WCC NEWS: WCC maintains hope, vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula

In a statement, the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee lamented the shift in geopolitics that represents a serious rupture for inter-Korean cooperation for peace and for the peaceful reunification of the divided Korean people. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth 12 June 2026 The statement regretfully recognizes “this new reality, and the need to find other pathways for mitigating the risks of catastrophic conflict.” The WCC governing  body maintains the hope and vision that has guided more than 40 years of ecumenical engagement in the Tozanso Process, “that the Korean people divided by Cold War political forces will one day peacefully reunite.” The statement also encourages “all WCC member churches and ecumenical partners in Korea and around the world to continue their work for peace, mutual understanding, and human rights for all people on the Korean Peninsula.” The WCC executive committee is meeting online 8 to 12 June. Read the full statement See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: WCC renews commitment to creation in time of accelerating environmental crisis

The World Council of Churches executive committee, in a statement, recognized that we are living in a time of profound ecological breakdown and deepening human suffering, tearing the interconnected design of all that God has created. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth 12 June 2026 “Across the world, communities are experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, wars, and widening inequalities,” reads the statement. “Forests burn, waters are polluted, species disappear, lands become barren, and entire peoples are uprooted from their homes.” The statement urges prophetic witness and concrete action by churches, including preserving in “advocacy for ambitious and equitable policies,” and “using legal strategies and processes – accompanied by the WCC – to promote climate justice and accountability.” The statement calls on governments and the international community to “prioritize sustainability, rehabilitation, justice, and long-term socio-economic resilience.” The WCC executive committee is meeting online 8 to 12 June. Read the full statement   See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: WCC executive committee calls churches to work for peace

In a statement entitled “From the Proliferation of War to the Way of Just Peace: A Renewed Ecumenical Appeal,” the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee called churches to work for peace with every means at their disposal. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth 12 June 2026 “The ecumenical fellowship has spoken clearly and consistently: war is contrary to God’s will,” the statement reads. “This foundational affirmation, reaffirmed by WCC governing bodies across many decades and many contexts, is a summons to prophetic witness and courageous action.” The statement calls on churches and religious leaders to resist and repudiate the use of misleading and irresponsible theologies to justify war wherever they appear, including within their own traditions. The statement also affirms the WCC’s continued accompaniment of member churches in all regions affected by conflict. The governing body is meeting online from 8 to 12 June. Read the full statement  See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: WCC reaffirms role of churches amid Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo

The WCC executive committee acknowledged the role of churches amid the health emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo following the outbreak of Ebola, particularly in conflict-affected areas. Photo: Sean Hawkey/Life on Earth 12 June 2026 The governing body called for urgent humanitarian access to Goma airport. “This outbreak is unfolding in communities already burdened by conflict, displacement, weak health systems, and deep social mistrust,” reads the statement. “The executive committee urges all relevant authorities and actors to ensure that Ebola containment be treated as an immediate political priority at national and regional levels in line with WHO guidance, and that the ceasefire commitments under the Washington Accords be fully implemented, since renewed violence and insecurity in affected areas will gravely undermine outbreak control, humanitarian access, and the protection of vulnerable communities.” The WCC executive committee is meeting online 8 to 12 June. Read the full statement See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

