Luke 24:36-53

³⁶ While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. ³⁸ He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it in their presence.

⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

⁵⁰ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. ⁵² Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ⁵³ And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Reflection:

While listening to the two men telling what they just experienced, Jesus stands among them and greets them! They were so amazed and filled with joy, they couldn’t understand what Jesus was saying.  However, Jesus brings them back to reality by asking for some food and they see that it is really Jesus who is among them. He teaches them how all the things that occurred had to happen to fulfill the Scriptures, and then tells them to stay until what the Father has promised has come and they have been clothed with power from above.  So that’s what they did, they stayed worshipping and praising God.

Response:

It’s so exciting and wonderful to be in Christ.  It’s amazing how He came and rescued us and how He wants us to tell others of His Good News.  Let’s continue to worship God together in our communities, campuses and missional groups and may our worship and praise grow stronger and louder.  Let’s also pray that He will clothe our communities, our campus ministries and our churches with His power that He will fill and empower us with the Holy Spirit so that we may go and preach the Good News to those around us.

The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change has published a much-anticipated toolkit for catholic universities and colleges that are pursuing sustainability initiatives. The toolkit Sustainability and Catholic Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration is organized around the five main principles of the Catholic Climate Covenant: pray, learn, assess, act, and advocate. AASHE contributed to this publication, alongside several other organizations and individuals. To delve deeper into the ideas and goals behind this project, we interviewed Dan DiLeo, Project Manager at the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change as well as Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner, Director of Santa Clara University’s Office of Sustainability, and Rachel Novick, Education and Outreach Program Manager at the University of Notre Dame’s Office of Sustainability, who were integral to the tookit's development.

How did you get involved with the Toolkit project? Why did you see a need to create this Toolkit?

DiLeo: While many Catholic colleges and universities are making tremendous efforts in the area of sustainability, fewer schools are explicitly grounding this work in Catholic mission. The Catholic Church, and indeed all faith traditions, has unique contributions to make to the conversation about sustainability (e.g. linking it to the commitments of Catholic social teaching such as respect for human life and dignity). However, if sustainability work is not animated and inspired by Catholic mission–and clearly communicated as such–then these unique contributions can be lost. So, we saw the Toolkit as a way to advance what we are calling “mission-based sustainability.”

What makes "mission-based" sustainability different from the sustainability work at secular schools?

Cromwell Kalkbrenner: One of the biggest challenges for sustainability officers at any institution is helping the campus community fully understand the meaning of sustainability—taking the campus beyond “going green” by exploring the social and economic implications of everything we do. I believe “mission-based” sustainability offers an opportunity to do this, because the campus community inherently grasps and values the social elements of sustainability.

DiLeo: Additionally, mission-based sustainability and care for creation has the potential to link to other ethical concerns. For example, because we see how environmental degradation threatens human life and compromises human dignity, especially for the impoverished, at home and abroad, mission-based sustainability takes us beyond saving polar bears, and puts a primary focus on human beings. We care about all of creation, but too few organizations focus on climate impacts on human beings and even less so on the most vulnerable.

What is the relevance of faith-based mission integration for the future of sustainability?

Novick: Religion takes a long-term view of human history, a welcome contrast to short-term thinking driven by quarterly returns and election cycles. From a very practical perspective, we need communities to work together in order to achieve meaningful change, and the communities with which Americans are typically most affiliated are religious ones.

DiLeo: I have my doubts that the environmental movement alone can alter the course of climate change without the imagination and dedication of people of faith. For many in the faith community, caring for the gifts of creation is an ancient teaching and practice. We hope this toolkit will demonstrate that Catholic colleges can become green not just for the sake of it but because being green is part of who we are at our core.

How is the Toolkit organized?

DiLeo: This Toolkit is organized around the five components of the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor (the central project of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change:

• PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God’s Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.
• LEARN about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of environmental degradation and climate change.
• ASSESS how we — as individuals and in our families, parishes and other affiliations —contribute to environmental degradation and climate change by our own energy use,consumption, waste, etc.
• ACT to change our choices and behaviors to reduce the ways we contribute to environmental degradation and climate change.
• ADVOCATE for Catholic principles and priorities in environmental and climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact those who are poor and vulnerable.

What are the metrics being used to determine the reach and effectiveness of the Toolkit?

DiLeo: The most effective metric will be how many school representatives contact the Coalition about becoming a Catholic Climate Covenant Partnership.

What does it entail to become a Catholic Climate Covenant Partner?

