EarthBeat Weekly: This Catholic school just received their largest grant ever. And it's for environmental justice.

This Catholic school just received their largest grant ever. And it's for environmental justice. Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change April 12, 2024   Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, and U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres attend a daylong climate action summit at Fordham University's Bronx campus April 8. (Courtesy of Fordham University) "As Pope Francis has reminded us, there is no issue more urgent to the world than the ways that we care for our Earth, our home," said Fordham University president Tania Tetlow during a daylong climate action summit at the university's Bronx campus on April 8. NCR environment correspondent Brian Roewe reported that part of the day's events, attended by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, included a celebration after the Catholic and Jesuit school was selected for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program.  That means they'll receive $50 million from the federal government to manage and distribute among community groups that are addressing various facets of environmental justice. It's the largest grant the university has ever received.  "That we get to be part of helping, seeding the ideas and scaling the innovation and ingenuity of communities on the frontlines [of climate change] who help us find the answers is a source of such pride for us as we do this work together," said Tetlow. Read more: Fordham University set to invest in environmental justice with $50 million EPA grant As Roewe reported, the grantmaking initiative is part of Fordham's plan under the Laudato Si' Action Platform, a Vatican initiative for Catholic institutions to take action in response to Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home." You can read more about LSAP and its seven Laudato Si' goals in EarthBeat's Laudato Si' Action Platform feature series here.      What else is new on EarthBeat:   Human rights and human dignity demand climate action by Reba Elliott A recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights and a new Catholic Church document on human dignity both enforce the importance of preserving a livable planet for all.   Glenstal Abbey partners with 100 Million Trees Project for Irish biodiversity by Sarah Mac Donald Benedictine monks invited the 100 Million Trees Project to plant 2,500 saplings at Glenstal Abbey in County Limerick. The project has a target of planting 100 million native Irish trees over a period of 10 years.   New York Catholic Workers bring new growth with rooftop garden by Fiona Murphy, Religion News Service For decades the Catholic Worker movement has served meals at its two soup kitchens at Maryhouse and St. Joseph House in Manhattan’s East Village, feeding hungry New Yorkers from the thousands of pounds of fresh produce the workers grew at a farm in upstate New York named for the movement’s co-founder, Peter Maurin.     Brazil's Yanomami leader asks the Pope to support President Lula in reversing damage to the Amazon by Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Pope Francis met Wednesday with a leader of Brazil's Yanomami people, who asked for papal backing for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva 's efforts to reverse decades of exploitation of the Amazon and better protect its Indigenous peoples.     'Awe-inspiring' total solar eclipse offers chance 'to reflect on God's grandeur' by Kimberley Heatherington, OSV News "What I find particularly spiritual in an eclipse is that we can predict precisely when it will happen — and plan accordingly — but we cannot predict just what it will look like or how we will react," said Brother Guy Consolmagno. "In that way, it reminds me how God is forever reliable but still always able to surprise us.   What's happening in other climate news: US sets first standard to curb 'forever chemicals' from drinking water —Valerie Volcovici for Reuters Indigenous peoples' climate labor benefits everyone. Should it be paid? —Taylar Dawn Stagnerfor Grist Mexico's likely next president is a scientist. Politics has her mostly quiet on climate threats —Dorothy Penda and Suman Naishadham for The Associated Press Big Oil is quietly paying state legal officials to kill climate litigation —Arielle Samuelson and Emily Atkin for HEATED Solar canopy over Denver school parking lot will provide energy to low-income families —for Yale Climate Connections     Final Beat: A recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights and a new Catholic Church declaration on human dignity both enforce the importance of preserving a livable planet for all, Reba Elliott,  Laudato Si' Movement senior director for strategy, planning and special projects, said in a commentary for EarthBeat this week. Reflecting on the human rights ruling and human dignity declaration this week, she said: "No matter which party we support, we know that 'national governments are responsible for sending the right signals in order to combat effectively the misuse of the environment,' as Pope Benedict XVI reminded us in his 2010 message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace.  In order to protect human dignity, our votes should go to elected officials who are committed to solving the climate crisis. This is essential to implementing solutions in time to protect our brothers and sisters today and our children and grandchildren tomorrow." Thanks for reading EarthBeat! Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org Instagram: @stephanieclaryncr     Featured Advertisers   Earn your Master’s in Theology & Leadership online at Gonzaga.  Apply by April 20, classes start May 20.   Advertisement