Catholic Committee of Appalachia Calls for Full Investigation of West Virginia Diocese
In wake of Bishop Michael Bransfield scandal, group calls for ‘specific, achievable actions’
CCA also claims that Archbishop Lori cannot be trusted to be an impartial investigator
By Jeannie Kirkhope and Michael J. Iafrate
WHEELING, W.Va. – As the Roman Catholic Church reels from new revelations of the cover-up of clergy sexual abuse, thousands of Catholics from various corners of the church have loudly demanded the mass resignation and/or dismissal of U.S. bishops in order to “clean house.” In the midst of this turmoil, Bishop Michael Bransfield of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston offered his resignation to Pope Francis, not as penance, but in the manner customary for bishops who have reached the age of 75. (Bransfield turned 75 on September 8th.)
Pope Francis accepted Bransfield’s resignation in a matter of days and appointed Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore as temporary administrator of the Diocese. Further, the Vatican charged Lori with the task of conducting an investigation of Bransfield’s alleged sexual harassment of adults.
Jeannie Kirkhope
The swift acceptance of Bransfield’s resignation and subsequent investigation is not surprising. Abuse allegations have haunted Bransfield, resurfacing most recently during the criminal trial of Catholic priests in Philadelphia in 2012. But more, Bransfield’s lavish lifestyle and flaunted political allegiances marked his episcopacy with signs of clerical privilege and entitlement that are the root cause of abuse by members of the priesthood, including sexual misconduct.
As lay leaders who represent many Catholics in West Virginia and throughout Appalachia, we certainly welcome a full investigation into any alleged sexual harassment of adults by Bransfield, both during and before his time as Bishop. We also urge an investigation into the unresolved allegations of past behavior while working in a Philadelphia high school and into his time serving as a senior cleric in Washington D.C. under the leadership of Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, including any knowledge Bransfield had of McCarrick’s abusive behavior.
Nevertheless, we have serious reservations as to whether Archbishop Lori would be an impartial party to head up such an investigation, having been Bransfield’s guest at a “Red Mass” celebrated for lawyers and government officials in January 2017. Ordinary lay Catholics and women religious from the state should be an integral part of any internal church investigation. Most importantly, beyond a church investigation, all files related to allegations against Bransfield must be turned over to the proper civil authorities.
Michael J. Iafrate
Those familiar with sex abuse in the Catholic Church know that Bransfield’s alleged actions are likely the tip of the iceberg. Last week, Catholics gathered at St. Michael’s Parish in Wheeling to discuss the abuse crisis. Comments given there by diocesan spokespeople (including diocesan attorney James Gardill) signaled deeply entrenched defensiveness, denial, and an accusatory posture toward “the media” as supposed “persecutors” of the Catholic Church. The claim was repeatedly made that this diocese has not been affected by sexual abuse as “other dioceses” have. Claims that minimize abuse have almost always been proven false, most recently in the Diocese of Buffalo where the opening of diocesan secret archives revealed over double the previously self-reported number.
Church and civil investigations must go beyond Bransfield and open the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston itself to deeper scrutiny. In the strongest terms possible, we urge the Diocese to implement the following specific, achievable actions:
- publish the names of credibly accused abuser priests, religious, and lay pastoral workers on the diocesan website (dwc.org);
- willingly open diocesan records related to sex abuse to State and/or Federal authorities before any inevitable forced investigation takes place;
- apologize for the past statements of diocesan spokespeople which accuse secular media of inventing and/or exaggerating the severity of the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church;
- denounce the continued scapegoating of gay priests relative to sexual abuse; and,
- establish a permanent system for diocesan staff and clergy to speak up without retaliation.
The legacy Bransfield leaves to West Virginia is uncertain, and ambiguous at best. The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston’s handling of the allegations against Michael Bransfield will shape the church’s legacy as well, speaking volumes about what kind of church we want to be and whether we really want to break with the destructive and abusive clericalism of the past. Together with other concerned Catholics, we raise our voices in faith and in hope for truth, transparency and accountability in the church we love, and for the justice and healing of her abuse survivors.
