PRIESTHOOD IN TIMES OF CLIMATE CHANGE

1.    Introductions

I feel very happy and encouraged to have this opportunity – even grateful, to engage with our deacons in preparation for ordination and their pastoral year.  I would have been happier to have a person to person interaction.  I think it is the first time that the topic of Environment has found a place in the pastoral orientation menu, and that, I would say, is a major step, though a small one, in the right direction. Feel grateful to my good friend and confrere Fr. Paulachan for considering me to engage this topic in discussion, and I recall our younger days in Bijnor and areas of common interest.

Our congregation had taken up this issue as a priority area in our XXXVIII general synaxis, and regarding the various domains of our life and apostolate, we arrived at more than ten resolutions in this regard.  In the light of these, an environment policy for the CMIs has been brought out and promulgated. The very same content was almost literally adopted by the Salesian province of Dimapur, Nagaland with necessary adaptations indicating the acceptance of the content.  I hope the deacons in their retreat would consider browsing through it, or at least Chapter 4 (A green CMI identity) and Annexure 1 (a check list for a green audit of CMI institutions).

Seeing the global trends, the news content of various international news channels and based on the thrust GS XXXVIII tried to provide, I feel, it would ideal that our secretariate for social apostolate be renamed as Social and Environmental Dept/Apostolate; and according to the globally promoted 30 by 30 principle, 30% of all our efforts be in the direction of planet for people - greening, farming, recycling etc.

I feel happy that we are having this discussion in 2022, 50 years after the landmark 1972 Stockholm summit and 30 years after the Rio Summit.  The latter was instrumental in shaping the earth consciousness of people of our generation, at least mine! We were perhaps the first faculty of Theology to have organised a faculty seminar on ‘Eco Theology’ in 1992, and I had the privilege of choosing the topic, and coordinating it as a student of Theology.

I had given seven questions* for self and/or collective reflection, and would have been happy to learn the answers to the question on occurrences around which the deacons considered significant. I would list out a few which occurred to me as significant:

(i)            Human population crossing the 8 billion mark on November 15^th and the issue of increasing population and limited resources.  In this regard, Pope Francis in Laudato Si points to the more serious aspects of private property, limits to the right to accumulate wealth and the duty of sharing resources, and the rights of people on the resources of the planet.  Even Indira Gandhi, a strong advocate of population control, had indicated the importance of resource sharing and distribution as a responsibility of the world nations.

(ii)     COP27 – was concluded at Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, with over 100 nations deliberating on issues of development and almost arriving at a consensus (still vague) on common, but differentiated responsibilities, including the responsibilities of the developed nations to support the 'deserving nations’ to meet the standards set to attain the global sustainable development goals.

(iii)        The devastating war on Ukraine – laying waste the land, polluting the air and water, and depriving people of the needs of power and water, pointing to the importance of peace as a necessary condition for sustainability.

(iv)       Pakistan claims compensation for loss and damage from World Nations -  which in principle, became accepted in the COP27.

(v)          COVID in China – crossing the limits 33000, again threatening the world and reminding us that we are one, connected world, our national borders notwithstanding, and sustainability of life is a collective responsibility of all.

(vi)     Rhine River Running Dry in August, 2022. When we travelled Europe or Americas (USA), we felt that God was partisan and let these regions/people enjoy the privilege of perennial rivers, always flowing with water, and no devastating extremities of weather, especially like the summers of Northern India – which apparently affected all, whereas winter was more harsh towards the poor.  But with River Rhine running dry (at a 42 cm low from the minimally required 150 cms) preventing navigation and transportation, eventually affecting Commerce, it pointed out to the global reality of warming. Similar occurrence of dry spell was experienced all through Europe this year.

(vii)     Wild Fires <https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/2022-international-wildfires/> raging across the globe killing, threatening and displacing people and biodiversity.

“The fires that happen around the world now are unlike the fires of 1992, 1972 or 1952. Fires are burning faster and hotter than ever before, and complex socio-economic factors result in more people being affected by smoke, debris flows and other wildfire effects. It is becoming more common for areas to suffer a subsequent catastrophic wildfire before recovering from an earlier wildfire.”

USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Russia, Spain, France, UK, Georgia, Algeria, Turkey, Greece…India…all of them experienced devastating forest fires this year.

(viii)     15000 killed by hot weather in Europe, indicating the adverse impacts of global warming and climate change. 

(ix)         CIA Director, William Burns in an interview noted that climate change is "an important  priority for the CIA and the US Intelligence community/" (Gulf Times, 5 Oct 2020. p. 10.  Anne Marie Slaughter: No Security without Climate Security). 

(x)          Climate Refugees: International Organisation for Migration (IOM) By 2050 - 216 million people will be uprooted within their own country on account of climate change. 40 million in South Asian nations alone. Millions were going hungry, and facing hunger death in Sudan and  Somalia due to climatic changes as well as human conflicts.

(xi)         Last 50 years saw 68% drop in wildlife. 10 mn hectares of land (about the size of Germany) get deforested every year. Biodiversity loss threat in terms of money was found to be equivalent to $1.9 tn (Moody's Investor Service).  These 'Risks such as ecosystem health, biodiversity loss and natural resource management' are likely to influence investments.  There is a need for 'natural capital preservation' from this angle as well.

All these point to the reality of One World – our Common Home, and any human action can impact all of us, requiring Common, but Differentiated Responsibility

2.    Some experiences of Indian landscape.

On my retirement after 24 years of service as an educator and administrator, I had the good fortune of being permitted to travel across India on a motorbike, and the health for the same.  I accomplished that in four months, covering all Indian states except two, 21010 kilometers in all. It had a theme  Trust-Green-Peace, taking a cue from UN theme of the year of Trust and Peace.

Basically, it was just for the heck of it, I felt like doing it, and realising that I will only grow older and never younger, and it would be worth the while exploring my country before I become too old for it. More of a fun ride.  Thanks to the Indian hospitality and my privileged position as a Catholic priest, I was received all around the country, without much fuss and I could interact with teachers, students and the public.

I found our great country free, vast, diverse & beautiful country – beauty of the plains, of the oceans, of the rivers, of the dry areas, of the high and snow-clad mountains…But I also observed that it is increasingly being marred by pollution – especially, waste generated by human beings – more so, plastic waste. Mountain heaps in quite a few places; remarkably in Delhi, having formed a small mountain of plastic waste in about 3 decades.

Water abundant state like Keralam – with its poor consideration for waste management sybolised by the waste dumps of Vilappilshala, Brahmapuram, Laloor, Njeliyamparambu - has become a water scarce state, with most of its natural sources of water becoming unfit for drinking; the uniquely beautiful state becoming an increasingly dirty and unattractive place.

Solid waste generation and management a major environmental hazard which can be tackled even now through education, planning & enforcement was also seen by the exceptional management of Indore City – one of the most populous cities of the country. 14^th largest city, with almost 2 million population

All these drive me to focus on a 21^st century virtue of an Indian Catholic Priest as being a ‘zero waste person’ or ‘zero carbon person’. That he is able ensure that : Waste is not generated; and if unavoidable and generated, it is managed through segregation at the source. It has to have a special focus on plastic disposables – beyond being an eyesore, leading to atmospheric pollution, clogging, becoming a threat to terrestrial & aquatic fauna; and a threat of bio-accumulation and bio-magnification to all fauna through microplastics everywhere, especially in the oceans.

Pope Francis very clearly points to getting rid of the ‘Throw Away Culture’, implying ‘no’ to the indiscriminate use of disposables of all sorts, which leads to a ‘spirituality that is marked by disposability of higher values’.  It has to grow beyond the typical ‘cleanliness drive’, which is often an over-sanitisation and threat to other beings.  Cleanliness next to Godliness campaign can,  at the best, be a good beginning. 

