Redemptorists respond to challenges of climate change

As part of their direction-setting, the Redemptorists in the Philippines will gather in different parts of the Philippines for their pre-chapter assemblies wherein one of their concerns is all about Climate Change.

Fr. Amado Picardal, CSsR, in his blogspot http://amadopicardal.blogspot.com/2014/11/climate-change-challenge-to-our-mission.html) said that Climate Change has been a challenge in fulfilling their mission.

The pre-chapter assemblies to be held in Cebu, Bacolod and Davao, will tackle the Redemptorists’ life and mission in the next four years. Fr. Picardal was tasked to create a working paper which he gladly shared through his blog.

Fr. Picardal said there are three measures to reduce the threat of climate change and its impacts:

Reduce worldwide carbon dioxide emissions without delay, using all means possible to meet ambitious international global warming targets and ensure the long-term stability of the climate system.

Reduce the concentrations of warming air pollutants (dark soot, methane, lower atmosphere ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons) by as much as 50%, to slow down climate change during this century while preventing millions of premature deaths from respiratory disease and millions of tons of crop damages every year.

Prepare to adapt to the climatic changes, both chronic and abrupt, that society will be unable to mitigate. In particular, we call for a global capacity building initiative to assess the natural and social impacts of climate change in mountain systems and related watersheds.

As Redemptorists, Fr. Picardal also highlighted some suggestions on how they can carry out their mission in view of change and the disaster it brings.

“Besides coming up with protocols on how we should respond in case of disaster (emergency response) we also have to broaden our perspective in terms of disaster risk reduction, preparedness, management, relief and rehabilitation,” Fr. Picardal said.

He added that there are parishes under the care of the Redemptorists which have been hit by Typhoon Yolanda last year and they have acquired some experiences in disaster response in a coordinated manner and how to carry out their mission in areas hit by disasters.

“Our mission is not just for communities already affected or will be affected by disaster. It is also for those who may be vulnerable to disaster. The question we need to answer is: how do we prepare ourselves and the communities that we minister for the disaster that arise due to climate change,” Fr. Picardal said.

To end his piece, the Biking Priest lined up a summary on what the Redemptorists should do as they continue their works in their mission areas:

1) To make people aware of climate change, its causes and effects and the human responsibility as stewards of God’s creation to care for the earth.

2) To help mitigate the effects of climate change an promote disaster risk reduction, preparedness and management. This means helping build disaster-resilient communities (parishes, BECs).

3) To foster a green lifestyle and search for ways that can contribute to reduction of green house gas.