Social Justice and Ecology

From May 15 to 17, 2024, 25 people involved in JPIC ministry for religious congregations in Ontario gathered in Toronto at Loretto College. The theme of the meeting was: What about the “P” in “JPIC”? Wednesday afternoon was an opportunity for partner organizations to present an update on their activities. Represented were: Laudato Si  Movement […]

In 2015, Pope Francis wrote in Laudato Si’ that fossil fuels need “to be progressively replaced without delay.” Now, in 2021, we have reached a decisive moment. We must reach an agreement in Glasgow that sets a clear and ambitious timeline for a just transition away from harmful fossil fuels. Setting out such a pathway is an essential step to accelerating investment in a clean energy future for all.

Facing many tragedies and disasters today, how might we pray and act with others for urgently needed transformation? Hope can be found in two vital international treaties which are highly consistent with Catholic teaching. The first is the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the second and more recent is the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Pax Christi International, with its members and partners, listens to the cry of the communities and calls on the international community to firmly respond to the widespread human rights violations caused by extractive companies in the Americas. We wish to draw particular attention to the violations of communities’ right to water, as extractive industries—including logging, agribusiness, hydroelectric dams, mining, and oil and natural gas extraction—use and contaminate large quantities of their waters.

In 2015, Pope Francis called out to the world to heed the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor. The encyclical letter Laudato Si’: On care for our common home proposed a unified vision of the crises facing our planet and its creatures, including us humans. Five years later, we are in the midst of a pandemic that makes our interdependence glaringly evident. We need urgent change. In this issue of ad vitam, our contributors renew their outlook on Laudato Si’ and current issues. We also welcome testimonies and reflections from religious communities and their collaborators.

Br. Bernard Hudon is a biologist and a Jesuit. His love and commitment in favour of the environment are rooted in his childhood and have guided his journey so far. In this interview, he shares his perspectives on the impact of the Laudato Si’ encyclical and what is needed to accomplish the vision of an integral ecology.

As the weeks passed with ongoing physical distancing and social isolation due to the emergence of COVID-19, Canadians are experiencing a new reality. Required to stay home if at all possible, many have returned to spending quality time with their families and remembering the importance of friends. There’s renewed interest in homecooked meals and the domestic arts. With schools and countless businesses closed, many cars are off the roads, and with much industry shut down, air pollution has visibly improved.

Our current global circumstances present many challenges. One of the less obvious perils is the threat to world peace and the elevated risk that war and conflict bring to protecting people from the virus. For this reason, the United Nations has been leading a call for a global ceasefire until we contain the virus. In March, Pope Francis appealed for a global ceasefire as the pandemic spread, and Pax Christi supported this call.