3.    How Individuals Make Some Difference

                        i.         I read about Kere Kamegowda (82) - Mandya, Malavelli Tk, Dasanadoddi Panchayat, who passed away in 2022.  The arid hilly tract of his locality was converted into a green zone, with 16 ponds that slowed the water run off - worth seeing. I feel that he has lived the gospel of ‘giving life in abundance’ (Jn10:10) much better than many of our institutions put together.

                      ii.         Anand Malligavad, Engineer turned water conservationist, Bangalore, in a matter of 6 years has managed to resurrect several huge reservoirs of water in Bangalore region, making that now his full time occupation.  I learnt that Dharmaram took the initiative to invite him to the campus and to interact with him.

                    iii.         Meena Menon, who inherited a 2 acre ancestral property on the NH 17, near Paravoor, Ernakulam, could have sold it off and led a life of comfort with the money earned.  But she chose to maintain that as a mini forest for the common good, conserving floral and faunal diversity at great risk, inconvenience and harassment from the government.  She had only losses in the bargain for her daring act.

                    iv.         I am proud of our beloved Fr. George Pittappilly, the Physics professor who visualised energy self-reliance which could lessen the carbon footprint. Thus was born Mitradham, the abode of Sun, which has sustained its efforts of being a green energy self-sufficient campus, and training and inspiring several hundreds in the field of renewable energy resources.

                      v.         Experiments of Aji Baba (Rev. Aji Parecattil CMI) was also a great initiative to reinvent nature-based remedies for human ailments, accompanied by a befitting life-style.  It survived for over a decade, and then apparently, has fizzled off.

                    vi.         Experiments in Carmel Health Centre at Bhoothathankettu, under the leadership of a green warrior Rev. Mathew Manjakunnel is a great initiative at balancing ecology, health and economy.  It has the requirements for sustainability.

                   vii.         In the last five years, a few of our campuses became 100% solar energy based, which is an effort in the right direction.

These are cited to show how individuals could make a difference in this field, often fighting against several odds.

4.    Alternatives – to be searched for, found and propagated

When stubbles are burnt in October-November in Punjab-Haryana, the region becomes extremely polluted and in the process makes Delhi, the capital the most polluted capital city in the world. The mode of Diwali celebrations involving unrestrained use of fire-crackers enhance it, making living in the capital and around a health hazard, without any exaggeration.

Both these – stubble disposal and Diwali celebrations – do have alternatives, perhaps need better ones.  But the usual response to any such issue would be: TINA – There Is No other Alternative – that is what we say, often on all such occasions (say, Diwali celebrations, or decorations for a function, or greetings someone with a floral bouquet or serving food for a function using disposables or stubble of paddy crop to be removed).

TATA – The challenge is to find that ‘There Are A Thousand Alternatives’ – if not a thousand, a few, viable ones.  The human ingenuity has to refine them as to making them equally or more convenient.  The case of electric motor vehicle can be cited as an example.

This has to be looked upon as our mission of 21^st century, identifying, creating, promoting sustainable alternatives, and life styles.  This demands making our educational ventures (formation of candidates, formal education, pastoral education) problem-solving/innovation oriented, which requires experimentation and research, as a thrust.

5.    Sustainability as a spiritual concern

Sustainability has become a popular term and a marketable term.  Often it remains at the level of GREEN WASHING. Usually tokenisms, accomplishing things for fulfilling requirements of approvals and accreditations, awards and accolades – not bad in themselves. However, effort should be to make it part of Personal Life and  Spirituality.

A present day Christian spirituality demands we respect and care for the planet (nature, environment) as our common home; and as a trust the Creator has entrusted to human beings to ‘till and keep’(Gen. 2:15) – to produce and to protect (LS 63)

In this regard, the seventeen secular global goals of development (SDG) can be of great significance.  A sine qua non as a spiritual trait would be our effort to translate the goal no. 12 of ‘sustainable consumption and production’ into our personal, collective and institutional lives.

All of us inevitably being  consumers, can grow in our approach towards this human act  – from the casual consumer of the planets goods - air, water, food, clothing, footwear, mobility – with our consciousness being awakened only towards the aspects of cost, utility or taste (of tongue or eyes) to a more conscious and critical approach towards the items we consume – their need (necessity for us), their impact on water, air or soil – if possible, giving a preference to the local, the least wasteful/waste generating etc.

