Resources for Study

Sisters of Earth: Hopes and Dreams

Picture courtesy of globalsistersreport.org

How to Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy, is the subtitle of Joanna Macy’s book Active Hope, which was the inspiration for Sisters of Earth gathering that took place July 12-15 at Mount Saint Joseph, home of the Sisters of Charity in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati was chosen as the location partly because of the ancestral inspiration of Sister of Charity Paula Gonzalez, who promoted solar power and sustainability projects and teachings throughout the Catholic world. This year, nearly 100 women from the United States and Canada began by remembering Sister Paula and discussing questions like: Who are we? Where are we? How did we get here and what is possible? And — where do we go from here? To read more on the Sisters of Earth and the Cincinnati gathering, click here.

Cool Congregations Challenge

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Picture courtesy of coolcongregations.org

The Cool Congregations Challenge is an annual contest run by Interfaith Power & Light. The contest is meant to recognize “cool congregations” that are becoming energy efficient and sustainable role models within their communities. There is a $1,000 prize and the applications for 2018 are now open. To learn more or apply to the Cool Congregations Challenge, click here.

Pennsylvania order asks Supreme Court to uphold its Religious Rights

Picture courtesy of globalsistersreport.org

The Adorers of the Blood of Christ have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether their religious freedom rights were violated by the construction and pending use of a natural gas pipeline through its land. The petition asks the Supreme Court to determine how extensively the government must respect claims under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and whether the construction violates their religious freedoms under the RFRA. To read more on the Adorers of the Blood of Christ and their petition, click here.

Stories of Change

Picture courtesy of livingthechange.net

Stories of Change is a compilation of people from all different religions who have chosen to “live the change.” This page, from Living the Change, showcases inspiring stories of people and the changes they have made with a short description and video for each person. To read more on the Stories of Change, click here.

Time for Living the Change Media Toolkit

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Picture courtesy of livingthechange.net

Time for Living the Change Media Toolkit is a resource from Living the Change that offers ways to use social media and other forms of media to help advertise and market a sustainable living event. They offer logo examples, email templates, social media and outreach tips, and more. To read more or download the media toolkit, click here.

Time for Living the Change Talking Points

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Picture courtesy of livingthechange.net

Time for Living the Change Talking Points is a document from Living the Change that offers helpful ways to talk about what “living the change” means. The document discusses why sustainable behavior changes are important and how faith can play a role. To read all of the talking points, click here.

Time for Living the Change

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Picture courtesy of livingthechange.net

Time for Living the Change is a global initiative between religious and spiritual communities to encourage local sustainability events and celebrations around the world. The goals of this event are to:

  • align with faithful values
  • allow a future for all by taking care of the Earth
  • reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent waste and harm
  • send a strong message to communities, decision-makers and businesses and governments
  • share and celebrate the decisions people make in their own lives to allow a flourishing world for all
  • share stories of change
  • lift up leaders and sustainable solutions in our own community
  • learn from one another
  • offer guidance around transitioning towards sustainable living

To read more about Time for Living the Change, click here.

Living the Change

Picture courtesy of livingthechange.net

Living the Change is an organization that is committed to sustainable living through choices in transportation, energy use, and diet. These are choices that people make on a daily basis, and by choosing to change your lifestyle, you can help change the world. Living the Change believes that it is every faithful person’s responsibility to make these choices for a flourishing world. To read more about Living the Change, click here.

The Giving Tree: Fighting Climate Change and Strengthening Communities in Nicaragua

Picture courtesy of crs.org

The Giving Tree: Fighting Climate Change and Strengthening Communities in Nicaragua is an initiative from Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere with one of the worst rates of deforestation in the region. CRS is engaging rural Nicaraguans, who have an average employment income of $3/day, in planting 310,000 indigenous trees in land on or near their small farms. These trees will remove from the atmosphere approximately 67,800 metric tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, over their full lives. Farmers will be paid annually for a 10-year period to maintain and nurture these trees, and additional investment will be made in the communities.To read more on The Giving Tree and the work that CRS is doing, click here.

Creation at the Crossroads

Picture courtesy of renewintl.org/

Creation at the Crossroads is a collaboration between RENEW International, GreenFaith, and Catholic Climate Covenant. They aim to share faith related resources for small-groups that respond to Pope Francis’ call to action in his encyclical Laudato Si’. To read more on Creation at the Crossroads, click here.