All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements, and talents. LS 14

While reflecting on the gospel of Friday, November 18th, the same day the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP27) was scheduled to close, parallels became apparent.

“My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves.”
 LK 19:45-48

“My house shall be a house of prayer.”  Indigenous Peoples understand this in the beauty, abundance and inherent goodness of all creation, the fullness of the natural world all around us, of which we are a part. By embracing Laudato Si’ many more are reminded that our faith understands this too; that the great gift of a planet full of life is sacred, in all aspects, and we as part of it are sacred too.

“But you have made it a den of thieves.” If we consider Mother Earth as the home Jesus might also have been referring to, then today the powers that drive endless consumer culture and who thwart efforts to share the wealth gained from exploiting the jewels of creation at the expense of those who have lived harmoniously with it are modern day thieves on a global scale. The influence of oil and gas industry lobbyists, and their financial supporters were very visible at COP27 as they worked to weaken efforts to name the primary cause of the climate crisis. Those thieves are stealing the lives of so many creatures and humans now, and are stealing our collective futures for the sake of profit and greed.

The God who created the universe out of nothing can also intervene in this world and overcome every form of evil. Injustice is not invincible. LS 74

But people of faith are finding ways to steer us back to healthy relations with our planet home and with each other. We are finding ways to speak universal truths in the halls of power...

Development & Peace Youth delegate, Yusra Shafi traveled with the KAIROS Canada group to attend COP27. We are connecting with each other, forming growing networks of collaboration where our collective goals and actions are making a difference.

Photo description: Faith & the Common Good partnered with EnviroMuslims to host Faiths4Climate Conversations. A graphic artist from ThinkLink Graphics recorded the afternoon discussions.

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Our efforts and prayers are transforming our hearts and lives, along with others, toward ecological conversion. This takes time but with the Hope of the Spirit a positive outcome is inevitable. 

We can draw hope from the leadership of Pope Francis. The Vatican is now an official member of the UN Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP27) and Biological Diversity (COP15). As reported recently in EarthBeat, “Being a formal party [member] will "allow the Holy See to take a more active role and involve itself with even more determination in the work of the COPs," … a sign that the church shares in the international responsibility to address climate change.”

The Laudato Si’ Movement was present at COP27 in Egypt. “Lindlyn Moma, Global Advocacy Director for the Laudato Si' Movement, said that the Catholic Church advocates for ecological justice because climate change negatively touches on the lives of everyone, and the pilgrimage to Mount Sinai was a plea for divine intervention to transform society and change the minds and hearts of world leaders to avert the worst impacts of a rapidly warming world.”

MLSM Canada will be in Montréal for the UN Conference on Biological Diversity (COP15). See the Events section below for events we are planning and follow our MLSM Canada Facebook page for news and updates!

Agnes Richard and Karen Van Loon, LSM Senior Programs Manager for North America, Anna Johnson and Caroline Kiiru, Biodiversity and Climate Manager at LSM will be travelling to Montréal to take part in several events organized by the Laudato Si’ Movement and Multifaith partners. Here is the MLSM Canada statement we will be bringing with us to share with Canadian negotiators.

Our hope and strength flow from our ability to work together in faith to bring about the changes we need to see. Through MLSM Canada we can find each other, reach out and create community to work on solutions to the climate and biodiversity problems that surround us in small regional locals and in broader national and global contexts.

Please consider making a donation to MLSM Canada through the Faith & the Common Good Canada Helps page. Choose the third fund option in the drop-down menu. Thank you.

Celebrations 

Welcome new members to the MLSM Canada Advisory Circle

• Bishop Jon Hansen, Bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, Northwest Territories 
• Jean-Pierre Fortin, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Field Education and Pastoral Formation at the Regis-St. Michael’s College Faculty of Theology 
• Anna Johnson, North America Senior Programs Manager for the Laudato Si Movement 
  
  

To learn more about the gifts of these wonderful people,
visit the About Us page.

Sponsorship Partners

• The Sisters of St. Martha, Antigonish, NS have committed donations to MLSM Canada through 2024
• The Ursuline Sisters of Chatham, ON are extending their donations to MLSM Canada through 2024
• Our Lady’s Missionaries are renewing their donation to MLSM Canada
  
  

2022 Certified Laudato Si’ Animators

Congratulations to all; Welcome to the family!
If you wish to connect with them,
please email Agnes and she can e-introduce you.

Events, News, & Resources

1. Activities during COP15 in Montréal

Follow the MLSM Canada Facebook page for news on our activities at COP15

Multifaith Pavilion for delegates in the central action zone of the conference. Each day of the conference a different theme or faith community will be highlighted in programming offered at the Multifaith Pavilion. A calendar of events for this space will be posted on the Faith & Biodiversity UN Coordination Group website page.

March for Biodiversity and Human rights: We are one with nature, protect human rightsThe Quebec civil society Collectif COP15, an alliance of more than 85 organizations, are organizing a rally at 1pm, December 10th in Montréal. 

Carnaval de la Biodiversité will be held at Centre St. Jax, Monday December 12th at 6:30pm. It will feature thematic circus interventions by Le Monastère, and Montréal’s famous Bois Public has crafted interactive biodiversity-themed games. Visit this Eventbrite page for more information and to get tickets. 
Full screening of The Letter with the Laudato Si’ Movement and MLSM Canada, 7pm, Tuesday December 13th at Centre St. Jax.

2. Voices from COP27

Join the delegates sponsored by KAIROS Canada and For the Love of Creation, including D&P Youth member Yursa Shafi, online next Thursday, December 1 at 8:30 AM Eastern time - or listen to the recording - to hear their reflections on the experience and their analysis of where we must put our energy next. Register now. 

3. Federal Grants and Loans

Significant grants and interest free loans have been announced by the federal government for home energy retrofits. The program is designed to help homeowners save money, create new jobs across Canada for energy advisors, and fight climate change. Visit the Canada Greener Homes Initiative to learn more.

4. Speaking out on Bill 23

Bill 23 More Homes Built Faster is a dangerous policy shift in Ontario. Many of the changes proposed are targeted at removing wetland and woodland protections* and creating a process for selling off conservation lands without oversight. It strips power from municipalities that are trying to build more new homes within their city boundaries, forcing them to sprawl instead. To read a full breakdown of the components of Bill 23 click here.

* Changes to the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System are policy changes that will be considered on a separate timeline.

5. Livable Future Investing

The Francesco Collaborative, an American branch of The Economy of Francesco, will offer a 3.5-week collaborative workshop beginning March 14, 2023 that inspires and resources asset stewards to become protagonists of transformation.

Facilitated by https://francescocollaborative.org/ 

Apply here by Tuesday, February 7th, 2023.

 6. Readings to Inspire

United Kingdom faith based climate organizations Operation Noah and Bright Now offer the report Church-Investment-in-Climate-Solutions, a free and comprehensive look at how some of the most effective climate solutions are also those that offer the greatest opportunities for investment.