SojoAction Alert - Update: Congress Must Take Charge On Iran

View this email in your browser As Christians we must demand peace Update: As the war continues into yet another week of hostilities between Israel and Iran we continue to see the Trump Administration fail in bringing about an enduring peace through diplomacy. We must demand Congress step in. It has now been more than sixty days since President Trump launched air strikes on Iran in an act of war. It is important that Congress asserts its constitutional duty. While the current ceasefire is being tested in the Strait of Hormuz, Congress cannot let Trump and his Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, reset the clock on seeking approval by simply changing the name of their operation. This reckless course of action has endangered the lives of countless people across the Middle East as well as United States service members, and it can no longer continue. The decision to declare war lies with Congress, and the continued chaos caused by these military actions demonstrates the need for Congress to step in and do its constitutional duty to rein in or stop this illegal war and return to a diplomatic approach that promises peace for all. Contact Congress Now! As Christians, we believe that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matt. 5:9). With President Trump declaring the current ceasefire to be on “life support”, in this moment, we demand that our representatives in both the House and Senate act to create peace in accordance with our beliefs. Since President Trump ended the successfully negotiated Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), we have seen him launch multiple strikes against Iran without any measurable progress towards peace. Congress must once again demand a diplomatic approach to preventing the growth of nuclear arms. This war against Iran has already set off a ruinous regional conflict, which has seen commerce disrupted, people permanently injured, and too many precious lives lost. As Christians, we know that each and every life is precious and every step must be taken to avoid any further bloodshed.  Instead of recklessly continuing a policy of escalation, we demand an end to violence and vigorous oversight from Congress in pursuit of peace. Act Now In faith, Adam Russell Taylor President, Sojourners Unsubscribe or update email preferences Copyright © 2026 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842