© Catholic Committee of Appalachia, 2018. Jeannie Kirkhope and Michael J. Iafrate are the Co-Coordinators, Catholic Committee of Appalachia
Does Collection for Military Services Violate Teachings of Jesus?
West Virginia Catholic leaders argue that the Veteran Day collection undermines the message of non-violence as taught by Christ and the Church
“Put your sword back in its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword”
(Mt. 26:52).
By Michael J. Iafrate and Jeannie Kirkhope
SPENCER, W.Va. – This weekend, several Catholic dioceses across the country will participate in the second triennial collection for the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS). This non-territorial diocese, founded in the 1985 by Pope John Paul II, provides pastoral services to members of the United States military stationed across the world. The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia is one of several dioceses participating in this collection.
The West Virginia Chapter of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia has serious reservations about our diocese’s formal support of this collection.
Like all Catholics, Catholic soldiers have a variety of pastoral needs. The AMS is one way the church attempts to meet these needs. While some among our membership question the validity of military chaplaincy itself, all of us share a concern about the deeper messages communicated, intentionally or not, by the church’s support of the AMS collection. Namely, we believe that militarism in the United States is a problem that is getting worse, not better. Indeed, in our 2015 “People’s Pastoral” we identified a number of pervasive idolatries in the United States, including “the unquestioning, violent patriotism that works like a powerful religion to sanction and bless an economy of endless war.” In that same letter, we noted that “Even our churches fall for these idolatries again and again,” and that “[w]hen this occurs, religion cooperates with injustice and loses its prophetic impulse.” One way our churches do this is by succumbing to our culture’s unquestioning support of the wars of the United States. At best, this takes the form of sentimental slogans of “support the troops.” At worst, Catholics even join the nation’s chorus of “my country right or wrong.”
Timed as it is the weekend before Veterans’ Day, we believe this collection intentionally seeks to capitalize on the emotions of the faithful and silences our church’s teachings on nonviolence and the dignity of all human life. The collection effectively provides material support for the military-industrial complex, and indeed our own church’s part in that system. And finally, the collection gives the impression that the church takes no issue with the recent military activity of the United States, most of which has been condemned by Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. As followers of Jesus, we are deeply troubled by such visible cooperation with U.S. militarism on the part of our church.
Secondly, as Catholics in West Virginia, our Diocese’s support of this collection is troubling as we have seen for decades the way that poor and marginalized people in Appalachian communities are targeted for military service due to a lack of employment and educational opportunities. Our diocese’s support for this collection normalizes these recruitment patterns which prey upon the poor and ensure what Pope Francis has called an ongoing “world war in installments.”
We agree with the view of a recent Vatican conference sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and Pax Christi International, which boldly stated,
We believe that there is no “just war.” Too often the “just war theory” has been used to endorse rather than prevent or limit war. Suggesting that a “just war” is possible also undermines the moral imperative to develop tools and capacities for nonviolent transformation of conflict. […] We propose that the Catholic Church develop and consider shifting to a Just Peace approach based on Gospel nonviolence.
We believe the Diocese’s support of this collection undermines this commitment to Gospel nonviolence. Therefore, we ask:
- That Bishop Michael Bransfield withdraw the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston’s support for the collection for the AMS;
- That pastors, priests, and other pastoral leaders throughout the Diocese refuse to implement this second collection in our churches; and
- That the faithful refuse to contribute to the collection and instead redirect their resources to church groups or secular organizations working for justice and peace. In particular, we encourage supporting groups who a) provide direct service to economically vulnerable, such as Catholic Charities, soup kitchens, and Catholic Worker houses; b) work for economic justice, especially in the Appalachian region; and c) raise a voice for peace, such as Catholic Peace Fellowship and Pax Christi USA. (You might consider placing this form in the collection basket to peacefully offer your dissent.)
