To: Cardinal Cupich, Auxiliary Bishops, Clergy, and All Catholics of the Archdiocese
Divest Archdiocese of Chicago From Fossil Fuels
Archdiocesan buildings and proceedings, parish and school buildings need to disinvest from companies involved in the extraction of oil, coal and gas, as soon as possible and explore options for investment in clean alternatives to fossil fuels and positive solutions to environmental and social issues.
Why is this important?
If it is wrong to wreck the planet, then it is also wrong to profit from that wreckage.
The movement to divest from fossil fuels has always hinged on a fundamentally moral argument: Investment in the fossil fuel industry is wrong. Climate change is unjust.
These are precepts that Christians and non-Christians alike can agree on. In the past two years, hundreds of universities, cities, and faith communities have rallied around the idea of fossil fuel divestment, calling on institutions to align their investments with their moral principles and send a clear symbolic message: The actions of this industry are incompatible with a livable planet, and we are taking a stand against it.
If the goal of Cardinal Cupich's "Renew My Church" initiative is to make Chicagoland parishes more vital and sustainable, then divestment from fossil fuels must be included in the conversation and action plans.