Political Engagement for Climate Justice

“At its core, global climate change is not about economic theory or political platforms, nor about partisan advantage or interest group pressures. It is about the future of God’s creation and the one human family. It is about protecting both ‘the human environment’ and the natural environment. It is about our human stewardship of God’s creation and our responsibility to those who come after us.” – United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and the Common Good. 2001.

The survey taken at our 2017 Annual Meeting gave evidence that a top priority for moving forward with our 2016 General Chapter environment commitment is political engagement on local, state, and national levels.

As we move into the 2020 election cycle, the Climate Change Task Force plans to provide resources to advocate for strong environmental policies. These resources are designed to make your voice heard effectively.

Some may find it helpful to form a team of three or more as you prepare to contact members of Congress through visits to their local offices, show up at Town Hall meetings, and engage with candidates running for office in your community. Others may want to form a team to get out the vote.

Still, others may commit personally to calling your two Senators and one Representative in Congress, write Letters to the Editor and/or legislators, and respond to Action Alerts.

All are invited to pray intensively to the Holy Spirit to guide voters at the ballot box to make informed decisions based on Gospel values. Continue to watch for these resources from the Climate Change Task Force in future Sisters of Providence and Providence Associates communications. In the meantime, a Civics memory-minder of “How a Bill Becomes a Law,” may be helpful for you and your colleagues. A helpful video that shows how a bill becomes law may be accessed here.