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The Franciscan Action Network has called for both President Obama and Governor Romney to focus more on the need to confront global climate change in their on-going campaign. “This presidential election has critical implications not just for our generation but for generations to come," said Sister Marie Lucey, OSF, Director of Advocacy for the Franciscan Action Network. "What kind of Earth are we going to leave our children and future generations? Do we love them enough to put care for God’s creation ahead of our individual and corporate interests?”
Pope Benedict XVI has made environmental concern one of his principal themes in several speeches and texts. It is obvious enough why Franciscans would show special concern for the environment. I am wondering if those bishops who are only worried about "intrinsic evils" consider man-made climate change an intrinsic evil, or if they are worried about the pro-life implications, especially for the poor, of climate change. Or, if the evil of man-made climate change is extrinsic, does it not matter? But, here is an instance where a little prudential judgment is needed. Should Catholics vote for Mr. Romney, the guy whose health care plan explicitly provided for taxpayer funded abortions in Massachusetts, and did so after his conversion from pro-choice to pro-life, get our vote because of his vague promises to govern as a pro-life president, even though he is unwilling to even talk about global climate change which holds great peril for millions of lives?
