WELCOME WITNESSING TO THE INTEGRITY OF CREATION ENERGY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

PLANET EARTH

3299 THE EUCHARIST Blessed are you Lord, God of all creation Through your goodness we have this BREAD this WINE… to offer…fruit of the EARTH.. Work of HUMAN HANDS….

POPE BENEDICT XVI Message for World Day of Peace January Ist 2010 IF YOU WANT TO CULTIVATE PEACE – PROTECT CREATION Respect for Creation Seeing the beauty of Creation We are STEWARDS of Creation

CARITAS IN VERITATE Par 51 The way humanity treats the environment influences the way it treats itself and vice versa….. The Church has a responsibility towards creation and she must assert this responsibility in the public sphere

COPENHAGEN What happened? Leaders failed to deliver a concrete and effective solution to the commitments in reducing C02 emissions per nation. We now need to play our part in accepting this responsibility

CLIMATE SCEPTICS An orchestrated campaign is being waged against climate change science at present The plan is to undermine public belief of man-made global warming The leak of documents on this subject from the University of East Anglia just before the Copenhagen climate summit is significant

CLIMATE SCEPTICS-2 The two questionable matters of: The predictions that the Himalayan glaciers could disappear by 2035 Predicting the dramatic loss of the Amazon rainforest The media questioned the credibility of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

THANK GOD FOR THE SCEPTICS It can help us to focus on the topic We can sharpen our arguments and ask further questions Maybe human climate change is a Myth? Maybe Al Gore’s- The Inconvenient Truth- all a mistake? But we know that the overwhelming majority of scientists agree on man- made climate change

WHAT HAS THIS TO DO WITH ME?

BEAUTIFUL BUT FRAGILE

FRAGILITY OF CREATION

What can I DO? We must believe that we can make a difference We need to work together As Church members, we have the capacity to make this difference

WORKING TOGETHER CAFOD –Live simply campaign etc PROGRESSIO – Just add water (current campaign) Westminster Justice and Peace commission Parishes - Communities

Witnessing to the integrity of creation ENERGY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHERS SUPPORT EXISTING INITIATIVES WORK WITH LIKEMINDED PEOPLE

CARBON FOOTPRINT? WHAT IS INVOLVED? WHERE DO WE BEGIN? WHAT IS A PARISH AUDIT?

LEVEL ONE The personal relationship with God the Creator Personal prayer is crucial We can view our world through God’s eyes

LEVEL TWO Relationships with our neighbours Caring for creation in everyday living ie; Transport Food Recycling Child-friendly neighbourhoods Personal health All the above and more, indicate our attitude to the environment

LEVEL THREE Caring for Creation in the wider world Action- Campaigning – working with others The CAFOD Climate Justice Campaign and this Lenten activity : GIVE IT UP! PROGRESSIO Water Campaign Recognising our effects on poorer countries Environment is a GLOBAL ISSUE

OUR WORLD IN OUR HANDS

WELCOME WITNESSING TO THE INTEGRITY OF CREATION ENERGY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE