EarthBeat Weekly: A turning point for US dioceses and ecological action?

A turning point for US dioceses on ecological action?   EarthBeat Weekly Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change April 24, 2026   A 300-kilowatt solar energy project went into commercial operation Dec. 25, 2021, on the campus of the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, which serves the Chicago Archdiocese, in Mundelein, Illinois. (UMSL/Mundelein Seminary) In my years on the faith-and-environment beat, I have heard a constant refrain from Catholics engaged on issues of climate change, pollution and other ecological matters. Where are the U.S. bishops? Why aren't they doing more?  It's a sentiment that's been expressed in interviews, during background conversations, on webinars, in webinar chats, at conference panels and on and on.  The view, to broadly summarize it, is that while U.S. bishops have spoken at times on environmental issues — in 2001, for instance, they issued a pastoral statement on climate change — and some individual bishops have demonstrated leadership through both words and actions, as a whole they have not emphasized nor prioritized the church's teachings on creation in a way that meets the real and growing ecological threats and crises facing the country and planet.  Indeed, NCR's editorial board has made that same argument on numerous occasions. That omission, the view holds, is all the more glaring as the United States is the largest historical source of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change, with its impacts increasingly visible around the globe, placing on the country a greater moral responsibility to wield its vast resources and political and economic power toward impactful, long-term solutions.  That perception could be beginning to change, as I reported this week in a feature story that published this week on Earth Day (April 22).  Since January, 19 dioceses have taken part in an inaugural national training program to compose ecological action plans inspired by Pope Francis' 2015 social encyclical, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home."  The Laudato Si' Leadership Training program is a collaboration between the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky. Lexington, you may recall, has emerged as not just a national but global leader among dioceses in responding to Francis' calls in Laudato Si'. It has set an ambitious diocesan goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2030 and each of its 59 parishes have developed their own Laudato Si' action plans to contribute to the overarching diocesan strategy.  Speaking with diocesan staff for three dioceses that are part of the training program — Great Falls-Billings, Montana; Phoenix; and Providence, Rhode Island — each were enthusiastic to receive help to craft Laudato Si' plans to fit their local contexts. Each also said such plans were unlikely to develop, or would have taken far more time, absent this training program.  In addition to creating a Laudato Si' plan, the 19 diocese are also enrolling in the Vatican's Laudato Si' Action Platform. The training program currently has funding to cover two additional cohorts of 20 dioceses each, meaning that at the end of 2028, as many as 60 new U.S. dioceses could have Laudato Si' plans in place.  Combine that with the dioceses already enrolled in the Vatican initiative, it would mean nearly half of the country's 195 dioceses would be actively working to bring Francis' encyclical to life in the church in the United States.  "It would send a signal that this is a priority for the Catholic Church in the United States, as much as immigration, pro-life issues, all the rest," Dan Misleh, executive director of the Catholic Climate Covenant, told me. "I think this would certainly send that signal that the bishops have made this a top priority with this program." And it is something NCR and EarthBeat will continue to monitor and cover.  Read more: New ecological program trains US diocesan leaders to build Laudato Si' momentum   What else is new on EarthBeat:   At a Spanish convent, nuns fight to preserve rare giant rabbit species by Lissette Lemus "We have to protect creation," Sr. Consuelo Peset Laudeñashe said. "We are Franciscans. St. Francis is the patron saint of veterinarians, and that is the source of the love we feel for the Spanish giant rabbit." Read more here »   EcoVillage sustainable housing finds a place to build with Pittsburgh sisters by Jennifer Szweda Jordan The Rachel Carson Ecovillage needed land, and the Sisters of Divine Providence near Pittsburgh were trying to sell 8 acres. As the sustainable housing project got underway, the two groups became partners in mission. Read more here »   Pope Leo donates $100K to CRS clean water project in El Salvador by Gina Christian, Marietha Góngora V., Maria-Pia Negro Chin, OSV News Pope Leo XIV has donated $100,000 to provide access to clean water in El Salvador, supporting a program launched by the papal nuncio to that nation and by the U.S. bishops' Catholic Relief Services. Read more here »   As drought reshapes pastoral life, Maasai communities in Kenya find new resilience by Doreen Ajiambo On Kenya's fragile plains south of Nairobi, where drought has killed millions of livestock and hunger is spreading across the dry lands, Maasai farmers and Catholic sisters are reshaping how communities survive. Read more here »   Nature teaches me to celebrate Earth Day as my birthday by Margaret Gonsalves Mother Earth is creative, and just as she evolves, every human body and spirit also requires growth — this is part of the very nature of nature. Read more here » What's happening in other climate news: Almost half of America's kids are breathing toxic air —Keerti Gopal for Inside Climate News Record US drought sparks worries about fires, water supply and food prices —Seth Borenstein for the Associated Press Facing drought and low snowpack, Rio Grande states expect a 'challenging' year —Martha Pskowski for Inside Climate News Federal judge strikes down some Trump administration actions that have slowed clean energy projects —Jennifer Mcdermott and Matthew Daly for the Associated Press The shadow papers: The inside story of five days that remade the Supreme Court —Jodi Kantor and Adam Liptak for The New York Times Environmental groups sue to block BP's plan to drill in deep Gulf waters —Lisa Friedman for The New York Times As wildfires worsen, exposure to smoke may increase risk of several cancers —Carolyn Y. Johnson and Ben Noll for the Washington Post EPA adds more pesticide industry reps to science board —Lisa Held for Civil Eats The history of Earth Day—and why it still matters —Steve Curwood for the "Living on Earth" podcast and Inside Climate News Final Beat: An unpopular war rages forward. Protests break out over civil rights and human dignity. A crew of astronauts return from a trip headed to the moon after capturing the attention of the country and the world.  This may sound like a description of events in recent weeks in the United States. It also describes the state of the country at the time of the first Earth Day, back on April 22, 1970.  The parallels stood out to me this week as I revisited this article — Hymns, teach-ins and a horse ride to school: Catholic stories of the first Earth Day — I reported in April 2020 as part of NCR and EarthBeat coverage of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. It was a personal favorite to report and write. The series of vignettes, alongside amazing photos, offer a time capsule to 56 years ago. Consider revisiting it as a nice post-Earth Day weekend read.  As always, thanks for reading EarthBeat.     Brian Roewe Environment Correspondent National Catholic Reporter broewe@ncronline.org     Featured Advertisers   Executive Director, Retreat Center. Precious Blood Renewal Center in Liberty, Missouri, seeks an experienced administrator and pastoral minister as executive director. Details at pbrenewalcenter.org/jobs   Advertisement

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Truth and Action Roundup 4.17.2026

View this email in your browser Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, your reliable weekly source for information, inspiration, and opportunities for action during the second Trump administration.  Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it. While we’re breathing a sigh of relief at the continuation of the ceasefire despite Trump’s Tuesday deadline, it’s important to reflect on the circumstances that led us to this moment. In Ecclesiastes, chapter 7 verse 9, we’re instructed to “be quick not to anger, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.” The wisdom of this verse has been demonstrated amply by Donald Trump’s actions and the resulting consequences the rest of the world has suffered. By lashing out in anger, however, Donald Trump has utterly revealed his foolishness in addition to harming the most vulnerable. The logic of white Christian nationalism has held that the love of the Gospel is a demand that stops people from being successful. Trump’s angry rhetoric, like his decisions to go to war with Iran, flows from this logic. But as we learn in Ecclesiastes, this is not right, and the American people understand this as well, as polling continues to turn against the belligerent approach of the Trump Administration. In rejecting the doctrine of foolish anger, we can model a Christianity that demonstrates the true love of the Gospel. Not only through rhetoric but in action by demanding an end to war and militarism. In challenging these assumptions of White Christian Nationalism, fueling not only our attacks abroad but the attacks on our loved ones, we demonstrate our wisdom and moral power. –Rev. Moya Harris and Chad Stanton, Sojourners In the News Here’s a look at what happened this week: Debates and legal challenges persist nationwide and at the federal level regarding the right to participate in the democratic process through voting. Virginia voters narrowly approved a Democratic plan to allow them to redraw the state congressional map for the remainder of the decade. Democrats characterized the plan as temporary and necessary to fight back against the Trump administration and GOP gerrymandering around the country. A judge in southern Virginia has barred the results from being certified, and Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones has promised to immediately appeal. President Trump, meanwhile, is claiming that the election, which benefits his political opponents, was rigged. As the federal voter suppression bill, the SAVE America Act, remains stalled in the US Senate, several Republican-controlled states are enacting similar legislation. For instance, the Florida SAVE Act