Sabrina M. Chiefari is a Catholic Environmental Educator from Tkaronto/Toronto. As Integral Ecology Specialist for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, she is a long-time proponent of Deep Ecology and Integral Ecology.

In our last issue of Journey for Justice, we noted that 2023 is a big year for ecological and climate justice. Here’s a quick overview of some great resources and initiatives that have come up since then:

Learning

Both the Laudato Si’ Action Platform and Catholic Climate Covenant have recently hosted informative series, relating to all seven of the Laudato Si’ Goals. Similarly themed, JustFaith Ministries has in-depth series one can sign up for; Sacred Air, Sacred Water, and Sacred Land. They are excellent learning opportunities if you’re ready to learn more beyond headlines and hashtags.

Praying

A phrase to the effect of “it’s not the hottest year on record, it’s the coolest year for the next 100 years” has been making its rounds in environmental advocacy circles this year.

2023 is certainly proving itself as a record year, for all the wrong reasons; record high temperatures; record breaking polar and glacial ice melting; record breaking storms and wildfires across the globe. And so. With all the grief and anger that accompanies this sort of devastating news, pausing to pray becomes all more important.

While this is great news, continued advocacy is needed for repealing Bill 23 outright, as well as a full environmental assessment for the proposed Hwy 413.

If you’re ready to act, one or more of these organizations may resonate with you.

• Hands off the Greenbelt – Environmental Defence
• Take Action – Stand.earth
• Harms of Liquid Natural Gas and Fracking – Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment (CANE)
• Fossil Fuel Ad Ban – Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE)

Finally, just days ago, Pope Francis issued the Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum. While it is a “check-in” itself of sorts to 2015’s Papal Encyclical Laudato Si’, is it more importantly a message directed to those who will be participating in upcoming multilateral negotiations, such as COP28.

The Laudato Si’ Movement has invited people to pray with them for climate justice ahead of and during the upcoming UNFCC COP28. For the Love of Creation has also created a new Climate Action Discernment Process. We invite you to look to these, or similar resources, for prayerful pauses.

Acting

Wherever you are reading this issue from, chances are there’s a local ecological justice issue that could use your support. Here in Ontario, for example, public engagement successfully pressured the provincial government to restore Greenbelt protections.