a good reminder that there are a lot of people who need immediate help in the world today, especially with the economy continuing to struggle. Providing immediate help and mercy as the good Samaritan did is a sign of our Christianity — being a neighbor and offering basic care or random acts of kindness to someone in need is a mark of our faith, just as it is for Jews and those who profess some other religions.
       The work of social justice goes beyond that and asks works on the more difficult problem of how a person or persons find themselves in such need. It seeks to prevent others from having such a need by eliminating structures or systems that have negative impacts, and by creating new structures and systems that support and raise up those in need. For example, caring for injured pedestrians at a busy street corner is an example of providing basic care to those in need, whereas social justice would involve upgrading the intersection with pedestrian crossings, traffic signals, and warning signs.
       Thus, social justice can be thought of as investing in a future where there are fewer people in need and all are raised up.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

Independence & Social Justice

Today we celebrate Independence Day, the day when 56 very active residents of this land declared on behalf of all that the king of England had been abusive in his rule of the colonies in North America, and that such abuse would no longer be tolerated. The Declaration of Independence lists 27 specific actions of the king that were objectionable because they violated the dignity and freedom of human beings in this country. In Catholic social justice language, the Declaration of Independence was about the life & dignity of the human person; the call to family, community, and participation; and rights & responsibilities (see http://bit.ly/9qwkCG for the seven themes of Catholic social teaching).
       The final sentence of the Declaration of Independence also contains a great testament to the colonists' reliance on God and their commitment to endure the sacrifices that needed to be made for the sake of their common good: "[F]or the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." Words that should guide us all today for the support of our nation.
       To read the Declaration and for related resources, check out http://bit.ly/ckkyhD.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

Summer Eats & Social Justice

Summer is here and the seasonal fruits of the land are starting to appear at grocery stores and farmers' markets. This is the perfect time to think more critically about the justice of the food we eat. That may seem strange, but there are significant social justice aspects to the growing, harvesting, transportation, distribution, and consumption of food.
     Patrick Carter, a recent graduate of Creighton University, has completed a research project about that. According to a recent interview posted at http://ncronline.org, to be more just in our eating, he says we need to change ourselves first: “Buy local food, eat out less, eat less meat and don’t over eat. We, as Christians, have a responsibility to care for God’s creations — humans, animals, earth and water — and the way we currently grow and eat food is not reflective of this call… We can have a sustainable existence by first changing ourselves by buying locally grown and ethically harvested food that has a minimized impact on the environment… [I]f the food [we eat] would more closely reflect our Christian values to love the poor and care for God’s creation, then the eaters could be in solidarity with the growers, the land, the farmers, the livestock, the harvesters and the hungry of the world, in addition to the others in the room.”
       This summer, consider doing more of your grocery shopping at your local farmers' market and selecting organically grown produce. In addition to finding healthy, fresh foods at a competitive price, you will also be promoting justice.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

Landmines & Social Justice

This past week, the Office of International Justice and Peace of the US bishops issued an Action Alert, asking Catholics to make their voices heard regarding a treaty to ban landmines. The alert points out that, "Landmines are 'inhumanly insidious because they continue to cause harm even long after the cessation of hostilities.' The U.S. bishops have long supported elimination of landmines as they are indiscriminate, morally unacceptable weapons that do not distinguish between soldier and civilian, or between times of war and times of peace."
       Download the full Action Alert at http://bit.ly/9Flf0j. It has the instructions for contacting the President and your US Senators about ratifying this treaty.
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

Summer Vacations & Social Justice

Summer vacation time is here once again, and families are finalizing their plans for getting away for a week or two of vacation. It's easy to do the same old thing: go to a resort or amusement park and be entertained for a week. Lately, though, many families recognize the great needs in the world and look for ways to help. Taking a "volunteer vacation" is an approach that many have done and others are considering. In addition to serving a world in need, a lot of families also find that it strengthens their relationships with each other.
       As a family or as a single person, there is no end to the possibilities for working for a better world while on vacation. Opportunities exist locally, nationally, and internationally. An internet search of "volunteer vacations" will allow you to quickly find lots of possibilities. One particularly good site in http://charityguide.org. Click on their "volunteer vacation" page to get a quick overview of the types of projects available.
       Or, if you know where you want to go and don't mind pounding a few nails, Habitat for Humanity has a schedule of their projects around the world at www.habitat.org/cd/gv/schedule.aspx. There you will find lots of opportunities, including in the hot tourist destinations, like Hawai'i, New Zealand, and Kenya. All Habitat trips include local cultural opportunities.
       This summer, have your family vacation mean something — take a trip with a purpose!
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)
 

Oil Spill and Social Justice

As the oil well continues to pollute the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, it may be time to look back on this and other matters of environmental justice. In November 1991, the US bishops said the following in their pastoral statement, Renewing the Earth: "…[H]umans, made in the image and likeness of God, are called in a special way to 'cultivate and care for it (Earth)' (Genesis 2:15). Men and women, therefore, bear a unique responsibility under God: to safeguard the created world and by their creative labor even to enhance it. Safeguarding creation requires us to live responsibly within it, rather than manage creation as though we are outside it. The human family is charged with preserving the beauty, diversity, and integrity of nature, as well as with fostering its productivity." Thus, our faith teaches us that such environmental disasters are contrary to God's will for us.
       For more on Renewing the Earth, go to www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/bishopsstatement.shtml.
       Also, if you'd like to donate to help those who are most affected by the spill (fisherman and their families), Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans is taking donations on their web site. Go to www.ccano.org and click the link on the right side of the page. (By the way, British Petroleum has contributed $1 million to help in Catholic Charities' efforts; however, much more is needed.)
Copyright © 2010, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins. (http://bit.ly/16p8ws)