"I hope you are all staying well in this difficult time, and that it has given you all time to reflect and enjoy the beautiful world we live in despite all the problems. Recent events included a session with Christiana Figueres and Agusto Zampini Davis, who spoke of the climate emergency as 'the mother of all injustices', exacerbating inequality, poverty injustice making the vulnerable more vulnerable, which is also true of the Covid crisis. She said the decisions taken in the next three to eighteen months will set the agenda for decades, as $20 trillion has been pledged for the recovery. So it is urgent that we represent our views to make this a green economy of collaboration in our obviously highly interdependent world. And make our own lifestyle changes for a better, happier and quieter life. There were also many examples of exciting projects going on round the world, including the catholicenergies.org which is a coalition of 19 organisations offering consultation and implementation of green energy efficiency that saves churches and religious orders money so that they can pursue their mission. As far as I know this is only available in US but is an exciting example of what is possible. There was also a talk by Yeb Sano, CEO of Greenpeace SE Asia, who spoke of the three roots of the ecological crisis being Avarice, Arrogance and Apathy. He quoted Laudato Si: 13) bring the human family together, 202) many things have to change, human beings have to change, 137) everything is closely interrelated, and 74) (the best quote), injustice is not invincible.
The Vatican has launched an initiative called Laudato Tree to plant thousands of trees across the Sahel region, building a green wall of sustainability, look on Vatican News. Also the Hay Festival, which was entirely online, had many items on sustainability, not least Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett Carnac, both from the Paris Climate Accords called The Future we Choose, Esther Duflo on Good Economics for Hard Times, and Roman Krznaric The Good Ancestor. And there are so many other things going on in the investment and protest worlds to make this case. It is hugely encouraging. Above all, the Covid Crisis has shown that actions that were thought impossible are indeed possible, the global emissions were hugely reduced over the periods of lockdown, and also that individual action, only taking essential travel, staying home, really do make a difference. It also showed how much we have become accustomed to pollution levels, so that in the lockdown we are astounded at the beauty of the world. Let's hope we keep all these things in mind as we deal with the very many other crises, not least economic, that afflict our world. I urge you to make acts of faith and hope whenever you feel despondent, and keep praying like mad. And finally a thought experiment from The Good Ancestor. Imagine the face of a young child in your family. Then imagine them in 30 years time, what kind of world do you hope that they are living in? Then imagine them on their 90th birthday, being presented with the youngest baby of their family, and what they would want for that child. As you think of all the happiness you imagine for them, you are imagining and hoping for universal strangers, so we care about all the people of the future. He also says we must develop Cathedral thinking, where the designers of cathedrals knew they would never see the finished building, but that did not stop them building beautifully for the glory of God. Missing you all very much and all our church family, with very best wishes and great hopes for the future, God Bless. Bella."
CLICK HERE to watch a short video from the Global Catholic Climate Movement on Laudato Si
Apart, yet together. #ChurchAtHome CAFOD
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