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Biden leads nation in mourning its 500,000 COVID-19 deaths
… of her own loss up against so many other losses. He said she and her family enter this Lent, "a season of reflection and renewal, with heavy hearts" since they were unable to properly …
Pope: Fight temptation with faith, prayer, penance
… The Gospel account of Jesus' temptation in the desert, read each year at the beginning of Lent, is a reminder that following the Lord's footsteps "is a battle against the spirit of evil," …
A Climate-Conscious Lent: Exxon-funded climate doubt
See:, Early in her career, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe worked for Exxon, now known as ExxonMobil. In an essay for The Conversation, published in August 2017, she writes : Investigative reports in 2015 revealed that Exxon had its own scientists doing its own climate modeling as far back as the 1970s: science and modeling that was not only accurate, but that was being used to plan for the company'…, Judge:, A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system. … [S]cientific studies indicate that most global warming in recent decades is due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides and others) released mainly as a result of human activity. … The problem is aggravated by a model of…, Act:, From the brief description above, describe the level of consciousness that fossil fuel company executives demonstrated. Compare the big oil companies' attempts to sow doubt about fossil fuels with the tobacco industry's history of activities. You may want to refer to the book " Merchants of Doubt" by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, or the film of the same name that was inspired by the book.…
Texas storms: What we keep doing to each other
… in snow and a year into a global pandemic. The sunrise seems too far away; it is a good thing Lent is 40 days long. …
Rainbow connection
… Pat Marrin … “This is the time of fulfillment” (Mark 1:14). … First Sunday of Lent … Gen 9:8-15; Ps 9; 1 Pet 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-5 Journalism teaches that the first function of … the longing of his fellow Jews for the promised messiah and a new age. The first Sunday of Lent also forms us in same Word of God with readings about the flood and the desert temptations, … the surrender to service as the only path to an authentic life. What will you decide this Lent as your new normal on the other side of the pandemic? …
First Sunday of Lent: Truly classic, ever new
… the beasts and angels imaged creation's potential to fulfill God's will on earth as in heaven. Lent is a classic exercise, always ancient, always new, calling us to find new and deeper meaning in life. Lent calls us to listen anew to Jesus' invitation to bring Gospel change to the times in which we …
This Lent, we must pair our faith with action
… has now turned past my favorite Wednesday, the day that begins the Christian observance of Lent. This period of reflection has long resonated with me, a reminder of how vital it is to pair …
'Scholomance' fantasy novel touches on power of evil — and of grace
… somehow meets evil with love-energy and suffers the consequences. Yet how can this be? As Lent begins, let us pray for the grace to live more deeply into this profound mystery even though …
Some parish fish fries switch gears to go curbside this Lent
… food for delivery. St. Pius V in Cannon Falls, which normally hosts a fish fry every Friday in Lent, with about 300 people at each dinner, will host just one fish fry, with curbside pickup … took effect. This year, Epiphany is switching to a drive-through fish fry every Friday in Lent. The new system is likely to take fewer volunteers compared with the parish's sit-down …
EarthBeat Weekly: Pandemic, storms call us to make peace with the planet
… will destroy us. Never forget this." … Here's what else is new on EarthBeat this week: … For Lent this year, Fr. Emmet Farrell, of the Diocese of San Diego's creation care ministry, is … into Farrell's " Reflections on the Care of Creation ," which EarthBeat is excerpting during Lent. Do they spur you, your family or your faith group to action? If so, we'd like to know. Tell …
A Climate-Conscious Lent: The fossil fuel effect
See:, Earth's human population has grown exponentially. The number of people on the planet has increased from about 1 billion in 1800 to 2.5 billion by 1950, 6.1 billion at the turn of the century and 7.8 billion today. This population explosion could not have occurred without abundant cheap energy, particularly fossil fuels, writes William Rees , professor emeritus of human ecology and ecological…, Judge:, "The creation waits in eager expectation … in hope that the creation itself will be LIBERATED from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:19-21) "The crisis facing God's earth is clear. We, as stewards, have failed to live into our responsibility to care for creation and have instead abused it in ways that now threaten life around the planet…, Act:, Learn what a carbon footprint is and learn how to calculate yours. Online tools available include this calculator from the University of California, Berkeley, and this one from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Write or call one or more of your elected representatives to ask them to put a price on carbon emissions . Adjust your driving routine to reduce fuel use, or consider switching to…, Sign up to receive emails for the Lenten "Reflections on the Care of Creation" series.