 |
Sprawl Education Project
Archdiocese
of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
The possibility of a pastoral letter on environmental
justice in Southern California continues to be
discussed among members of the Peace and Justice
Commission. They envision a process that identifies
concrete issues that clearly demonstrated the
relationship between social and economic justice
and the environment, facilitates listening
sessions in each of the five pastoral regions
throughout the Archdiocese to hear the lived experience
of the diverse communities around these issues
and involves the production of a pastoral letter that
contains specific public policy recommendations
to respond to the ethical dimensions of the regional
environmental justice issues facing Southern California.
The Commission believes that this process is as
important, if not more important, than the product.
The listening session process will promote broad
institutional engagement, as well as build a constituency
around environmental justice issues. The product
will connect Catholic social teaching to these
issues and will inform and influence the public
policy debate. The pastoral letter should have
a positive impact on ensuring that the poorest
members of the community do not suffer disproportionately
from congestion, pollution, unemployment, lack
of recreational opportunities, and segregation.
|
|
|