Tag Archives: Pope Francis

Imagine the Power to Address Climate Change As the Pope & Roman Catholic Church Focuses on Sustainability

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by Hank Boerner – Chairman, G&A Institute

Imagine the impact — the power of the organizational resources directed at climate change issues — as the global Roman Catholic Church focuses on the issues. In 2915, the new year, the global church could become the major “game changer” on the issue.

There is a new Holy Father in place — Pope Francis, who took office in a little bit less than two years ago. He has shaken things up in the Roman Curia (the important headquarters infrastructure in Rome/Vatican City) and is sending strong signals to the faithful on all continents.

Among those messages:  we are the stewards of the natural world and have moral and spiritual responsibilities in that regard.

The buzz is that a powerful message will be coming from Pope Francis this spring, in the form of an encyclical, the traditional way that important and “highest” teachings are communicated to the faithful worldwide.

Photo: USCCB

The resources of the church are immense and global: 1.2 million faithful around the world, 75 million alone in the United States; 5,000 bishops; 400,000 priests; newspapers; radio and TV stations; web sites; hundreds of orders; universities & colleges…and more.

Thinking of impact in capital markets:  Many Roman Catholic orders are members of a powerful institutional investor activist coalition — Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), which engages with public companies to address issues of concern.  Including uppermost in mind, climate change.

If these and other resources are brought to bear on climate change issues, think of this as the game changer for the global discussion on the subject.

We have strong hints now at the direction to be taken by Pope Francis and the church he leads.  Here are some things to consider as we enter 2015.

In late December, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, shared her views on the church’s anticipated moves. “Pope Francis,” she posited, “is about to make history by issuing the first-ever comprehensive Vatican teachings on climate change, which will urge 1.2 billion worldwide to take action…”

Ms. Goodman interviewed author and Vatican expert Austin Ivereigh (co-founder of Catholic Voices), who has just published the biography, “The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope.”  Mr. Ivereigh said that the encyclical will address the science underlying arguments for policy changes and actions to be taken.

As backdrop, in May 2014, two “Pontifical academies” that are part of the Vatican mechanisms — The Academy of Sciences, and the Academy of Social Sciences — conducted a joint workshop and in effect convened a summit in Rome to discuss “Sustainability Humanity, Sustainable Nature”  Our Responsibility;”

The gathering explored economic growth and the impact on natural resources (“natural capital”).  And, the gap between rich and poor and the impact of economic growth on emerging economies, urban pollution, the growth of poverty, and other issues. (Among participants:  Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University Earth Institute.)

The intent of the workshop was to view “Humanity’s interchanges with Nature through a triplet of fundamental, inter-related Human needs — Food, Health, Energy.\

The Papacy is a powerful bully pulpit for addressing societal issues and bringing the considerable resources of the Roman Catholic resources (spiritual, economic, diplomatic, persuasive) to bear. And Pope Francis is a logical messenger on the issue. Thank about his background and personal resources.

He was trained as a chemical technician in his homeland, Argentina. He chose the priesthood, entering the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits, who run universities worldwide). Ordained in 1969, he continued his studies, on to the doctorate in Germany. He taught philosophy in university.

His personal motto is miserando atque eligendo, chosen when he was first a bishop — meaning “lowly but chosen;” in Latin. He was appointed archbishop, then cardinal, and in March 2013 Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope — the first from the Americas.

As priest – bishop – archbishop – parish priest – teacher – cardinal — Francis has been focused on serving the poor, social justice, the authenticity of the church in matters of faith and morals, and the need for humankind to be stewards of nature. He took the name Francis noting the inspiration of St. Francis of Assisi, the great spiritual leader and protector of nature.

Biographer Ivereigh, who presumably has his necessary contacts in the Curia, predicts Pope Francis will issue his “climate change” encyclical in March.  The Holy Father is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka and The Philippines — both of which suffered great damage and human loss in recent storms that many experts attributed (the intensity) to climate change..

Topics to be included may be deforestation (a system that encourages to much inequality), And “consumerism,” which encourages damage to the environment.

Consider this:  the foundation of the document is predicted to be [that] the scientific consensus is that climate change is real…and momentum if needed to bring about action to address the challenges.

