BELMONT — Caring for the Earth and for God’s creation is an important part of being a Catholic, one reflected in writings of Pope Benedict XVI and in Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si.”
A capacity crowd of 150 people from 40 parishes across the Diocese of Charlotte reflected on this and discussed ways to care for the Earth and people in need on Feb. 8 at “Walking with the Spirit in the World,” a conference sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. The event was held on the Sisters of Mercy campus in Belmont and featured keynote talks by Bishop Michael Martin and Catherine Wright.
Wright, a Christian eco-theologian at Wingate University who focuses on science, Catholicism, spirituality and ethics, is the author of “Creation, God and Humanity” and “Caring for Our Common Home.”
Wright talked about the lives of Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi and how their spiritual legacy – as well as the lives of other prominent Franciscans throughout history – reflected a concern for both the natural world and the needs of the poor and suffering. She also described how Jesuits founder St. Ignatius of Loyola believed in “finding God in all things,” and how this approach can help people cultivate a respect for all of God’s creation – and, consequently, want to preserve it.
“You can’t love if you don’t know love, and you can’t treat others with dignity if you don’t recognize your own.” — Bishop Michael Martin
In his address to the group, Bishop Michael Martin reflected on the call of “Laudato Si” for all people to recognize God’s work in their fellow humans and in the natural world.
Bishop Martin said one of today’s major problems is the tendency for people to live in what he called a “transactional model” with others. Transactional relationships are based on a “what can you do for me?” attitude instead of respect and care for others, Bishop Martin said.
“We’re trying to manage our resources and can’t find ways to love each other,” he said.
That transactional side of our culture, he said, has also led too many people to dismiss their inherent dignity as children of God, which in turn has driven them away from a concern for others and for creation.
“You can’t love if you don’t know love, and you can’t treat others with dignity if you don’t recognize your own,” he said.
A panel discussion featured three people discussing issues affecting the environment and North Carolina residents:
Larry Baldwin of Waterkeeper Alliance spoke about the polluting practices of large factory farms, particularly in eastern North Carolina. He serves as the Pure Farms, Pure Waters coordinator for the alliance. Baldwin talked about the amount of pollution both hog and poultry farms produce, suggested attendees learn about the sources of the food they eat, and offered advice on how to reach out to legislators to encourage more sustainable, clean ways to handle waste from such farms.
Mara Fenn and Erica Grace Lubamba, who work with Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, discussed how climate change and other factors are destroying natural environments, affecting the poor worldwide and causing some to be displaced from their home countries. Fenn is a refugee employment case worker with Catholic Charities, and Lubamba is a refugee employment specialist. Both help legal refugees who are resettled in the diocese find employment.
The event also allowed attendees to discuss strategies for promoting care for the environment at the individual and parish level and beyond.
— Christina Lee Knauss