AmericanPapist Comments
Parishes have been needing to do this for a long time before now. I don't believe in unnecessarily wasting money, and just from the example of the nuns in Kentucky, they're seeing dividends on their investment. I didn't see in the story where alms-giving has been replaced by such actions. Now alms that had been going to cover energy costs can go towards matters such as maintaining building infrastructure and promoting Catholic education. For those parishes that aren't blessed with BMWs in the parking lot on Sundays, all of this makes perfect sense.
Outside of the church building, taking action in the community, from working to clean up sewage spills to fighting against landfills that damage fishing areas, is important. I don't see any difference between doing things like that and building a house for Habitat for Humanity or volunteering at a soup kitchen. None of those things is distinctly Catholic--people of faith and no faith participate, too--yet we take our part. I say good for all of these groups.
I totally agree with Nathan. And just because people are organizing a light bulb swap doesn't mean that they are NOT celebrating the sacraments, adoring the Blessed Sacrament, or caring for the poor and sick. That's kind of a faulty generalization on your part, and your writing is better than that.
The environmental activities per se may not be distinctively Catholic, but the motivation for doing them might be. Caring for the environment is a good thing. Doing so because you recognize it as part of God's creation is a better thing. Doing so because you are a pantheist, forget it. Where's St. Boniface when you need him?
I'll bet I hold to the scratch-an-environmentalist-find-a-new-age-pagan saw more than anyone here, but I'm giving this one a pass. Yeah, they did a good thing and accompanied it with some silly gassing about it, but meh.
Thomas,
This is a very confused, reactionary post. Your allergy to environmental concern seems to cloud your judgment in a number of ways.
Conklin happily reports that the project "didn't cost us a thing." Hello, that's normally a sign that your activity of choice isn't really a penance.
Spending one's own money is a "a sign" of real penance? Sounds like you and Tetzel would have hit it off smashingly.
When the social justice coordinator is collaborating with the local electric company, something tells me this isn't distinctively Catholic or faith-based social justice.
Why not? Is faith-based social justice completely divorced from secular-based social justice? Could not a Catholic take up the call of Pope Benedict XVI to work for environmental justice by collaborating with established means be they religious or independent?
a parish should be doing per se, especially if these activities compete with or supplement things such as, say, celebration of the sacraments, adoration, care of the poor and sick, etc.
As Fr. Pat noted above, how do we know that there is some "competition" between sacraments and social justice activities? Would the bulb swap be "competing" with the sacraments if it takes place after liturgies or at designated times apart from liturgies? And is it really the whole parish that was involved here? It seems to have been put together by a handful of lay persons. If it were a grocery swap through Kroger or a clothing drive through Target, would you still have your reservations?
I think you may have spent one too many days at the "Acton University."
Maybe they thought it was the Sierra club???
Hmmm, I thought the Serra club was to seek and promote holy vocations to the priesthood.
Another group corrupted and wallowing in worldly mires. They should just let the Sierra club handle those things...
What cracks me up is the fact that when you break one of these bulbs you have to leave the room for at least 15 minutes, throw the glass into a plastic bag, pick up all the little pieces by hand, not a vacumn, and dispose in a special way, not the regular trash.
These bulbs are manufactured in China with the aid of coal ran factories. They don't help the enviroment in that country.
I have heard whole sermons preached on the amazing energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs, how they would save the world. Check out the air in Shanghai. Save whose world?
Thank you Thomas for visiting the Acton Institute. A breathe of fresh air.
I agree w/ Tom.
And btw he clearly wrote "if" these things take precedence over celebrating the Sacraments, etc.
Such works are not catholic but would fall into the good citizenship category. However, Elm at least sheds some light that the bulbs themselves are ironically not so envirn. great.
The Church's chief task is saving souls. When this is priority #1 in a parish such activities would rightly be relegated to the local town itself.
Blah sums up this parish project. :)
The Church's chief task is saving souls. When this is priority #1 in a parish such activities would rightly be relegated to the local town itself.
Blah sums up this parish project. :)
It is abundantly clear that you either have a very attenuated view of how the Church "is saving souls" or you have not yet acquainted yourself with the papal social teaching of the past 100 years. Perhaps both.
So how many Catholics does it take to change a light bulb?
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