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Water Projects
The following water-related projects have been funded in part through the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Department of Social Development and World Peace. For more about this grant program contact your local diocesan Social Ministry Office or the USCCB Environmental Justice Office at (202) 541-3195 or visit www.nccbuscc.org/sdwp/ejp/.
Water Awareness in the Southwest, Diocese of El Paso, TX: Peace and Justice Ministry of the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, conducted "Water Awareness Sundays" in 2000 and 2001 to spur action among parishioners about the water situation in their area. For the past year it has promoted a water curriculum in schools through its web site. The Hueco Bolson underground aquifer is running out of fresh water, and residents will be paying more for water of very possibly poorer quality as substitutions from the Rio Grande and other sources are increasingly employed. This environmental problem becomes a social justice issue when the affluent use bottled water for drinking leaving the more questionable water supplies for the poor. Much more problematic is the situation in Ciudad Juarez on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. This city's wells on the Hueco aquifer will be depleted much sooner than those on the American side. Right now the city is totally dependent on the Hueco Bolson aquifer for its municipal water supplies and does not have the resources to consider varied options. For more information, contact Fr. Carmen Mele at 915-872-8422; frcarmen@elpasodiocese.org.
Swine Production--Who is my neighbor? Dioceses of Iowa and the Iowa Catholic Conference: Changing methods of swine production are raising many questions and concerns about the impacts of large-scale confinement operations on rural communities and the environment. Some Catholics find themselves with opposing viewpoints in often emotional and sometimes divisive debates about the impacts of the methods. On the other hand, many Catholics feel detached from the issue. The four Catholic Dioceses of Iowa with the Iowa Catholic Conference and National Catholic Rural Life Conference are conducting parish gatherings designed to be a prayerful time respectful of the inherent dignity of all involved in and affected by swine production. Participants pray together and reflect on God’s word, hear viewpoints of Catholics who rely on swine production for their livelihoods and from those who are affected by swine production; use Catholic social teaching to sort through the environmental, economic, social, and spiritual elements of this complex issue; and privately discern their responses to new understandings that result from the gathering. Contact Tim Kautza, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, ncrlc3@aol.com; 515-270-2634.
Parishes and People along the "River of Life," Michigan Catholic Rural Life Coalition: Urban sprawl and population shifts has resulted in greater pollution draining into Clinton River, the second largest watershed in southeast Michigan. Civic groups, Catholic parishes, and other religious groups are reconnecting people with natural resources and a renewed sense of good stewardship bringing Catholic social teaching into public policy advocacy. For more details, visit www.watershedprojects.com or contact Paul Stankewitz,, director, Michigan Catholic Rural Life Coalition, director@michigancatholicrurallife.org; 989-466-9322
Two Countries, Seven Dioceses, One River: "The Columbia River Watershed: Caring for Creation and the Common Good" is a pastoral letter by seven U.S. and Canadian bishops on the Columbia River watershed, the culmination of a monumental three-year project which encouraged and achieved significant community discussion and input. Their reflections serve as a vital step in forming a Catholic theology of eco-justice. Visit www.columbiariver.org for more information.
Restoring the Delta and Community Waters in Louisiana, Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, LA: Clean water and sufficient amounts of water are necessary for many parts of the country, but some areas are gradually becoming immersed in water. In recognition of threats to the Mississippi River delta, a unique mix of local and national environmental groups, civic organizations, church groups, businesses and industry, local governments and concerned individuals came together about fifteen years ago to form the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. Their goals are to reverse the pattern of land loss in coastal Louisiana and to re-establish a sustainable balance to the delta’s geologic processes and communities.
While the Louisiana Delta is threatened by too much floodwater, the entire state is now examining the potential threat of too little drinking water.
Catholic Social Services in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is the lead agency in the Stewardship of Louisiana's Community Waters campaign. Under the sponsorship of the Louisiana Interchurch Conference, Stewardship workshops reviewing local water issues held last year in churches in four communities around the state drew more than 500 people. Presenters included clergy, scientists, engineers, organizers and government representatives. A number of people commented on the fact that they had never been in a church for a workshop about water.
Visit www.crcl.org for coastal restoration updates, www.la-water.com for water policy or contact Rob Gorman at the Diocese of Houma Thibodaux, rgorman@htdiocese.org; 985-876-0490.
A Gospel of Life for Florida's Young People: Spiritual, Familial and Environmental Regeneration, Florida Catholic Conference: The Florida Catholic Conference and the Florida Council of Catholic Scholarship (Barry University, Blessed Edmund Rice School for Pastoral Study, St. John Vianney College Seminary, St. Leo College, St. Thomas University and St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary) joined together as sponsors for this project. The project initiated a scholarly and educational process offering support for what Pope John Paul II has called "the Gospel of Life" across a range of human experiences that touch upon the spiritual, familial and environmental lives of the young people of Florida. Through a series of seminars, inter-faculty dialogues, a state wide conference and a follow up public education campaign, the consortium began to address the problems Florida youth face from the erosion both of community and family life and the special environmental problems of Florida. The project focuses on creating the intellectual support needed to address these problems from a Catholic perspective tying this intellectual effort into the public policy work on the environment of the Florida Catholic Conference. Contact Michael McCarron, Florida Catholic Conference, mccarron@flacathconf.org; 850-222-3803.
