HYANNIS – The leaders of the four Roman Catholic dioceses in the state have called upon elected officials and the faithful to address climate change and its impact.
A letter released Monday said that action needs to be taken now “to protect our environmental and provide relief from the impact of toxic pollution and climate change.”
Fall River Bishop Edgar da Cunha was one of the members to sign the letter.
“The conference of bishops made that a priority for their mission, and so it’s something that we need to make people aware, that we all have to do our part,” da Cunha said.
The Fall River Diocese oversees the Catholic churches on Cape Cod and the Islands.
Many scientific studies were referenced by the bishops, which outlined climate change’s effects on food supplies and weather across the globe.
“It would be very selfish of us and inconsiderate not to act,” da Cunha said.
“If you were just thinking ‘OK, it’s not going to happen in the next year, I’ll be gone when it happens,’ well, how about the next generation? And that’s what we need to think about.”
The bishops urged citizens and officials to “take better care of our common home,” which reflect the words used by Pope Francis in his 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’-On Care for Our Common Home.
About Brendan Fitzpatrick