Michael J. Iafrate
Catholics would do well to remember that November 11 is not only Veterans’ Day, but also the feast of St. Martin of Tours, a patron saint of conscientious objectors, who told his superiors in the Roman army, “I am a soldier of Christ, and it is not lawful for me to fight.” We pray for all those affected by the wars of the United States, including U.S. soldiers, and we pray that in word and action we may become more and more a church of peacemakers, following the Lord Jesus who told his disciples to put their swords away.
© 2016, CCA. Michael Iafrate and Jeannie Kirkhope are co-coordinators of the West Virginia chapter of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia.
Putting Liberation Theology to Practice in Appalachia
People’s Pastoral by the Catholic Committee of Appalachia rooted in the concept of ‘Magisterium of the Poor’
By Michael M. Barrick
SPENCER, W.Va. – Reading the latest People’s Pastoral from the Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA) is like lingering over a classic work of art – especially if that artwork is Picasso’s “Guernica.” That is because, just like Picasso’s most famous work forces us to reflect upon man’s inhumanity to man, the CCA pastoral immediately challenges the reader to learn about and then expose great social injustices being perpetrated upon the people and land of Appalachia.
The pastoral, titled, “The Telling Takes us Home: Taking Our Place in the Stories that Shape Us,” pulls the reader in with eloquent but blunt free verse, breathtaking artwork, photographs and even the rare literary element of an Interlude.
(NOTE: Excerpts from the pastoral can be found at the end of this article. Access the full document here, or contact the CCA here to order the pastoral in print).
Cover of the ‘People’s Pastoral’ by the Catholic Committee of Appalachia.The artwork is by Christopher Santer.
It is the third pastoral published by the CCA in 40 years. “This Land is Home to Me: A Pastoral Letter on the Poverty and Powerlessness in Appalachia,” was released in 1975. “At Home in the Web of Life: A Pastoral Message on Sustainable Communities in Appalachia,” was released in 1995. They remain in print and available from the CCA.
The CCA identifies itself as “… a network of faith-based people raising a prophetic voice for Appalachia & her people.” This new pastoral seems entirely consistent with that mission.
Notably, unlike the first two, this one is not endorsed by the bishops of Appalachia; instead, rooted in Catholic social teaching and liberation theology borrowed from social justice movements in the Southern hemisphere, it is a direct appeal from and on behalf of the poor and the earth itself. As Michael Iafrate, the pastoral’s writer, explained, it is “Speaking truth to power.”
This includes not only traditional church structures, as evidenced by “Lifting up ‘The Magisterium of the Poor’” as Iafrate said, but also political and economic structures as well. Additionally, the pastoral also acknowledges that “The earth has an authority that the church needs to acknowledge and respect,” noted Iafrate, echoing thoughts expressed by Pope Francis in his ecological encyclical, “On Care for Our Common Home.”
Jeannie Kirkhope, the coordinator for CCA, added, “Current bishops told us that had they been around when the first two pastorals were written that they wouldn’t have signed it.” She continued, “People have their own authority in the church. We didn’t feel it necessary to get their endorsement.” Iafrate added, “We felt that there were number of issues that the CCA wanted and needed to speak to – mountaintop removal and fracking, as well as marginalized people in Appalachia and the church. We needed to speak about this. We have asked bishops to speak to these issues, but they don’t’ for a variety of reasons. We knew they would not sign on as a body, that maybe one or two would sign. Out of that realization came that sense that the first two pastorals were voices of the people and the bishops endorsed it. We decide to push forward whether they participated or not.”
As it turns out, shared Iafrate, the election of Pope Francis was affirming of the pastoral, which was in the works for several years. “Little did we know there would be a new pope. Little did we know that this pope would have his own encyclical in the works. It was well timed. Of course it was not related to the people’s pastoral, but it was a grace-filled incident.”
While the CCA did not reach out to bishops, a bishop new to the region did offer to provide a cover letter to be sent to all bishops in the United States along with a copy of the pastoral. Iafrate shared, “Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Ky. shares with the bishops that CCA is living out what Pope Francis has called us to do. We are thankful for his support.”
Iafrate acknowledges that just as the encyclical by Pope Francis has been labeled as extreme in its criticism of market-driven consumerism, so too might this pastoral. In fact, he admitted, “We hope it is subversive because there are a lot of political, economic, and church relationships that need to be subverted.”
