Catholic Members of Congress to be Given Pope’s Encyclical on Climate, Urged to Support ‘Healthy Climate and Family Security Act’  

Faith activists appeal to lawmakers ahead of Pope Francis’ visit to DC. Franciscan Catholic activist Patrick Carolan and Presbyterian climate activist Mike Tidwell will speak and answer questions during a telephone press conference on Wednesday, September 16th at 1 pm ET.

According to reported religious affiliation of Catholic US Senators represent 28% of the Senate and Catholic Congressmen represent 33% of the House of Representatives compared to 21% of the population (Pew Research Centre).

In the telephone press conference Carolan will outline the moral imperative set before all Catholics in the Pope’s 160-page encyclical entitled “Laudato Si.” This letter, released in June, asserts that climate change requires urgent ethical action by all the world’s Catholics and all people of “good will,” including lawmakers. Tidwell will explain how book-form copies of the encyclical are being hand-delivered to Catholic members of Congress Wednesday, along with a letter encouraging lawmakers to support an increasingly popular House bill – the Healthy Climate and Family Security Act. This bill would cap carbon pollution in America and protect poor and middle class Americans via quarterly “carbon dividend” checks.

More information on the legislation can be found here.

What: Faith leaders announce delivery of the Pope’s climate encyclical to all Catholics in Congress, appeal for support for climate legislation.

When: Wednesday, September 16th, 1:00 p.m. ET/6.00p.m. BST

Where: Dial 1-800-559-0872 (00-1-880-559-0872 from outside US) and enter passcode 7063 949 followed by # to join the phone-based conference.

Who: Patrick Carolan, Director, Franciscan Action Network. Mike Tidwell, director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Why: To highlight the Pope’s plea that all Catholics and people of good will, including lawmakers, must respond to the moral imperative of solving climate change.

Inspired by the Gospel of Jesus, and the example of Saints Francis and Clare, the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) is a collective Franciscan voice seeking to transform United States public policy related to peace making, care for creation, poverty, and human rights. For more information: https://franciscanaction.org/

Founded in January 2015, the GCCM is a coalition of over 130 Catholic organizations working to respond to the moral imperative of the climate change crisis. Further information can be found at http://catholicclimatemovement.global/