Carbon Fast 2015

Jacynthia Murphy, New Zealand “There is a saying in my Māori culture that goes, ‘Ko te wai te ora ngā mea katoa,’ meaning ‘water is the life giver of all things.’ Climate change threatens to alter all that because it affects the natural patterns of our oceans and the sea life within it. As a seafaring people, we have relied on these natural resources to sustain our families for generations. The book of Genesis tells us that we are the responsible guardians of all living things. Let us not disappoint our Creator God.” Commit During Lent, we commit to living more righteously. Pray with people around the world: Creator, give me strength to live in harmony with your creation. BLOG We commit ourselves to living simply and in harmony with creation. In his letter Laudato Si’, which was addressed not just to the Catholic Church but to “all people of good will,” Pope Francis wrote that “Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live. We are part of nature, included in it and thus in constant interaction with it.” (62, 139). Each of us is intertwined with the whole of creation, and each of us depends on it. From farmers to office professionals, the goods of creation make everything we do possible. The food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe: all are part of God’s great work, as are we ourselves. Recognizing that we are merely one thread in God’s fabric of creation, we dedicate ourselves to living rightfully. We invite you to commit. Over the next 40 days, we will suggest actions to fast from harming our common home. Find a journal or another way of recording these lifestyle commitments. At the end of Lent, look back at the changes you have made and share them with friends and family. “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matt. 3:8)

Azinwi Ngum Nkwah, Cameroon “Every day, I wake up to heaps of dirt around my neighbourhood emptying into the spring nearby and piles of plastic bottles in the gutters and farmlands. Every day, farmers complain of their poor harvest, and hunger is escalating. How long shall we continue to cry when we all can make the Earth a better place? The future depends on our actions today. Together we can reduce climate change.” Connect The Lenten season is a time to meditate on the sacrifice of Jesus. Pray with people around the world: Creator, let me hear the cries of those who suffer for the way I live. BLOG We reflect on the sacrifices borne by vulnerable people and driven by climate change. In rural Cameroon, the effects of human-caused climate change have an unexpected consequence: less access to higher education. Cameroonians who live in rural villages have an income of $40-$50 per month. The sale of garden produce like plantains and cassava gives these families the means to educate their children and train them for employment beyond the village. However, warmer temperatures and less rain have dramatically reduced the yield from family gardens. This results in less income, reducing access to education for the next generation of Cameroonians. We meditate on the sacrifices that Cameroonian families make as a result of the choices we make in our own lives. We consider how we can sacrifice some of our excess consumption in pursuit of a more just world. We invite you to connect with people who have a background that is different from your own. Perhaps your diocese has a sister diocese, or your children’s school friends come from abroad. Spend a few moments learning about how climate change affects the region you’re connected to. Pray for deeper relationships with those who are rooted there. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34–35)