Prayers for Paris, November 30, 2015—By Joan Brown,osf
People of all faith traditions gathered Monday evening November 30 for Prayers for Paris. Beginning at the Federal Building at 6th and Gold a
procession, calling to mind plight of the many climate refugees and immigrants, walked to Immaculate Conception Church.
The Interfaith Candle Light Prayer Service joined Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Sikhs, Jews, Buddhists and others in song, prayers, action and blessings. Sr. Joan Brown,osf, who leaves for the meeting on December 1-December 13 was blest amidst the prayers. The executive director of New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, Sr. Brown is an official observer inside the COP 21 with Franciscans International and Interfaith Power and Light.
A scroll containing the names of three congregations and more than 250 individuals who signed a Paris Pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and to net zero by 2050 were blest on their way to the UN Climate Change meeting in Paris. The commitments including First Unitarian Church and First Congregational Church of Christ in Albuquerque and Church of Antioch in Santa Fe joined over 150 Religious Organizations and some 4,000 individuals have signed the Paris Pledge. It is hoped that the 150 nations represented at CPO21, the 21st “Conference of Parties” will establish internationally agreed upon targets to curb ongoing Climate Change.
The Paris Pledge was developed by Interfaith Power and Light, an organization of 18,000 religious congregations and organizations located in 40 states throughout the US. Through this pledge they intend to lead by example and clearly state that Faith Leaders in the US are committed to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the impact of human activity on Climate Change. The Paris Pledge will be presented in Paris at COP 21 at a State Department event that Sr. Brown and Rev. Sally Bingham, President of Interfaith Power and Light and Susan Stephenson, Executive Director will offer.
In 2015 all of the major religious traditions have published major statements calling the world to act on climate change for climate justice for the common good. Pope Francis’, Laudato Si: On Care of Our Common Home, International Muslim Declaration on Global Climate Change, a statement by the Dalai Lama and the evangelical leaders in the United States are a few of the calls of faith to action.
The event was co-sponsored Catholic Charities; Immaculate Conception Church; Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe; OXFAM; Bread for the World NM, New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice and Center for Action and Contemplation.