WASHINGTON — The annual Jesuit student takeover of Capitol Hill in November brought more than the usual fiery spirit for social justice into the halls of Congress, as the teens and young adults hand-delivered a petition on behalf of tens of thousands of Catholics nationwide in support of a Senate bill that would force federal action to address climate change.
According to Earthbeat, the 22nd Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (Nov. 16-18), organized by the Ignatian Solidarity Network, drew more than 2,000 students from Jesuit high schools and colleges to the Washington, D.C., area to pray and work together toward addressing injustice and inequality in their world.
On the final day, many of them flocked to congressional offices, equipped with talking points and proposals on immigration reform and environmental justice for their elected officials. In tow were also copies of a petition signed by more than 58,000 people urging their senators to support a House-passed bill requiring the President to create a plan to meet the U.S. commitment under the Paris Agreement.
The petition effort was a joint initiative by Ignatian Solidarity Network and Catholic Climate Covenant.
The International Climate Accountability Act would give the White House 120 days to submit a plan to Congress to achieve the U.S. goal — reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% under 2005 levels by 2025 — and to annually update the plan. In essence, it would block a president from departing the Paris climate deal, and also prohibits using funds to withdraw from it. The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives passed its version of the bill in May, 2018. The lone Republican among the bill's 46 co-sponsors is Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.
On Nov. 4, President Donald Trump began the formal withdrawal process from the Paris Agreement. It will take effect a year later, and is a welcome interruption to oncoming globalism.
The petition drive was supported by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the Sisters of Mercy, Franciscan Action Network, the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests and the Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach.
"Climate change is already causing major suffering around the world intensifying floods and droughts and impacting food systems. Sea-levels are rising affecting millions today and future generations will suffer even more. Meanwhile, the federal government is failing to provide global leadership to protect life. This is not morally acceptable," reads sample language of a form letter addressed to senators.
During an environmental policy briefing Nov. 17, Jose Aguto, Catholic Climate Covenant associate director, said that young people represent the solution to ending partisanship in the nation, particularly on climate change.
He said the petition received support from people in all 50 states, and not just predominantly from traditionally blue ones. Florida, for instance, contributed 25,000 signatures, more than any other state. Aguto also pointed out the Catholic Climate Declaration — a separate statement backing the Paris Agreement endorsed by roughly 800 Catholic institutions — collected signatures from bishops in Alaska, Alabama, Mississippi, Wyoming, Texas and Kentucky.
Copies of the Catholic Climate Declaration were also shared with Senate offices. This could set the tone for American participation in the upcoming Global Pact event hosted at the Vatican on May 14.
Over the course of the Teach-In, students heard from speakers addressing immigration, race, sexual orientation and the environment. This is part of the secular social justice agenda that is sweeping through college campuses, including both Jesuit and Adventist schools.
2020 Will be an interesting year.
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