Lenten Eco-Fast - Stuff

"The great danger in today's world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience."

-Pope Francis, Joy of the Gospel, November 2013

View the ten-minute YouTube "The Story of Stuff" (click here) and decide how you can buy less stuff. It will change the way you look at all the "stuff" in your life.

Lenten Eco-Fast - Food Waste

"This culture of waste has made us insensitive even to the waste and disposal of food, which is even more despicable when all over the world, unfortunately, many individuals and families are suffering from hunger and malnutrition."  -Pope Francis, June 5, 2013

Be aware of how much food you discard this week.  To view a two-minute video on the implications of the food we waste,  please click here.

Lenten Eco-Fast - Showerhead

"A second key area where you are called to make a contribution is in showing concern for the environment."

-Pope Francis, Jan. 18 2015

A low-flow showerhead uses approximately 1-2 gallons less per minute than a conventional showerhead.

Lenten Eco-Fast - Recycled TP

"We have, in a sense, lorded it over nature, over Sister Earth, over Mother Earth. I think man has gone too far. Thank God today there are voices that are speaking about this."

-Pope Francis, January 16, 2015

Use recycled toilet paper. Many of the Felician Sisters’ Care Centers and Central Convents are already doing this.

Lenten Eco-Fast - Compost

"Custody of Creation is custody of God's gift to us and it is also a way of saying thank you to God."

-Pope Francis, May 21, 2014

Composting has many benefits. It reduces the amount of waste that ends up in your garbage can and decreases the amount of methane in the air. Methane is a much more damaging greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Sisters in Kingstree have been composting next to their garden for several years (see picture.)

Lenten Eco-Fast - Recycle Electronics

"For the most part, it is man who continuously slaps down nature."
-Pope Francis, January 15, 2015

Recycle electronics.  Electronics contain brominated flame retardants, lead, and PVC.   When put into the trash, electronics such as cell phones, printers, monitors, keyboards, remote controls, and VCRs leach lead and other hazardous materials into the environment.

Lenten Eco-Fast - Earth Hour

t to Sustain God's Creation

"Nurturing and cherishing creation is a command God gives not only at the beginning of history, but to each of us. It is part of his plan; it means causing the world to grow responsibly, transforming it so that it may be a garden, a habitable place for everyone."

-Pope Francis, June 5, 2013

Earth Hour - Earth Hour is observed globally March 28 from 8:30-9:30 p.m. local time. Individuals are invited to shut their lights off to raise awareness about climate change. 

Click here for interfaith prayer resources on Care of the Earth.

Lenten Fast to Sustain God’s Creation

"Please, I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be "protectors" of creation, protectors of God's plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment."

-Pope Francis, March 19, 2013

The Global Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM) has organized a Lenten hunger fast as a response to our present climate crisis. Catholics and other Christians in a different country each day during Lent have committed to fast.  The GCCM 40-day fast encourages participants to fast from food as well as the use of oil, electricity, plastic, paper, water, and toxins during Lent. For more information on the Global Catholic Climate Movement, please click here.

Lenten Fast to Sustain God’s Creation

"I wish to mention another threat to peace, which arises from the greedy exploitation of environmental resources."

-Pope Francis, January 13, 2014

Every year, 2 million barrels of oil go to making plastic water bottles used in the United States and Canada.

Choose a reusable bottle, like the green Our Lady of Hope Felician Sister’s water bottle.

Lenten Fast to Sustain God’s Creation

"Even if "nature is at our disposition", all too often we do not "respect it or consider it a gracious gift which we must care for and set at the service of our brothers and sisters, including future generations."

-Pope Francis, January 13, 2014

Choose tap water vs bottled water when possible.

Watch "The Story of Bottled Water" by clicking here.

Lenten Fast to Sustain God’s Creation

"People occasionally forgive, but nature never does. If we don't take care of the environment, there's no way of getting around it."

-Pope Francis, April 22, 2013

Plastic bags do not biodegrade, they break down into small toxic bits that contaminate soil and waterways and enter the food chain when mistaken for jellyfish. Therefore, you may eventually ingest a part of the plastic bag you threw away a few years ago!

Who’s Under Your Carbon Footprint

Join Catholics taking action in our families, parishes, schools and communities to reduce our carbon footprint, care for “the least of these” (Mt 25) and raise our voice on behalf of Creation and the poor.

PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God’s Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.

LEARN about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of climate change.

ASSESS how we—as individuals and in our families, parishes and other affiliations—contribute to climate change by our own energy use, consumption, waste, etc.

ACT to change our choices and behaviors to reduce the ways we contribute to climate change.

ADVOCATE for Catholic principles and priorities in climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact those who are poor and vulnerable.