And then we should consider the impact / outcome of the enormous resources of the global Roman Catholic Church and all of its communication organs (including parish pulpits) are brought to bear on climate change issues.  With Pope Francis on point, corralling other religious, governmental and NGO communities to join his 21st Century crusade.

We’ll be watching – this will be a game changer, for sure.

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To see Amy Goodman report:  http://m.democracynow.org/stories/14898

 

 

 

 

Philanthropy Over Policy Equals Plutocracy

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LarryChecco_Photo_LargeGuest commentary by Larry Checco

Philanthropy verses policy. What’s at stake? In the United States of America, perhaps our entire democratic process.

At a recent Brookings Institution event that focused on income inequality, John Prideaux, Washington correspondent for The Economist, was asked what a “good unequal society” would look like.

Prideaux replied that “a lot of the things we think are public goods would be provided for privately…in a sort of philanthropic way.” He added that this would entail a revival “of the 18th century idea of the obligation of those at the top of the income spectrum towards those at the bottom. (my emphasis)”

Prideaux gave an off-handed example of how the Gates Foundation perhaps — his fingers crossed — could provide better “welfare” to the people than “any government bureaucracy.”

Fast forward to a recent op ed piece in The Washington Post, written by a husband and wife team of obvious affluence, influence, and good will.

John and Carol Saeman, both devout Catholics, give generously of their time and treasure to the charitable works of their church (John is president of an investment and management company), as well as to other more laic (nonclerical, lay) organizations, including those run by people such as the billionaire Koch Brothers.

“Helping the poor…requires a fundamental change in how our society—and government—understands and seeks to address poverty,” they say in their op ed piece. “For us, promoting limited government alongside the Kochs” is in keeping with “Pope Francis’ call to love and serve the poor.”

The Koch organization that the Saeman’s ardently support is called Freedom Partners, a nonprofit organization composed of around 200 members, each paying a minimum US$100,000 in annual dues.

In 2012, Freedom Partners raised $256 million, making grants worth a total of $236 million to conservative organizations prior to the midterm elections, including Tea Party groups and organizations opposed to The Affordable Care Act. Your average middle class guy is probably not a member.

Regardless of the politics they embrace, wittingly or unwittingly, both Prideaux and the Saeman’s put forth the perfect scenario for a plutocracy—namely a society where wealthy people like the Koch brothers, the Gateses and others should determine and finance the common good verses employing the democratic process of the people.

In short, they are advocating philanthropy over policy, which leads us down a very slippery slope, folks.

When government works, policy reflects the will of We, the People. We elect political leaders whose job it is to pass laws and appropriate funds that promote the common good. If we don’t like the laws they pass or the funds they appropriate we have the opportunity, privilege and right to vote them out.

When it comes to philanthropy, as someone who has worked in the nonprofit sector for the better part of four decades, I can say with great confidence we run the real and great risk of relying on the kindness—and whimsy—of strangers.

If a huge philanthropic organization like the Gates Foundation decides to change course, what recourse do we, the people, have? Nada.

As imperfect and dysfunctional as our government is, I’m not willing to hand it over to the rich, regardless of their noble and good intentions—especially when it comes to defining the common good. Over the past 30 years or so, we’ve witnessed how that good has often translated into less taxes for them and less good for the rest of us.

One last point.

In their op ed piece, the Saeman’s make the argument that our welfare system encourages dependency and denies dignity to the poor. They leave out the fact that many people who work 40 hours a week at minimum wage for major corporations like Wal-Mart, McDonalds and many other large, well-heeled corporations lose dignity by having to rely on government programs to make ends meet, including food stamps.

BTW– in 2012, Forbes reported that just six Walmart heirs have as much wealth as 42 percent of all Americans. Say what!

Want to give people dignity? Rather than philanthropy, let’s pay hardworking folks a wage they can live and raise a family on. I guarantee you that people like the Waltons, Kochs and others in their economic stratosphere won’t miss a meal by doing so—and we won’t have to rely as much on their philanthropy.

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Larry Checco is principal of Checco Communications, a consulting firm that helps organizations define who they are, what they do, how they do it–and why anyone should care. Contact:  www.checcocomm.net

Contents © 2014 by Larry Checco – All Rights Reserved