He added the pastoral is consistent with the CCA’s mission. “This goes along with being prophetic.” He continued, “This new letter is radical in what it says. It calls for radical changes to church” He argued, though, “It is not a call to radical change apart from examples of how people are already doing things. That is really important.” Besides, he argued, “People can resist radical change all they want, but everything is going to have to change whether we want it to or not, whether we participate in it or not. The planet is going to make sure things change, whether human beings participate in it or not. We can only resist it so much and for so long. That’s on a global scale and in Appalachia.”
The pastoral is written in free verse, as were the first two. Iafrate pointed out that this literary approach was chosen because “It is consistent with the Appalachian heritage of writing poetry and storytelling. It fits with the lyrical way of writing in Appalachia.” Kirkhope added, “It is easily readable. We’re lucky because Michael is both a theologian and musical artist. So we got the best of both worlds with Michael as author. It is both history and artistic.”
The dedication page says simply, “For Walter Sullivan.” Sullivan served as bishop for the Diocese of Richmond for roughly three decades, including the earliest year of the CCA. He is considered its greatest champion. He passed away in 2012. Kirkhope shared, “Before he retired, Bishop Sullivan was talking about the need for a people’s pastoral focusing on mountaintop removal. He was very involved with the first two letters. He was one of the founding bishops of CCA. He was our liaison to the church hierarchy and our biggest fan.” Iafrate added, “There is not a title in the dedication because that’s just not the kind of bishop he was. His ministry was focused on empowering the people of God. He was not worried about different classes of clerics.” Kirkhope recalled, “He was concerned about the earth. Early on, we invited the bishops of central Appalachia to participate in a flyover of mountaintop removal sites. Only three showed up. He was the only one that understood and was completely behind us.”
As the pastoral undeniably ties together the poor and the earth – that to listen to the poor is to listen to the earth – it manages to do so based upon Catholic social justice traditions without being limiting in its appeal. Iafrate explains, “We talk about the planet we live on as having sacredness. That is something we share across traditions when our traditions are at their best. We form a community across traditions. It is deeply rooted in our Catholic faith, but goes beyond it as well, knowing that is how we must all work together.”
The pastoral is divided into three parts. Part One, “Our Stories: The Grounds of our Struggles” tells of the stories gathered through hundreds of interviews by CCA over the last few years, including minorities, those in vulnerable communities and coalfield residents and miners. Part Two, “Our Traditions: The Ground of our Vision,” is rooted in Catholic customs and traditions. Part Three, “Our Actions: The Ground of our Hope,” offers examples of what others are doing to build a region free of the fossil fuel mono-economy and provides some other possible alternatives for consideration.
Artist Christopher Santer, a West Virginia native now living in Minnesota provided the artwork for the covers and a center spread. Iafrate offered, “It’s very striking. We wanted it to be top notch and as prophetic as the words.” The design was done by Liz Pavlovic from Morgantown, W.Va.
Additionally, the Introduction was written by Beth Davies, a Virginia resident and founding CCA member. An Afterword was written by Eddie Sloan of Wheeling, W.Va. and a doctoral candidate at Boston College. His remarks were directed primarily to young people. Notably, the pastoral also includes an Interlude, which was written by Janet Keating, the executive director of the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, based in Huntington, W.Va. While Iafrate said the use of an Interlude came along out of necessity in determining the arrangement of the pastoral, an Interlude is an old literary device that is generally allegorical and rooted in morality. That is certainly the case with Keaton’s piece, as it is titled, “A Cerulean Warbler Speaks.” Keating explained, “The … interlude is one example of the creative listening that is possible when we take seriously the intrinsic dignity of the smallest voices of creation.”
Iafrate said that the focus on the poor is long overdue and is needed to help “change the stories we tell.” He explained, “Appalachians understand the importance of telling their story. At the same time, we’ve gotten use to telling the same old story of Appalachia. Others tell stories that are based in stereotypes. They’ve bought into the same old story that we are an energy region that provides coal and other resources for America’s needs. It’s like it’s our patriotic duty to sacrifice our well-being. We buy into these myths. We live by them. It shapes the way we live life and community together.