It could go further to making our consumption itself a political act, as did Mahatma Gandhi, who inspired people to choose swadeshi instead of videshi. I recall, Aruna Roy (IAS), of the Right-to-Information-Act fame, describing her conscious choice of wearing a cotton-khadi saree, as her political act of siding with a group of people and an ideal. On another occasion, I saw Dr Vandana Shiva, of the ‘Water Wars’ fame, during her talk at IGNOU centre, Delhi, looking around for water, and refusing to take the bottled water which was on the stage, as she considered the very business and the very company that manufactured it, could not be reconciled with in the present environment scenario.

But I am more interested in looking at this as a ‘spiritual act’, where our choices of the goods of the world, are done with an attitude of ‘sacrifice’ (tyaga – ishaavasyamidam sarvam, … tena tyaktena bhunjitha).  This involves the ability to say ‘enough’ when we don’t need those goods, and the ability to say ‘no’ when such consumption is likely to involve avoidable harm to people and planet – involving a tyaga of self, as described by Indira Gandhi:

"This overriding concern with self and today is the basic cause of the ecological crisis. Pollution is not a technical problem. The fault lies not in science and technology as such but in the sense of values of the contemporary world which ignores the rights of others and is oblivious of the longer perspective." (Stockholm, 1972).

A list of such consumption items - individual and institutional – can be made to start with.

6.    Pastoral Year – Pastoral leadership and education

As the newly ordained enter their pastoral year after ordination, it is well to be beware of the Catholic Priesthood to be a call engrossed in ritualism – the only concern of priesthood becoming centred around the solemn or otherwise of the not against rituals – very rarely applied beyond that to the spread of good news to the world around us, except for the routine conventional charity – treatment, marriage fund, house construction…

CMI congregation has emphasized mission beyond borders as one of its thrust areas for the decade.  One of the best fields to operationalise this is the consideration for the planet as our ‘common home’ beyond the borders of human, Christian, religion, nation.  The whole world is my parish – all humans are my parishioners – the biotic and abiotic elements of the environment are also my parish.

A concern that could be experimented with by the newly ordained, without making it obvious or imposing, could be that of promoting ‘carbon neutral parishes/localities’ (Ref. CMission March 2022).

It would involve Christian living which focuses on sustainable responsible consumption:

·      Educating people and the masses

·      Control on human consumption – patterns, items.

·      Gospel reflections to include our relationships with the planet as well - not to be confined to the interpersonal human interaction. 

•     Action for bio-diversity, water, soil protection

·    Action for sustainable and responsible production befitting the biblical call to ‘till and keep’ (Ref. Laudato Si)

·      Action for plastic-waste-pollution free spaces – clean water, air, soil

·      Action considering ONE HEALTH, involving the health of soil, water and air, as well as that of plants, animals and humans.

However, prior to that I would suggest

·      Laudato Si as a spiritual read for the retreat

·      CMI Environment Policy – chapter four and annexure two for further reading during the retreat.

Climate change is to be addressed from a spiritual angle as well – a pastoral, spiritual issue – in pastoral care, in gospel proclamation with insights for life on planet, in and from the Word of God – not romanticizing, but with insights for praxis

The global agenda of 30 by 30 - promise to protect 30% of world's land and sea by 2030 – be applied at the individual and parish level, with necessary adaptations.

Action and education for peace, conflict resolution and reconciliation.

Hope that becomes a vitutal  (a liberation) from ritualism to celebration of the redeemed and redeeming life on God’s world.

Hope that the new priest’s life will not be just confined to the sanctity of the sanctuary, but rather would be concerned with elevating the whole planet to be a sanctuary, where life thrives.

Exploring Common but differentiated responsibilities (usually applied to the world nations) – but also as applied to individuals – to Priests, with differentiated responsibility to lead thinking, guide the parish beyond borders and set models for them.

