Catholic Social Teaching and Energy Policy: Fracking, Tar Sands, Climate Justice

The McGowan Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility was established to be a visible, dynamic expression of the commitment of King’s College to offer students intellectual, moral, and spiritual preparation for satisfying and purposeful lives. That commitment has its origins in the understanding of education distinctive to the tradition of the Congregation of Holy Cross. In the words of the College’s founding president, King’s teaches students “not only how to make a living, but how to live” (Father James Connerton, C.S.C., 1946). Education is accordingly a work of both instructing minds and cultivating hearts.

2013 Feast of Saint Francis Lecture

Thursday, October 3, 7:00 pm, Burke Auditorium, McGowan School of Business

Most recent articles by the speaker:

In global fight against fracking, faith community should lead

“Given those dangers, there is good cause for caution and responsible oversight before further fracking proceeds (currently, more than 30 states permit fracking). The Catholic Rural Life Conference has pushed for an infusion of ethical analysis into the fracking debate, like what has occurred in other issues, from agriculture and labor, to energy, water and other natural resources.”

Another article

http://ncronline.org/blogs/eco-catholic/br-david-andrews-morality-fracking

Just providing notice – it is important to attend events of this nature.

Holy Cross Br. David Andrews is a senior representative at Food and Water Watch, a consumer group based in Washington. He is former director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. The Rural Life Council -http://www.ncrlc.com/

Article from their website – a little more balanced than Dave Andrews- – http://catholicrurallife.org/news/understanding-fracking-catholic-news-service-series/

Important Note who is the
Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross Valatie, New York

The Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross owned 450 acres of land in Valatie, New York, when Brother David Andrews arrived in 1976 to create a Retreat and Conference Center. Brother David developed a local board of directors including people from the Diocese of Albany. Contacts within the New York State Assembly Committee on Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy, especially Mabel Gil, encouraged the Brothers to develop programs on “alternative agriculture”. http://www.crystalspring.org/html/religlandsstoriessvalat.html

Overall-

1. Hope that this talk is more than just suspected impacts and what ifs about natural gas development.

2. I do not remember ever having an ethical debate about nuclear power, hydroelectric dams, use of fossil fuels, biofuels (ethanol), getting energy from countries that are unstable and have worse social justice than use, counties with zero tolerance to womens’ rights/ religious freedoms/ etc  or even renewable energy – did i miss something?

3. Renewable energy is not without is dangers and environmental impacts.

4. We must admit we are the problem not the fuel source.

5. We waste over 50% of the energy we produce.

6. Social Teaching could be a great approach to make the change we need to make as a society – but one sided augments that are NOT fact based will no help at all. We need to move forward as a Community.

6. If Business will not invest in biomass, renewable, energy efficiency etc – I would then suggest the Church become the investor.  Invest in the people to make a positive change in the community.