EarthBeat Weekly: Saints show Earth is evidence of the maternal heart of God

These saints show Earth is evidence of the maternal heart of God Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change May 10, 2024 "Sisters of the Earth" by Br. Mickey McGrath "Earth is the lovingly maternal, beautifully feminine, life-giving evidence of our living, breathing God. And yet over time we have consistently missed that message and are now paying the price," writes Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Br. Mickey McGrath in a new essay for EarthBeat today. Through the examples of Sts. Brigid of Ireland, Hildegard of Bingen and Kateri Tekakwitha of North America — female saints from different times and cultures, none of which were mothers themselves — McGrath said he's become more aware of God's maternal heart, and more understanding of Earth as our common mother and home. McGrath's artistic representations of the three saints as "Sisters of the Earth," "St. Hildegard's Green Holy Spirit" and "St. Kateri Tekakwitha" help illustrate his message. Read more: 3 female saints teach that Earth is our common mother and home And there are many modern-day examples of women who have championed care for creation in their work and lives, and taught us how to better relate to Mother Earth. For example, Hazel Johnson was not only a Catholic mother to seven children, she's also considered the mother of the environmental justice movement. NCR environment correspondent Brian Roewe's 2021 reporting says, "Everyone called her 'Mama Johnson' or 'Mama Hazel.'" Johnson founded People for Community Recovery and boldly fought against adversity and toxic pollution for the health of her south Chicago neighborhood. Her daughter Cheryl Johnson told EarthBeat some neighbors and politicians called her racist and derogatory names, and labeled her as attention-seeking and radical because, "They felt like a woman from public housing with seven kids should be worrying about her kids instead of talking about pollution in our area." But Johnson's life and work show just how directly caring for our Earth and caring for our families are related, reflecting what Catholic environmental epidemiologist and historian Sylvia Hood Washington called "a broader understanding of the pro-life concept," as Roewe reported. And while they're not all Catholic and not all mothers, Mallory McDuff's 2023 book Love Your Mother: 50 States, 50 Stories, and 50 Women United for Climate Justice is full of women leading the way on climate action across the United States. Freelance reporter Marybeth Christie Redmond interviewed McDuff last year and reviewed the book for EarthBeat.   What else is new on EarthBeat: Despite economic interests, society must embrace social justice, pope says by Justin McLellan, Catholic News Service While the forces of a market economy may obstruct people from advancing social justice, society cannot remain mute in the face of unjust labor practices and exploitative economic structures, Pope Francis said.   Inspired by Laudato Si', Catholics in Bangladesh work to protect environment by Stephan Uttom Rozario Bangladesh's tiny Catholic community is responding to environmental degradation in the country with conservation efforts by groups who have been inspired by Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si'.    Holy See should champion Action for Climate Empowerment fund at COP29 by John Leo Algo The ACE work stream and the Vatican's ecological education framework share the goal of empowering society to implement climate solutions, and both address intergenerational justice through capacity-building of youth.   Prayer garden at Arizona Catholic church nurtures the soul by Carissa Krautscheid, OSV News One year ago St. James the Apostle Church in Coolidge stood in a sea of concrete, asphalt and gravel. Waves of heat streamed off sunbaked surfaces that blinded parishioners as they dashed from their cars to the shelter of the church.   How ‘apocalypse’ became a secular as well as religious idea by Erik Bleich, Christopher Star, Religion News Service By tracing what events the media describe as “apocalyptic,” we can gain insight into our changing fears about potential catastrophes.    Catholic Rural Life marks a century and plans to sow seeds for another 100 years by Anna Wilgenbusch, OSV News For the past 100 years, Catholic Rural Life has ministered to Catholics who live and work in a rural setting. The St. Paul-based national organization receives support from 80 dioceses. It now has members in 45 states.   What's happening in other climate news: What Trump promised oil CEOs as he asked them to steer $1 billion to his campaign — Josh Dawsey and Maxine Joselow for The Washington Post 5 takeaways from competing Democratic, GOP farm bill plans —Saul Elbein for The Hill The world's garment workers are on the front lines of climate impacts —Louise Donovan, Snigdha Poonam and Albert Oppong-Ansah for Grist "Changes" photo exhibit inaugurated in St. Peter's Square —Maria Milvia Morciano for Vatican News High school students, frustrated by lack of climate education, press for change —Alexa St. John and Doug Glass for the Associated Press   Final Beat: Earlier this year, Lisa Hendey, the founder of Catholic Mom, invited me to join her on her podcast "Catholic Momcast" for a conversation about caring for the created world and our families. I talked a little bit about EarthBeat, about working-mom life and about how my children and my role as a mother impact the work I do as a writer and editor. You can listen to the episode here. Wishing all those who teach us to mother — whether our families, the Earth, our communities today or future generations — a happy Mother's Day this weekend! Thanks for reading EarthBeat! Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org Instagram: @stephanieclaryncr     Featured Advertisers   This June, Catholic Theological Union invites you to choose from a variety of courses and workshops presented by our renowned faculty and visiting professors.   Advertisement