incorporates many of the federal bill’s provisions concerning proof of citizenship. Voting rights advocates have consistently argued that these requirements address a largely nonexistent issue of non-citizen voting, while in practice, they disenfranchise minority, low-income, and elderly voters by imposing undue barriers to participation. The Trump Administration’s cruel deportation policies have continued under the leadership of DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. On Tuesday, Mullin warned that DHS lacks sufficient funds to pay its employees through May. The agency has been closed since mid-February, following Democrats’ refusal to provide funding without significant reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In response, Republicans have announced plans to use budget reconciliation to allocate up to $70 billion for immigration enforcement without Democratic support. According to a letter from the acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, during President Trump’s first year back in office, the administration arrested at least 343 DACA recipients, also known as Dreamers, and deported 174 individuals. Analysis from the American Immigration Council indicates that although daily ICE arrests in communities have decreased since the peak in Minnesota earlier this year, ICE continues to arrest approximately 500 people every day. The US-led or supported conflicts in the Middle East continued in various forms. President Trump ordered the U.S. military to “shoot and kill” any Iranian vessel engaged in laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. This directive followed statements from Iran’s negotiator, who asserted that reopening the Strait was “not possible” due to “the blatant violations of the ceasefire” by the United States and Israel. Concurrently, the Pentagon denied a news report claiming that a senior Defense Department official had briefed Congress that clearing the Strait of Hormuz of mines could require six months. Democratic congressional staffers recently estimated the cost of the Iran war to be $50 billion to date. The Trump administration has declined to provide its own cost assessments to Congress, resulting in frustration among members of both the House and the Senate. On Wednesday, the Israeli military killed a journalist in southern Lebanon during a series of airstrikes that resulted in multiple fatalities. Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which are described as targeting Hezbollah, have continued despite the current ceasefire. Similarly, Hezbollah has launched attacks on Israel, characterizing them as responses to Israeli ceasefire violations. Take Action Tomorrow, on April 25th, Indivisible will host Communities Not Cages National Day of Action. We’re also continuing to call for an end to the military blockade of Cuba. What We’re Reading “20 More Bible Verses For President Trump to Read” | And ideally reflect on. (by The Editors) “Trump Admits That the U.S. Simply Cares About War More Than Kids” | Trump’s remarks are in line with the longstanding and distorted logic that the U.S. needs to prioritize military spending above all else. (by Adam Russell Taylor) Deep Breaths Beauty of Creation We have beauty to remind us of the glory of God’s creation. God has provided us with imagination and dreams to understand the cosmos. Ancestor James Weldon Johnson used his God-given imagination to paint a picture of Genesis. I encourage you to read this slowly so that you can envision Johnson’s interpretation of the sacred text the day after Earth Day. May this pause to experience the beauty of God’s inspired Word give you strength this weekend. ––Rev. Moya Harris, Senior Director of Programs, Sojourners The Creation By James Weldon Johnson And God stepped out on space, And he looked around and said: I'm lonely— I'll make me a world. And far as the eye of God could see Darkness covered everything, Blacker than a hundred midnights Down in a cypress swamp. Then God smiled, And the light broke, And the darkness rolled up on one side, And the light stood shining on the other, And God said: That's good! Then God reached out and took the light in his hands, And God rolled the light around in his hands Until he made the sun; And he set that sun a-blazing in the heavens. And the light that was left from making the sun God gathered it up in a shining ball And flung it against the darkness, Spangling the night with the moon and stars. Then down between The darkness and the light He hurled the world; And God said: That's good! Then God himself stepped down— And the sun was on his right hand, And the moon was on his left; The stars were clustered about his head, And the earth was under his feet. And God walked, and where he trod His footsteps hollowed the valleys out And bulged the mountains up. Then he stopped and looked and saw That the earth was hot and barren. So God stepped over to the edge of the world And he spat out the seven seas— He batted his eyes, and the lightnings flashed— He clapped his hands, and the thunders rolled— And the waters above the earth came down, The cooling waters came down. Then the green grass sprouted, And the little red flowers blossomed, The pine tree pointed his finger to the sky, And the oak spread out his arms, The lakes cuddled down in the hollows of the ground, And the rivers ran down to the sea; And God smiled again, And