EarthBeat Weekly: Year after major cuts, CRS receives new federal disaster aid

Year after Trump's cuts, Catholic Relief Services receives $240M in disaster aid   EarthBeat Weekly Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change June 12, 2026   Workers distribute shelter kits assembled by Catholic Relief Services at a camp for survivors of the 2010 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  (OSV News/Bob Roller) One week ago, representatives of Catholic Relief Services and the U.S. State Department gathered in Rome to announce a new $240 million grant to the U.S. bishops' overseas humanitarian and disaster agency.  The funds were designated specifically for those two purposes, with an emphasis on organizations capable of deploying quickly to crisis areas around the globe, as soon as 24 hours.  CRS's decades-long track record for fast responses, along with its expansive network of partner organizations in countries around the globe, were determining factors in selecting it for this first grant in a new series, a senior State Department official told me this week in an article I reported for National Catholic Reporter.  "They're extremely effective in what they do. They have a broad reach globally to be able to reach a lot of [these crisis zones]," the official said. The new award, while welcome news for CRS, comes more than a year after the Trump administration gutted U.S. foreign assistance, including the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. The cancellation or freezing of $60 billion in international aid in February 2025 had major ramifications for CRS, slashing hundreds of millions from its budget and with it a third of its staff and programs. CRS had been the leading recipient of USAID funds among nongovernment organizations. In 2024, it received $568 million from USAID and nearly $700 million overall in federal funding, per public spending records.  Portions of that funding over the years had gone toward CRS's various projects and initiatives in responding to the impacts of climate change. In recent years, CRS has amplified its climate work and launched a campaign to raise awareness and educate U.S. Catholics about the ways climate change is impacting people, particularly the most vulnerable, around the world right now. "I'm not exaggerating when I say that everywhere [in the 100+ countries] CRS works, when you talk to farmers they will tell you that the climate has changed out from under them," Bill O'Keefe, CRS executive vice president for mission, mobilization and advocacy, said in October 2022 at the launch of its climate action initiative.  Along with responding to weather-related disasters worsened by increasing global temperatures — fueled primarily from burning fossil fuels — CRS has developed with local partners programs to help vulnerable communities with limited resources adapt to changes in weather patterns, water access and land fertility.  A main focus has been on sustainable and regenerative farming, with CRS projects undertaken in parts of Africa, Bangladesh and Central America's Dry Corridor, the latter of which I saw up close during a reporting trip in the spring 2023. The new grant from the Trump administration omits development assistance for responding to climate change, which the president — who has removed the U.S. from international climate treaties — has falsely claimed is a hoax.  Speaking with me for the story, CRS president and CEO Sean Callahan said the new State Department funding was focused on immediate humanitarian relief rather than more proactive projects aimed at helping communities build resilience to a changing climate.  When I asked about the state of CRS's climate-related projects, Callahan said "we really need to continue to do what we call water-smart agriculture and climate-smart agriculture in various areas. … We have been doing this for years working with small-scale agriculture, and we just see it as crucial." He added its recent accreditation with the Green Climate Fund — the main financial mechanism for the 2015 Paris Agreement — will provide new funding for that work, which is only becoming more critical for the world's most vulnerable communities as climate impacts become more pronounced and life-threatening around the world. "As you know, we're in an El Niño phase coming in right now, where we see that that could have a very negative effect on agricultural production in many areas," Callahan said. "So we want to make sure we get out ahead of that and can start supporting some people so that they don't feel the drastic effects of it. It is using the appropriate seeds, using the appropriate techniques and water conservation mechanisms, so that we can make sure that our agriculture and the production that local farmers have is protected at this time." Read more: A year after slashing foreign aid, Trump admin awards $240M to Catholic Relief Services What else is new on EarthBeat:   Argentine Catholics join push to reverse Milei's changes to glacier protection law by Eduardo Campos Lima A reform to Argentina's 2010 glacier protection law has been met with popular opposition, with opponents arguing that the changes loosen government oversight of mining and oil projects, and put water sources at risk. Read more here »   Nuns in Cuba struggle to sustain ministries as fuel shortages deepen humanitarian crisis by Rhina Guidos "For a religious sister, living in Cuba today means navigating and taking on a series of structural and economic challenges that require an enormous capacity for adaptation and resilience," Sr. Noemy Ayala said. Read more here »   Vietnamese sisters help survivors of Formosa environmental disaster rebuild lives by Reporter in Vietnam Ten years after the environmental disaster that devastated Vietnam's central coast and affected thousands of fishing families, women religious focus on livelihoods, accompaniment and long-term healing. Read more here »   Indigenous, church leaders hold 'knowledge-sharing' meeting on 'Doctrine of Discovery' by Cindy Wooden, OSV News As the Indigenous people of Canada and the United States continue to fight for self-governance and for control of their traditional territories, many of them point to the Catholic Church and the "Doctrine of Discovery" as being a prime cause for loss of their full rights.  Read more here »   'Pressure' star Brendan Fraser on leadership, humility and playing Eisenhower by Zachary Lee Brendan Fraser talks about his role as General Eisenhower in the new movie "Pressure," which finds him tormented by the decision over whether to deploy troops on D-Day. Read more here »   Teilhard de Chardin points to what Pope Leo missed in 'Magnifica Humanitas' by Ilia Delio What does it mean to be human in the age of artificial intelligence? The answer Magnifica Humanitas gives — remain — is too small for the tradition it invokes and for the moment it addresses, says Sr. Ilia Delio. Read more here » What's happening in other climate news: 'Severe' stress on oceans as rate of sea level rise doubles in 10 years, UN warns —Karen McVeigh for the Guardian Judge tosses Trump bid to restrict renewable energy tax credits —Rachel Fazin for The Hill On the historic route from Selma to Montgomery, an AI cloud looms —Lee Hedgepeth for Inside Climate News Lawsuit challenges Trump administration's land swap with SpaceX in Texas —Valerie Gonzalez for the Associated Press Clergy across New Jersey urge lawmakers to pass Climate Superfund Act — Krystal Knapp for The Jersey Vindicator New Qcells plant doubles current US capacity to make solar cells —Julian Spector for Canary Media A flesh-eating cattle parasite spreads beyond Texas as new screwworm cases are found —Jeffrey Collins for the Associated Press There's something special about Kangaroo Island's koalas —Ana Norman Bermudez for the BBC Deepest and most extensive whale graveyard discovered in Indian Ocean —Nicola Davis for the Guardian Final Beat: You can keep up with the latest news and coverage at EarthBeat throughout the week on social media.  Give us a follow (@earthbeatncr) on Instagram and Facebook. And you can follow National Catholic Reporter (@ncronline) on most social platforms, too. As always, thanks for reading EarthBeat.   Brian Roewe Environment Correspondent National Catholic Reporter broewe@ncronline.org     Featured Advertisers   Looking to Hire? Offering Retreats? Selling Books? Place an Ad in NCR's Online Classified Section for Only $75 per Month!   Advertisement