US Franciscan statement on climate change
May 22, 2012
The largest province of Franciscan (OFM) friars in the United States has issued a statement on climate change.
“As we reflect on the signs of the times, we may realize that the edifice of the dominant worldview is beginning to crumble,” Holy Name Province said in its statement.” It is a worldview in which human beings have seen themselves as separated from the rest of God’s creation and free to pursue the dream of unlimited material growth and consumption.”
“In its place, the edifice of a new, alternative vision is beginning to emerge,” the statement continued. “This edifice of a new global civilization of love is marked by values of solidarity, sustainability, and justice, and a profound respect for life that extends to all of creation. Working together with people of good will, we as Franciscans can make a unique contribution toward rebuilding God’s house so that the world comes to reveal more fully the glory and beauty of God.”
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: -
May. 23, 2012 3:30 PM ET USA
Who issued the statement? How do they feel about roaches? I heard-tell that Francis could not abide mosquitoes.
-
Posted by: unum -
May. 23, 2012 9:05 AM ET USA
The debate on climate change continues and the Franciscans have as much right as anyone to weigh in on the subject. However, to use words like "crisis" to describe climate change, as though the science is settled, is misleading and does the Franciscans no credit. Global warming is a scientific issue that has become politicized before the science is settled, and the Franciscans risk their credibility by using political language, like crisis, to describe the issue.
-
Posted by: aclune9083 -
May. 22, 2012 9:53 PM ET USA
The Franciscan statement draws on such comments as: "The change in climate is driven by our use of fossil fuels to supplement the energy sources, direct and indirect, that we receive each day from the Sun." (William Schlesinger, cited in above). Despite the pronouncements of such environmental radicals, rational science has yet to demonstrate that man's actions have accelerated climate change nor that he can alter it through political measures aimed at the U.S. by the radicals.
-
Posted by: Randal Mandock -
May. 22, 2012 4:14 PM ET USA
Pie in the sky propaganda. I just read their statement on climate change. It is a political document that reads like an undergraduate term paper. I quick checked their estimate on geothermal energy production potential. Their claim is a 30,000 year supply at the current U.S. energy consumption. Table 4 of their source document shows a maximum geothermal production of 70% of the U.S. annual demand per year. However, account is not taken of likely cooling of the resource and engineering problems.