DiLeo: Becoming a Catholic Climate Covenant Partner is a way to publicly affirm an institution’s commitment to mission-based sustainability. Covenant Partners, they can join the growing list of Catholic organizations that are supporting sustainability and the Catholic approach to climate change, while raising awareness around activities of the Catholic community in this area. Each partner commits itself to incorporating the [as an integrated part of the organization’s ongoing work. Since the Pledge is designed for individuals, families, and institutions, the Partnership provides a framework that can be applied to their personal lives as well.

How do you envision the Toolkit being adopted and adapted by other universities and colleges? Is the Toolkit applicable outside of Catholic colleges and universities?

Novick: This Toolkit is about embodying the environmental values implicit in the Catholic faith. Because all faith traditions have something important to contribute to the sustainability movement, the concept of the Toolkit can be adapted for any faith-based institution. However, I don’t think it should just be used as a template. In order to be maximally meaningful and effective, the development of something like the Toolkit needs to be an authentic process that draws on people’s deeply-held beliefs. I do hope that other faith-based institutions, in higher education and beyond, will find inspiration in what we are doing and follow their own path toward sustainability.

What aspects of the Toolkit are you most excited about?

Novick: I am most excited about the section titled “Beyond the Campus” at the end of each component of the St. Francis Pledge. The purpose of this section is to offer concrete examples of how to channel the enthusiasm around sustainability on our campuses into the surrounding communities. The best thing about taking on a community leadership role is that it will encourage universities to strive for greater sustainability goals themselves because they are conscious of their positions as role models.

DiLeo: I am especially excited about the section titled “Defining Sustainability for a Catholic Audience.” In this section, we point out that while the traditional three pillars of sustainability (economy, society and environment) are a helpful way to understand sustainability, this model may be of limited use to Catholic individuals and institutions. This is because, for them, the three pillars of sustainability exist within the Catholic identity which ultimately guides and shapes their mission, practices and policies. We therefore offer a revised model in which Catholic identity imbues every aspect of sustainability and, conversely, the principles of sustainability are embedded within Catholic tradition.

What are some of the other sustainability projects and partnerships that have emerged or been strengthened since the launch of the Toolkit?

DiLeo: Based on the model of the Toolkit, the Coalition recently published the St. Francis Pledge Planning Guide for Parishes and Schools. As the name suggests, this resource is designed to help parishes, grade schools and high schools to effectively implement mission-based sustainability through the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor. We have also worked with the Center for Ministry Development to create six lesson plans for high school-aged students and youth titled “Friending Planet Earth: Helping Youth Understand Solidarity & Sustainability in Light of Climate Change.” These programs are being launched simultaneously this fall as schools and parishes begin programs for the year.

The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change has published a much-anticipated toolkit for catholic universities and colleges that are pursuing sustainability initiatives. The toolkit Sustainability and Catholic Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration is organized around the five main principles of the Catholic Climate Covenant: pray, learn, assess, act, and advocate. AASHE contributed to this publication, alongside several other organizations and individuals. To delve deeper into the ideas and goals behind this project, we interviewed Dan DiLeo, Project Manager at the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change as well as Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner, Director of Santa Clara University’s Office of Sustainability, and Rachel Novick, Education and Outreach Program Manager at the University of Notre Dame’s Office of Sustainability, who were integral to the tookit's development.

How did you get involved with the Toolkit project? Why did you see a need to create this Toolkit?

DiLeo: While many Catholic colleges and universities are making tremendous efforts in the area of sustainability, fewer schools are explicitly grounding this work in Catholic mission. The Catholic Church, and indeed all faith traditions, has unique contributions to make to the conversation about sustainability (e.g. linking it to the commitments of Catholic social teaching such as respect for human life and dignity). However, if sustainability work is not animated and inspired by Catholic mission–and clearly communicated as such–then these unique contributions can be lost. So, we saw the Toolkit as a way to advance what we are calling “mission-based sustainability.”

What makes "mission-based" sustainability different from the sustainability work at secular schools?

Cromwell Kalkbrenner: One of the biggest challenges for sustainability officers at any institution is helping the campus community fully understand the meaning of sustainability—taking the campus beyond “going green” by exploring the social and economic implications of everything we do. I believe “mission-based” sustainability offers an opportunity to do this, because the campus community inherently grasps and values the social elements of sustainability.

DiLeo: Additionally, mission-based sustainability and care for creation has the potential to link to other ethical concerns. For example, because we see how environmental degradation threatens human life and compromises human dignity, especially for the impoverished, at home and abroad, mission-based sustainability takes us beyond saving polar bears, and puts a primary focus on human beings. We care about all of creation, but too few organizations focus on climate impacts on human beings and even less so on the most vulnerable.

What is the relevance of faith-based mission integration for the future of sustainability?

