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Faith Based Environmental Initiatives in Canada

Joanne Moyer: The King's University 

Canadian Religious Conference/Canadian Conference of Bishops

Research Note: I was unable to interview people from any of these national-level Roman Catholic leadership organizations. I was able to discuss Roman Catholic environmental engagement with several other interview participants, but this information is still incomplete. Various Catholic religious communities and faith-based organizations are actively involved in environmental work and are profiled in this section.

 

About: For more information about these organizations, see their websites:

                   Canadian Conference of Bishops (CCCB): http://www.cccb.ca/site/

                   Canadian Religion Conference: https://www.crc-canada.org/en/

 

Environmental Activities:

  • In the 1970s and 1980s, some Roman Catholics became involved in environmental work. Religious communities in with the larger Roman Catholic community, especially women, have been at the forefront of the ecological work.
  • The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops promotes the World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation on September 1, instituted by Pope Francis in 2015.
  • The Canadian Religious Conference team has provided discussion points on the Energy East pipeline, resources on the Paris Agreement, and discussed fossil fuel divestment.
  • The Jesuit community regularly practice meatless days.
  • Environmental work within Catholic communities was strengthened in 2015 with the publication of Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Sí. This document brings environmental and social problems together as “integral ecology”.
  • Statements include:
    • “The Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change” (2011): signed by the Environmental Stewardship Office of Social Justice Archdiocese of Ottawa and The Canadian Religious Conference
    • “On Promoting Climate Justice and Ending Poverty in Canada Faith Communities in Canada Speak Out” (2015): signed by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Diocesan Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church of Canada
    • “Common Declaration of Canadian Churches on Climate Change “‘Creating a Climate of Hope’” (Green Churches Network, 2015): signed by various bishops.
  • Quebec bishops took a stance against the Energy East pipeline and proposed increased alternative energy.
  • Congregational level initiatives include:
    • St. Gabriel’s Church in Toronto was the first LEED church in Canada and hosts regular eco-Sabbath services
    • Various other congregations have built LEED standard or high energy efficiency buildings with solar panels and host eco-fairs.

 

Staffing:

  • The Canadian Religious Conference has a full-time Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation director and many religious communities have hired staff with the same title.

 

Partnerships:

 

 

Sisters of Saint Joseph

About: The Sisters of Saint Joseph were established in 1650 in France and moved to Canada in 1851. They believe in collaboration, inclusivity, and centering their lives on relationships, which ultimately allows them to raise awareness of God.

 

Environmental Activities:

  • Focus in education, advocacy and action pieces on climate change and water.
  • The Sisters of St. Joseph Toronto were the first religious community in Canada to join the Blue Community Initiative (banning bottled water).
  • Built a LEED standard (not certified) mother house with solar panels, green roofs, and low-flow toilets.
  • Participate in the Joint Ecological Ministry, a collaboration between religious communities to address climate change.
  • Participate in Citizens for Public Justice’s “Give It Up for the Earth” postcard campaign.
  • Signed “The Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change” (2011)

 

Staffing:

  • The Sisters of St. Joseph in Toronto have a Ministry Director of Social Justice, Peace, and Care of earth who works on human trafficking, with refugees, on climate change, water issues, as well as other environmental issues.

 

Partnerships:

 

 

Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace

About: The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace was established in 1967 founded in liberation theology. Development and Peace work to support and equip the actions of people in the Global South and to educate Canadians on North-South imbalances, inspiring action for change.

 

Environmental Activities:

  • Concern for environmental issues including international development justice, forestry and mining, food and agriculture, water, waste, and pollution.
  • Support for grassroots organizations in the developing Global South, including emergency relief through Caritas
  • Conduct a yearly Education Campaign. A five-year ecological theme covered topics such as small scale farming and responsible mining (2013). The 2010 campaign addressed bottled water and water privatization.

 

Partners:

 

 

Elderberry Connection

About: The Elderberry Connection was established in 2004 and hosts annual retreats to celebrate relationships in creation, foster planetary spirituality, and action for social and environmental justice.

 

Environmental Activities:

  • Focus on the work of Thomas Berry and his “new cosmology” which finds environmental inspiration in the unfolding story of the universe.
  • Host annual retreats and workshops.

 

Partnerships:

 

Ignatius Jesuit Centre

About: The Ignatius Jesuit Centre was established in 1964, and encompasses the Loyola House retreat centre, Orchard Park Office Centre, the Ignatius Farm, an Old Growth Forest, and other programs on its land. Grounded in the spirituality of St. Ignatius Loyola, the centre offers a place of peace, education, and spiritual development, to foster community and care for the land.

 

Environmental Activities:

  • A shift toward environmental programming was instigated by former director, Father Jim Profit, SJ, who joined the centre in 1999.
  • Host spiritual retreats based on Ignatian exercises. Many of these retreats include creation or environmental based themes: e.g., Contemplating Earth’s Hope; Contemplative Land Retreat.
  • Other environmental education and worship programming include workshops, monthly Earth Prayers, and worship features on the land, e.g., the Stations of the Cosmos, a labyrinth.
  • Agricultural programs include an organic farm with both communities shared agriculture and community gardens.
  • Old Growth Forest: 40 hectares of forested land on the property is being managed to return to an old-growth state.
  • Land is available for nature-based recreation: hiking, cross country skiing.

 

Partnerships:

 

 

Kairos Spirituality-for-Social Justice Centre

About: The Kairos Spirituality-for-Social Justice Centre was established in 1998 to provide spiritual support social change work, heeding the cry of the earth for justice and peace.

 

Environmental Activities:

  • Provide spiritual direction programs focussing on social justice, deep ecology, climate justice, and the new cosmology (based on the writings of Thomas Berry).

 

Partnerships:

 

 

On This Page:

Canadian Religious Conference, Canadian Conference of Bishops

Sisters of Saint Joseph

Elderberry Connection

Ignatius Jesuit Center

Kairos Spirituality-For-Social Justice Center