the rainbow appeared, And curled itself around his shoulder. Then God raised his arm and he waved his hand Over the sea and over the land, And he said: Bring forth! Bring forth! And quicker than God could drop his hand, Fishes and fowls And beasts and birds Swam the rivers and the seas, Roamed the forests and the woods, And split the air with their wings. And God said: That's good! Then God walked around, And God looked around On all that he had made. He looked at his sun, And he looked at his moon, And he looked at his little stars; He looked on his world With all its living things, And God said: I'm lonely still. Then God sat down— On the side of a hill where he could think; By a deep, wide river he sat down; With his head in his hands, God thought and thought, Till he thought: I'll make me a man! Up from the bed of the river God scooped the clay; And by the bank of the river He kneeled him down; And there the great God Almighty Who lit the sun and fixed it in the sky, Who flung the stars to the most far corner of the night, Who rounded the earth in the middle of his hand; This great God, Like a mammy bending over her baby, Kneeled down in the dust Toiling over a lump of clay Till he shaped it in is his own image; Then into it he blew the breath of life, And man became a living soul. Amen. Amen. The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff: President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson Digital Content and Community Specialist: Kassandra Tapia Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps Political Director: Chad V. Stanton Senior Program Director: Rev. Moya Harris Digital Education and Outreach Specialist: Cortnie Brooks Policy and Action Assistant: Trinity Williams Donate Subscribe Copyright © 2026 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842

WCC NEWS: WCC commission meets in Jamaica amid climate crisis, conflict, and calls to “re-story” mission

From 16–21 April, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on World Mission and Evangelism met in Kingston, Jamaica, for its second face-to-face session of the current mandate period.  From 16–21 April 2026 the World Council of Churches Commission on World Mission and Evangelism met in Kingston, Jamaica, Photo: Dennis Duncan/WCC 23 April 2026 Hosted by the Jamaica Council of Churches at the University of the West Indies, the gathering took place under the theme “Preparing the Way: Mission as Re-storying the World – Spirituality; Reparations; Legacies of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.” The meeting was repeatedly framed by participants as one held within multiple overlapping crises—from climate shocks in the Caribbean to global conflict and political instability—raising questions about how mission is understood and practiced in such contexts. Rev. Dr Michael Blair, moderator of the commission, located the meeting within this reality from the outset. “As a commission, we are meeting in a place facing a crisis,” he said, noting that the group’s previous gathering in Kenya had taken place amid youth-led political protests, while the Jamaica meeting followed Hurricane Melissa. In both cases, he said, the question was whether it was even possible to convene—and what such disruption means for the church’s understanding of mission. Blair stressed that the context itself is part of the theological task. He urged participants to engage with the conference text from Zechariah 4: “What do you see?” linking it to the concept of “re-storying” as a way of interpreting lived realities. This, he said, includes not only extreme weather events but also “climate change and its impact, government policies and practices, [and] the legacy of colonialism and trans-Atlantic slavery.” He also pointed to wider global instability, referencing wars in Gaza, Sudan, and Iran; rising militarism; and the ongoing struggles of countries including Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica. These, he said, are part of the context in which the church must discern “how the Spirit is at work bringing transformation, renewal and restoration.” Theological framing The opening service was led by Bishop Christine Gooden Benguche, who preached on Job 38:4–11 under the title “Re-storying the World: Job 38 and the Call to Cosmic Realignment.” She addressed what she described as human presumption—the tendency to assume full knowledge of God and creation. Benguche defined “re-storying” not as repetition of existing narratives but as “a profound realignment of a disordered world.” She outlined four theological emphases: divine supremacy beyond human understanding; cosmic intentionality in creation; divine boundary-setting against chaos; and human limitation in the face of wider reality. She also rejected hierarchical narratives that undermine human dignity and called for a shift from control over creation toward participation within it. Greetings were delivered by Bishop Garth Minott, president of the Jamaica Council of Churches; Dr Michael Blair, moderator of the commission; and Rev. Merlyn Hyde-Riley, vice moderator of the World Council of Churches central committee, each emphasizing ecumenical cooperation and renewal. Climate change and systemic vulnerability A major thematic focus of the meeting was climate change, presented by Prof. Michael Taylor, who described the Caribbean as operating in a “multi-hazard era.” He said