St. Francis of Assisi Parish

Pencil Preaching for Monday, July 6, 2020

Pencil Preaching for Sunday, July 5, 2020

As much as most Americans want the government to do more to address the climate crisis, significant change in public policy remains stalled. What are our options? 

Digging Into Laudato Si': In the last post of this series on Laudato Si', let's go back to the introduction where Pope Francis describes his urgent appeal for shaping the future of our planet: "We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all."

Built a few years before the start of the Civil War, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Norfolk, Virginia, is home to a vibrant, predominantly Black community whose parishioners come from miles around.

Rabbi Jennie Rosenn founded Dayenu to build a national movement of American Jews to confront the climate crisis with, according to its website, "spiritual audacity and bold political action."

Commentary: By allowing our teachers' agony and sorrow into our hearts, we confront the reality: As whites we too cause their agony and sorrow. This truth must be a source of ongoing, daily conversion.

Distinctly Catholic: Our patriotism must be more honest than it was in 1943. Americans must learn to pray for America with our eyes open. Make no mistake, however: America is still worth praying for and fighting for.

Roundtable: No factor looms larger in perpetuating racism than housing bias, but it is often blurred because it is so commonly covert.

Your thoughts: Each month, NCR gathers up a sampling of letters to the editor from our readers in response to articles and columns that appear on NCRonline. This week, we will focus on letters received in May 2020.