I would like to conclude these reflections with the quote from Indira Gandhi’s speech of 1972:

"The environmental problems of developing countries are not the side effects of excessive industrialization but reflect the inadequacy of development." This demands a re-look at our own definition or understanding of ‘development’ itself.

“Modern man must re-establish an unbroken link with nature and with life. He must again learn to invoke the energy of growing things and to recognize, as did the ancients in India centuries ago, that one can take from the Earth and the atmosphere only so much as one puts back into them.

As sung in the hymn to Earth of Atharva Veda by the sages, “What of thee I dig out, let that quickly grow over, Let me not hit thy vitals, or thy heart”. So can man himself be vital and of good heart and conscious of his responsibility."

ॐ द्यौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः

पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः ।

वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः

सर्वं शान्तिः शान्तिरेव शान्तिः सा मा शान्तिरेधि ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Dyauh Shaantir-Antarikssam Shaantih

Prthivii Shaantir-Aapah Shaantir-Ossadhayah Shaantih |

Vanaspatayah Shaantir-Vishve-Devaah Shaantir-Brahma Shaantih

Sarvam Shaantih Shaantireva Shaantih Saa Maa Shaantir-Edhi |

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih || (Atharva Veda)

1.Om, Peace is in Sky; Peace is in Space (between Earth and Sky);
2: Peace is in Earth; Peace is in Water; Peace is in Plants;
3: Peace is in Trees; Peace is in Gods (presiding over the various elements of Nature); Peace is in Brahman (Absolute Consciousness);
4: Peace is pervading everywhere; Peace alone (which is outside) is in Peace (which is inside); May you be (established in) that Peace (and make your life fulfilled);

Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Sister Moon, stars, wind, air, cloud, waters…. All brothers and sisters…. (Canticle of Creation, Francis of Assisi, cited by Pope Francis, in Laudato Si)

 

*QUESTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL/COLLECTIVE REFLECTION

Nearing 30, and with almost 15 years in religious-priestly formation, and having lived in different parts of India:

1. Can you list out some occurrences around (preferably in the past 30 days) which you considered as significant. 

2. Could you list out the problems people you came across face? 

3. Could you prepare a summary list of problems related to the environment? 

4. How do you consider these problems as catholic priests (to be)? Does any of them hold a priority or concern for you? If yes, what are they? 

5. What are you doing about it? 

6. What can we as priests in various roles do about it? 

7. What, if any,  are the philosophical or biblical/theological or missiological  inspirations for our involvement?  

 

 

References

Indira Gandhi's address at Stockholm Summit 1972 June 16 <https://lasulawsenvironmental.blogspot.com/2012/07/indira-gandhis-speech-at-stockholm.html> November 22, 2022

ESG - <https://www.gulf-times.com/story/728470/Crackdown-on-greenwashing-weighs-on-ESG-funds-grow>  Nov. 9, 20222

Pesticides - <https://www.gulf-times.com/story/728469/The-pesticide-double-standard> Nov. 9, 20222

Pakistan Flood – Global Responsibility <https://www.gobalbankingandfinance.com/flood-hit-pakistan-seeks-loss-and-damage-compensation-at-cop27/ >  Nov. 8, 20222

Europe’s Second-Largest River – Runs Dry – European Space Agency Aug. 19, 2022 <https://scitechdaily.com/rhine-river-europes-second-largest-river-runs-dry/> (Nov. 25, 2022)

Wild Fires <https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/2022-international-wildfires/> (Nov. 25, 2022) Centre for Disaster and Philanthropy;

15000 killed by hot weather in Europe - <https://theprint.in/world/15000-killed-by-hot-weather-in-europe-in-2022-who/1203445/> Nov. 22, 2022

Anand Malligavad, Engineer turned water conservationist, Bangalore. https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/anand-malligavad-engineer-rejuvenating-bengaluru-lakes-556698.html

Readiness to go beyond GREEN WASHING – <https://bit.ly/keraleeyam-I55>   Nov. 8, 2022

Biodiversity focus climbing up global investor agenda <https://www.gulf-times.com/story/725411/Biodiversity-focus-climbing-up-global-investor-age> Nov. 22, 2022