EarthBeat Weekly: In two major US cities, Catholics take on pollution

In two major US cities, Catholics take on pollution in their communities   EarthBeat Weekly Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change July 18, 2025   Signs advising drivers of congestion pricing tolls are displayed near the exit of the Lincoln Tunnel in New York on Feb. 19, 2025. (AP photo/Seth Wenig) Stories published at EarthBeat this week highlight the ways Catholics in two of the largest metropolises in the United States are confronting environmental issues facing their cities. New Yorkers are months into the congestion pricing program that began in January. And as you might expect, there are a lot of opinions, reports Peter Feuerherd. Among those not complaining but rather championing congestion pricing are Catholics who care about the environment, including some who see the plan as operating in the spirit of Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home." Less traffic means lower air pollution, a plus in dealing with climate change, these Catholics told Feuerherd. "NYC congestion pricing is a great example of the kind of action Pope Francis recommends," said Fr. James DiLuzio, a Paulist priest who is a member of the Laudato Si' team at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, lodged adjacent to an electronic signaling device that tolls drivers going south of the West Side Manhattan church. A Regional Plan Association report published in June showed that the plan reduced traffic delays throughout the region, even in some areas not directly made part of the $9 toll zone. The study documented 25% fewer traffic jams in Manhattan than would be expected without the pricing program, with smaller yet significant drops in the Bronx and in parts of neighboring New Jersey. As of May 28, congestion pricing generated $215.7 million, funds that went to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, or MTA, charged with running the regional network of subways, commuter trains and buses.  Despite those outcomes, congestion pricing has many critics, including in the Trump administration, which has sought to end the program. Read more: NYC Catholics applaud congestion pricing, but Trump wants to hit the brakes In the Midwest, a different group of Catholics are organizing to take action on air pollution on the west side of Chicago, as well as sewage and industrial waste exacerbated by more frequent heavy downpours that overwhelm a decades-old sewer system. It was after particularly devastating flooding in July 2023, which caused upwards of $100 million in damage, that Delia Barajas, Carmen Jimenez and Johnny Reyes — longtime residents of the Cicero and Berwyn communities — started the environmental grassroots group Voces Fieles Comunitarias Contra la Opresión (Faithful Community Voices Against Oppression). "I do this because of my faith and hope," Jimenez told freelancer Cassidy Klein. "People in the community wanted to do something, but many of them didn't know how. That is one of my inspirations, when I approach people and talk about what happened here. I live here in the community, and I've known for years the things that have happened. I would like to leave it a better place and to do the little that I can." When they meet with neighbors, Barajas and Jimenez have used Laudato Si' as a starting place when talking with fellow Catholics. In addition to flooding, Voces also helps Cicero community members address other environmental issues their neighborhood faces, including air quality concerns. The group organizes and educates through meetings, infographics and flyers. "It's important for us to go to churches or whoever will host us to let people know what is happening," Barajas said.  Read more: Chicago Catholics start environmental justice group in response to flooding, pollution     What else is new on EarthBeat:   In aftermath of deadly Texas floods, local Catholics offer rapid response by Gregg Brekke Daughter of Charity Sr. Denise LaRock is one of the many people working tirelessly with Catholic groups to help Texas Hill Country residents affected by the deadly July 4 floods. Read more here »   From Boston to Baton Rouge, faithful unite to help Texas flood victims by Gina Christian, OSV News From Boston to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, faithful across the nation are reaching out to bring material and spiritual aid to those impacted by the devastating July 4 flash floods in the Texas Hill Country. Read more here »   UNANIMA, prominent sister-led coalition at United Nations, to end its ministry by Chris Herlinger UNANIMA, a coalition of sister congregations at the United Nations that championed causes such as homelessness, anti-trafficking and women's health, will close by the end of the year. Read more here »   Brazil's environment minister fights fellow evangelicals on Amazon protection by Helen Teixeira, Religion News Service Attacks from the religious right on Marina Silva, a Pentecostal and longtime environmentalist, expose the rifts within Brazil's evangelical movement as the Amazon's future hangs in the balance. Read more here »   Nutritional garden initiative serves disadvantaged in rural Zimbabwe by Melania Nyamukuwa Sr. Melania Nyamukuwa leads efforts to combat malnutrition-related ailments and promote economic entitlement for the most disadvantaged individuals of the area through individual and institutional garden projects. Read more here »   As Benedictines, we are clothed by the Rule, not fast fashion by Helga Leija St. Benedict writes, "Let those who receive the clothing not complain about its color or coarseness, but accept what is given them." That's a hard teaching in a world like ours, where we're told to consume constantly. Read more here » What's happening in other climate news: FEMA didn't answer thousands of calls from flood survivors, documents show —Maxine Joselow for The New York Times Trump administration says it won't publish major climate change reports on NASA website as promised —Seth Borenstein for the Associated Press Trump is gutting weather science and reducing disaster response —Lisa Friedman, Maxine Joselow, Coral Davenport and Megan Mineiro for The New York Times What defunding public media would mean for the West —Annie Rosenthal and Chad Bradley for High Country News The national parks are not OK —Christine Peterson for High Country News Union demands EPA reinstate workers, charging illegal retaliation —Miriam Waldvogel for The Hill  A tribe in Florida joins the fight against the 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigrant detention center —Miacel Spotted Elk for Grist Humans are wiping out water bodies that life depends on, new report says —Katie Surma for Inside Climate News Final Beat: Last week during a Mass in Castel Gandolfo, the summer papal residence, Pope Leo XIV celebrated for the first time the formulary "for the care of creation" that has been added to the Roman Missal. NCR's new Vatican correspondent, Justin McClellan, was present to witness the Mass, one celebrated to the tune of chirping birds in the gardens at the papal villa. While this was the first Mass following the new creation care formulary — a specific set of texts and prayers — in the Roman Missal, we know from our past coverage that Catholics in the U.S. and elsewhere have been celebrating Masses around creation and environmental themes for years.  Has your parish or diocese celebrated such a Mass? Are they considering using the new formulary for the care of creation in a future liturgy? Let us know by messaging us at earthbeat@ncronline.org.  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