Florida Inheritance Project, Diocese of Orlando and the Florida Catholic Conference: In June 2001, the Florida Catholic Conference, in partnership with the Diocese of Orlando, was awarded a two-year, grant by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Through a statewide environmental justice committee made up of representatives from each of Florida's seven dioceses and the Florida Catholic Conference, the Inheritance Project is designed to: (1) educate the Catholic community regarding environment issues surrounding water degradation in Florida aquifers and ecosystem, (2) build a Catholic constituency for environmental justice, (3) create a statewide Catholic network to develop a legislative strategy on water and other environmental concerns, (4) host diocesan and statewide gatherings on environmental issues specifically addressing growth and water management. A state project coordinator with the environmental justice committee conduct workshops, form diocesan and/or deanery task forces, and establish relationships with various groups and agencies that address water concerns and water management. For details, contact Inheritance Project Coordinator Julie Greene; InheritProject@aol.com; 407-277-7266 or 407-869-1466 or visit www.orlandodiocese.org/respect_life/inheritance_project/index.html.
Department of Christian Service: Clinton River Cleanup, Archdiocese of Detroit, MI: This planning grant helped the Archdiocese initiate an effort to organize 40 parishes along the Clinton River Watershed to deal with the river pollution problems associated with urban sprawl.
St. Mary's Parish, Colts Neck, NJ :Water Quality Education & Monitoring Program, Diocese of Trenton, NJ: This parish project seeks to educate the parish and the community about the pollution of the local drinking water supply and encourage parishioners to monitor and alter their behavior to prevent water pollution.
LPP Energy/Water Systems, Diocese of Brownsville, TX:
The refugee shelter, La Posada Providencia, using the skills of the refugees themselves, seeks to install a solar hot water heater, a solar oven and a cistern. The goals of this sustainable lifestyle project are to conserve energy resources within one Catholic institution; teach refugees methods of sustainability using U.S. technology; and reduce the energy costs of a non-profit that receives little outside funding.
The SHARE Team (Student Helpers & Advocates for Renewing the Earth), Diocese of Cleveland, OH: In support of Bishop Pilla's pastoral initiative, The Church in the City, this demonstration project seeks to pilot an after-school program involving middle school students from one suburban Catholic and two inner-city schools in the use of satellite imagery to study the environmental impacts of urban sprawl and pollution in their local area. The diocese aims to work in partnership with a local university to prepare middle school teachers and college student volunteers in the instructional use of satellite imagery analysis. At the conclusion of their environmental research projects, participating students plan to convene a conference for their peers and submit their findings and recommendations to appropriate representatives from local governments (city and county).
Safe Cleaning for a Safe and Cleaner Environment, Diocese of Knoxville, TN: Fourth-graders at St. Jude School examined the marketing of household cleaners, learn the dangers of disposing wastes containing environmentally unsafe materials, make earth-friendly cleaning solutions, use and share them with the local Catholic Charities, and disseminate their discoveries through a newsletter and resource materials supplied to Chattanooga's Recycling Center program.
Empowerment for Environmental Equity, Diocese of Lansing, MI:
This St. Francis Prayer Center project seeks to empower volunteers through a training program to become advocates for their neighbors and themselves in a low-income housing development to counter efforts to place toxic dumps in their neighborhood and to promote efforts to protect their soil, air and water for a better quality of life for their families.
Minnesota River Restoration, Diocese of New Ulm, MN:
Council of Catholic Women Region and Diocesan Board members promoted Catholic participation in the Minnesota River Prayer Services held along the banks of the Minnesota river in May. Following this, the Council conductd six educational Minnesota River Seminars for each region of the diocese and equip women as speakers to be available to grassroots organizations.
Latino Parish Empowerment Project, Diocese of Phoenix, AZ:
The Latino Parish Empowerment Project is an initiative of the Southwest Environmental Equity Project, the justice and peace effort of the Franciscan family in Arizona, to promote environmental justice. The project focuses on the training and organizing of key Latino parishes in south Phoenix impacted by toxic contamination.
SOW (Save Our Water), Diocese of Rockville Center, NY:
Project SOW aims to change behavior related to the lawn care of private property by ordinary citizens. Through education, special projects and events, SOW seeks to enhance the understanding of home owners of the water quality problems of Long Island's underground aquifers, their sole source of potable water. While there are several sources of potential contamination, the application of chemicals on residential lawns is a major one that can be easily controlled by the one million households on Long Island.
Educating for a Lifetime - Environmental Justice, Diocese of Toledo, OH:
This project provided two in-service days for 100 teachers from ten to twenty elementary schools from throughout the diocese for training in environmental justice education. The program included Catholic social teaching, methods for infusion of environmental justice into the curriculum, worship and service activities and development of a strategic plan for each school to include life-long actions for justice.
Leaven IV Conference: "Renewing the Earth", Diocese of Venice, FL:
Leaven IV was a one-day conference for parish leaders throughout the diocese to acquaint them with the major environmental problems of south-west Florida, to introduce them to the Church's relevant social teachings and to offer specific action suggestions for addressing local environmental justice issues.
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