Over 100 people registered for our Season of Creation webinar A JUST TRANSITION.

Thank you for participating! Read more about key take-away messages from both presentations and find resources that will support your efforts to address the Laudato Si’ Action Platform Goals. 

Key take away messages include Andrew’s summary of the seven Laudato Si’ Platform Goals, which closely echo the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. He says Catholic communities around the world are invited to join A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT to rapidly work toward total sustainability in the coming decade; including carbon neutrality, simpler lifestyles, and divestment from fossil fuels.  But Andrew asks “Why wait to be invited? Are your diocese and parish organized to implement some of these goals now?.... The first thing we can do is start planning, offering to volunteer, and organizing.”

He also encourages us to write directly to our pastors and bishops urging their support in our efforts.

Diagram from Joseph Nangle, OFM, Pax Christi USA Ambassador 

Mariángel spoke to us about the number of complaints from around the world about the socio-environmental bad practices of Canadian companies, in Indigenous territory, and outside the company’s country of origin. The government of Canada has received recommendations to take much stronger legislative measures to prevent these negative actions. However, Canadian mining enterprises execute a powerful lobby in the countries where they do business. For example, at the political level, Ecuador experienced big changes after 2006, including a new constitution and currency. During this time of intense legislative upheaval, Canadian companies lobbied closely with the government and saw their fruits recognized in the mining law - very favourable to mining enterprises. She says the people of Tundayme, Ecuador are not so much poor, as they are the victims of imposed impoverishment!

The Pope is deeply concerned that large, privileged corporations presently have too much unaccountable power. They are able to reshape laws and educational systems, and even our culture, in their own narrow interests and ways of thinking. 

Mariángel hopes we can maintain an impactful conversation with our government leaders to hold Canadian registered extractive corporations accountable for their actions here and abroad.

Watch and Listen to a recording of the webinar and download the full slide deck. 

For resources from the presentation, download the PDF, A JUST TRANSITION resources. To read the biographies of Andrew Conradi, ofs and Mariángel Marco Teja, uj, download the PDF, A JUST TRANSITION bios. 

Additionally, Mariángel invites you to register for a retreat (in person or virtually) at Star of the North Retreat Centre, Nourishing Our Human Destiny,  with Fr. Seamus Finn, omi. You can learn more and register here. 

If you would like to find more ways to get involved, join the GCCM Canada newsletter to learn about other webinars, initiatives, and events.

For those that attended we hope the webinar and presentations were inspiring and will support your efforts to address the Laudato Si’ Action Platform Goals. 

If you have any questions or require more information, please email Agnes Richard at [email protected].