Novick: Religion takes a long-term view of human history, a welcome contrast to short-term thinking driven by quarterly returns and election cycles. From a very practical perspective, we need communities to work together in order to achieve meaningful change, and the communities with which Americans are typically most affiliated are religious ones.

DiLeo: I have my doubts that the environmental movement alone can alter the course of climate change without the imagination and dedication of people of faith. For many in the faith community, caring for the gifts of creation is an ancient teaching and practice. We hope this toolkit will demonstrate that Catholic colleges can become green not just for the sake of it but because being green is part of who we are at our core.

How is the Toolkit organized?

DiLeo: This Toolkit is organized around the five components of the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor (the central project of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change:

• PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God’s Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.
• LEARN about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of environmental degradation and climate change.
• ASSESS how we — as individuals and in our families, parishes and other affiliations —contribute to environmental degradation and climate change by our own energy use,consumption, waste, etc.
• ACT to change our choices and behaviors to reduce the ways we contribute to environmental degradation and climate change.
• ADVOCATE for Catholic principles and priorities in environmental and climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact those who are poor and vulnerable.

What are the metrics being used to determine the reach and effectiveness of the Toolkit?

DiLeo: The most effective metric will be how many school representatives contact the Coalition about becoming a Catholic Climate Covenant Partnership.

What does it entail to become a Catholic Climate Covenant Partner?

DiLeo: Becoming a Catholic Climate Covenant Partner is a way to publicly affirm an institution’s commitment to mission-based sustainability. Covenant Partners, they can join the growing list of Catholic organizations that are supporting sustainability and the Catholic approach to climate change, while raising awareness around activities of the Catholic community in this area. Each partner commits itself to incorporating the [as an integrated part of the organization’s ongoing work. Since the Pledge is designed for individuals, families, and institutions, the Partnership provides a framework that can be applied to their personal lives as well.

How do you envision the Toolkit being adopted and adapted by other universities and colleges? Is the Toolkit applicable outside of Catholic colleges and universities?

Novick: This Toolkit is about embodying the environmental values implicit in the Catholic faith. Because all faith traditions have something important to contribute to the sustainability movement, the concept of the Toolkit can be adapted for any faith-based institution. However, I don’t think it should just be used as a template. In order to be maximally meaningful and effective, the development of something like the Toolkit needs to be an authentic process that draws on people’s deeply-held beliefs. I do hope that other faith-based institutions, in higher education and beyond, will find inspiration in what we are doing and follow their own path toward sustainability.

What aspects of the Toolkit are you most excited about?

Novick: I am most excited about the section titled “Beyond the Campus” at the end of each component of the St. Francis Pledge. The purpose of this section is to offer concrete examples of how to channel the enthusiasm around sustainability on our campuses into the surrounding communities. The best thing about taking on a community leadership role is that it will encourage universities to strive for greater sustainability goals themselves because they are conscious of their positions as role models.

DiLeo: I am especially excited about the section titled “Defining Sustainability for a Catholic Audience.” In this section, we point out that while the traditional three pillars of sustainability (economy, society and environment) are a helpful way to understand sustainability, this model may be of limited use to Catholic individuals and institutions. This is because, for them, the three pillars of sustainability exist within the Catholic identity which ultimately guides and shapes their mission, practices and policies. We therefore offer a revised model in which Catholic identity imbues every aspect of sustainability and, conversely, the principles of sustainability are embedded within Catholic tradition.

What are some of the other sustainability projects and partnerships that have emerged or been strengthened since the launch of the Toolkit?

DiLeo: Based on the model of the Toolkit, the Coalition recently published the St. Francis Pledge Planning Guide for Parishes and Schools. As the name suggests, this resource is designed to help parishes, grade schools and high schools to effectively implement mission-based sustainability through the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor. We have also worked with the Center for Ministry Development to create six lesson plans for high school-aged students and youth titled “Friending Planet Earth: Helping Youth Understand Solidarity & Sustainability in Light of Climate Change.” These programs are being launched simultaneously this fall as schools and parishes begin programs for the year.

MALARIA FACTS

• Of the 300-500 million clinical cases of malaria that occur globally each year, 90 percent of them are in Africa. 
    
• Malaria is endemic in more than 90 countries. 
    
• Forty percent of the world population is at risk for malaria. 
    
• Ten percent of world population gets sick each year with malaria.

DEATH BY MALARIA

• Number of fatal cases of malaria each year: over 1 million
    
• Most common age at death: 4 years 
    
• Every 30 seconds, a child dies of malaria
    
• Five percent of African children are killed by malaria, almost 3,000 each day, or the equivalent of seven jumbo jets full of children crashing every day. 
    
• Up to 23 percent of African infants are born with the malaria parasite.