Breath of life Bishop Blaire’s vision links environmental stewardship, pro-life concerns
(PHOTO BY JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)
By George Raine
Stockton Bishop Stephen Blaire is pictured in San Francisco Nov. 29.
Bishop Stephen Blaire did not seek out environmental stewardship as a theme he would champion when he was named bishop of the Diocese of Stockton, but environmental stewardship certainly found him. It was a natural fit. Bishop Blaire can recall a burning chest after playing handball as a youngster growing up in the polluted San Fernando Valley in the 1950s. Then, upon arriving in Stockton 12 years ago, he once again settled in a region with some of the nation’s dirtiest air. He felt a responsibility to do something about it, as a resident and as a bishop. “We have an overriding principle that we have to take care of this world that we live in,” Bishop Blaire said in a widely noted speech to the interfaith Festival of Faiths in Louisville Nov. 7. “We serve God when we care for all living beings by protecting the air which is God’s gift to us,” he said. “As stewards of God’s creation we can live more simply, using the earth’s resources wisely, reducing our consumption, working to eliminate air pollution and reducing our carbon footprint.” Bishop Blaire’s platform, beyond the six-county Stockton diocese, is his chairmanship of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, a role that gives him entree to Congress and standing with policy mak-
ers around the country. His message is rooted in Catholic social teaching and is as old as Genesis – that God created the heavens and the earth, “formed the man … and blew into his nostrils the breath of life.” Attention is due to issues of environmental justice and social justice across the board, he believes, particularly as they affect the poor and vulnerable. In his Louisville speech Bishop Blaire noted that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is working to “raise awareness about the need for a national standard that would significantly reduce mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants and would protect our young children.” Knowing of the concern people had about air quality and water issues in the Stockton diocese, Bishop Blaire in 2004 launched the Environmental Justice Project, based at Catholic Charities in the diocese. He invited 100 local Catholics to build the project. The aim, said Betsy Reifsnider, the project director, was “to educate our fellow Catholics that care for creation is part of our faith and our responsibility.” The group of 100 chose air pollution as its first campaign, reasoning that there are no scapegoats because everyone in the diocese is both a victim and perpetrator of bad air. The project lobbied for the Global Warming Solutions Act, signed by Gov, Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. In 2010, in Proposition 23, opponents attempted to suspend the law. Bishop Blaire, although he did not want BLAIRE, page 5
Bishops’ letter to undocumented
Catholic san Francisco
In an emotional pastoral letter to immigrants, U.S. Hispanic and Latino Catholic bishops offer assurance that “you are not alone or forgotten.” “We recognize that every human being, authorized or not, is an image of God and therefore possesses infinite value and dignity,” begins the strongly worded letter released on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12. Read the full story on Page 3CL.
Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
Guadalupana pilgrimage
(PHOTOS BY JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)
Thousands of people walked from All Souls Parish in South San Francisco to St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco Dec. 10, united in prayer for the sick, for immigration reform, for world peace and for personal intentions through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Left, Father Francisco Gamez, parochial vicar at the cathedral; Pedro Garcia, co-director of the Guadalupana Crusade; and Charito Martinez from La Raza radio station release doves as a symbol of peace. Below right, Aztec dancers honor Our Lady of Guadalupe with a special ritual before entering the cathedral, where Archbishop Emeritus John R. Quinn celebrated Mass. The story of the Virgin of Guadalupe was recreated at the end of the 12-mile pilgrimage, before Mass.
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION On the Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Irish priests struggle . . . . . . . 6 Doctrine of dignity . . . . . . . . 7 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Conscience protections . . . 12
Occupy and Catholic social teaching Page 10 December 16, 2011
Archbishop’s Journal: Christmas homily Page 11
Father Rolheiser . . . . . . . . . 14
Christmas Liturgies 1CL-8CL
ONE DOLLAR
Book reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Next issue January 13 VOLUME 13
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No. 40