This month Pope Francis will gather in Rome experts from around the world to discuss global climate change and its impact on our planet, including the connection of our environmental stewardship to the campaign of international Catholic aid organization Caritas, “One Human Family — Food for All.”
The Vatican hopes this summit will “help build a global movement across all religions for sustainable development throughout 2015 and beyond,” and highlight “the intrinsic connection between respect for the environment and respect for people — especially the poor.”
This gathering and others are in preparation for Pope Francis’ upcoming encyclical on the ecology and faith. The document is scheduled to be released just before the papal visit to the United States in September and the second Synod of Bishops on the Family in October. The pope has asked us all to pray earnestly for these efforts.
Here in Hawaii Catholics are also participating in gatherings that connect faith, global solidarity, hunger and the environment. On April 21, 70 Oahu sixth, seventh and eighth graders gathered in the Kamiano Center next to the cathedral to share a special lunch celebrating their participation in the CRS Rice Bowl “app challenge.” During Lent these young people shared weekly reflections online about how their faith was linked to people struggling to overcome hunger around the world.
On April 25, folks from Big Island parish social ministries will gather in Hawi at Palili O Kohala, an educational ohana farm near Sacred Heart Church, to affirm and improve their ministries providing sustainable nourishing food for all. Breakout sessions will focus on harvesting sweet potatoes for the Sacred Heart Parish food pantry, preparing the farm’s kalo for poi and salad, and sharing connections to local farmers markets, the Food Basket food bank and EBT (a public financial assistance payment system). Participants will work on deepening a spirituality rooted in our faith’s connection to God’s creation, the aina.
The Hawi event is the first of a series. The next gatherings are May 2 in Wahiawa, Oahu; May 9 in Kaneohe, Oahu; June 6 on Maui; and June 13 on Kauai. The Office for Social Ministry will show parish outreach coordinators how to deepen their fellow parishioners’ faith connection with the earth and their commitment to the vulnerable, while learning how to produce food in community and parish gardens, as well as in “bucket gardens” at home.
Meanwhile, people all over the diocese are working with Catholic Charities Hawaii, HOPE Services Hawaii and other community partners to push the state legislature for more affordable housing funding. The focus is on “housing first” programs for homeless persons, and more rental housing for working families.
In the coming months, you will be hearing more about a campaign called “One Ohana — Food and Housing for All.” Stay tuned! The Office for Social Ministry will provide more information about how our families, parishes and community can participate, living our faith in action.
Mahalo!
Your friends at the Office for Social Ministry