extreme heat, drought, erratic rainfall, and rising sea levels are no longer future risks but current realities for small island developing states. Prof. Michael Taylor highlighted projected sea-level rise of up to one metre by 2100 and increasing frequency of extreme heat days. He also outlined systemic impacts, including average GDP losses of up to 17% in storm years, strain on infrastructure, and increased health risks linked to heat and vector-borne diseases. He cited Hurricane Melissa (2025) as a defining case study. The storm, with 185-mph winds, 24 inches of rainfall, and a 9-foot storm surge, made landfall in southwestern Jamaica and exceeded the intensity of Hurricane Gilbert (1988). Climate attribution data presented indicated that warmer ocean temperatures made such a storm significantly more likely, while global warming increased wind speed and rainfall intensity. The hurricane caused widespread infrastructure damage, including collapse of water systems, loss of 75% of the power grid, and destruction of telecommunications infrastructure. Estimated economic losses exceeded 50% of Jamaica’s GDP. Mission, ethics, and public responsibility Taylor argued that climate change raises theological as well as scientific questions. He said climate denial represents a failure of both knowledge and moral responsibility, and framed stewardship as accountability to future generations. Citing Ezekiel 33:6, he described scientists and church leaders as “watchmen” responsible for warning of approaching danger. Discussion following the presentation focused on noneconomic loss, including psychological trauma, disruption of family life, and social vulnerability. Participants also raised questions of global inequality, noting that Caribbean states bear disproportionate impacts of climate change linked to historical emissions by wealthier nations. At the same time, local environmental practices and governance were also identified as areas requiring attention. Institutional reflection and mission priorities In her report to the commission, acting director of the WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism, Anjeline Okola, outlined developments across the programme’s work since the previous meeting. She noted progress in strengthening collaboration across WCC bodies, including Faith and Order, and programmes on climate justice, gender justice, youth engagement, and disability inclusion. Okola reported that the commission’s work has increasingly centred on “Living the Apostolic Faith Today,” with emphasis on decolonising mission, inclusion, and intergenerational leadership. She highlighted the ongoing priority of “Mission from the Margins” as a guiding framework across consultations, research, and programme development. She also reported on preparations for the 2028 World Conference on World Mission and Evangelism, describing it as a multiyear, participatory process beginning with global consultations and regional hearings before culminating in a conference in the Pacific region. Key achievements outlined included strengthened disability inclusion work through the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, Indigenous Peoples’ engagement and research initiatives, and youth-focused programmes in evangelism and leadership formation. She also noted increased inter-religious engagement and expanded collaboration with UN agencies and civil society partners. Conflict, justice, and prophetic mission Most Rev. Kenneth Richards, Roman Catholic archbishop of Kingston, addressed the geopolitical context of mission, describing contemporary global realities as shaped by structural injustice and fragmentation. He said mission must be understood as participation in the missio Dei and as a “counter-witness” to systems of oppression. He also linked mission to reparative justice, arguing that the church must create space for the voices of the “aggrieved” and engage meaningfully with historical wounds. Re-storying as ecclesial challenge Across the meeting, participants returned repeatedly to the concept of “re-storying” as a way of engaging history, theology, and practice. This included reflection on colonial legacies in mission, the marginalisation of Indigenous and local spiritualities, and the need to reform ecclesial narratives that have excluded certain communities. Preparations for the 2028 conference were presented as part of this trajectory, with an emphasis on participatory design, marginalised voices, and contextual theology rooted in lived experience. The meeting concluded with a shared recognition that mission is being redefined in response to global disruption and structural inequality. While no single framework emerged, participants repeatedly returned to the need for deeper listening, ethical accountability, and theological reflection grounded in context. As Blair noted, the central task remains discernment: to understand how the Spirit is at work in a world marked by crisis, and how the church is called to respond.    Photo gallery "WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism opens meeting in Jamaica", WCC news release, 19 April 2026 Convening in Kenya, WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism maps out work (News Release, 18 July 2024) Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Commission on World Mission and Evangelism   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