“What this pastoral is saying is that we need to live out alternative stories. We need to lift up the experiences of people that run counter to stories of the region. We need to start hearing stories of people who have been hurt by industry in mountaintop removal and fracking. The main new story we need to tell is that God did not give us this planet only as a resource to exploit, but gave us a home. We need to start changing the story of how we live in harmony with one another and take care of the home we’ve been given to live in.”
That storytelling, he said, is up to modern-day “saints.” Iafrate explains, “The word saint in the document has quotes around it, which signals I am doing something different with this word. We do have saints in the tradition of the church like St. Francis of Assisi that can inspire us. What I mean is that modern day saints are people who have a deep sensitivity for the suffering of people and earth in this region. They provide examples of how to live and work for justice. The best word in our tradition is to use the word saint. It does not mean that we are perfect, but have that fire for justice that is so important for CCA and many communities that are struggling.”
He is hoping such saints will emerge from people of all ages, but particularly in their 20s and 30s. “This change isn’t going to happen without them, without young people. We are all aware of the out migration from West Virginia and Appalachia. It is not getting better. If we want this place we love to thrive, we need to listen to these young people to find out while they’re leaving.” He continued, “They have a vision of what they want their lives to be. They love this area. But they feel they need to leave. It’s a love-hate relationship. They want to stay, but can’t find work. The transformation that we need will not occur without younger people.”
Regardless of one’s age, though, Iafrate points folks back to the pastoral’s title. “We need to take our place in this story. It is our small way of helping marginalized people – of lifting up the magisterium of the poor.”
© Michael M. Barrick, 2016.
Pastoral Excerpts
Beth Davis writes in the Foreword, “When the bishops gathered at Vatican II, they described the Church as ‘the People of God’—not only the pope, bishops, and clergy, but the entire People of God. They further articulated in Gaudium et Spes how the Church was to be present in the modern world, and their key was dialogue. It is not a new thing for the Church as institution to lead and speak out on issues it chooses to take a stand on, on its own turf. It is a new thing for the Church to listen, truly listen, to what people are saying in their terms, on their turf,”
Like the first two pastorals, this latest is written in free verse rather than prose. Consequently, to conserve space, line breaks are identified by the / symbol.
All excerpts are © 2015 Catholic Committee of Appalachia. Used with Permission. Selected excerpts follow.
Here in Appalachia, / we are people of stories. / These mountains have heard / the stories we tell, / and have told, / across time and space. / The mountains hold our stories, / and they have stories of their own.
Wherever we are, / and whatever our relationship to these hills, / telling our stories / connects us once again, / takes us home, / and gives us a place / from which we can act for justice.
Today, the Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA) / offers this third pastoral letter / as a prophetic word spoken / for new realities among us. / We recommit to reading the signs of the times, / listening to the stories / of the places and people who hurt most, / to create new paths forward / toward greater justice, peace, and wholeness / for our communities and for creation. /
In this statement, / we recognize a deepening ecological crisis / and new pressures on our struggling communities.
We remember and recommit / to hearing the voices of the poor and of Earth / and to voices we are still learning to discern.
To listen deeply to the authority / of the poor and of Earth in this way,… / as magisterium, … / (is) a recognition / of the different gifts and roles / among the diverse Body of Christ, / and of the truth that there are authorities / to which all of God’s people, / including the powerful, / must bow in humility and reverence.
Many Appalachians, / especially those who live close to desecrated places, / have come to believe that Jesus’ commandment / to love and serve one’s neighbor / includes a special love for our neighbor, Earth.
Mountaintop removal is an act / of radical violence that leaves / monstrous scars across Earth’s body / resembling moonscapes, / dead zones on our planet / which cannot be restored to their prior / life-giving condition in our lifetimes.
Women continue to face / significant barriers in our region / which make fullness of life difficult. … / Sexism is transmitted and upheld / through church traditions / which explicitly or implicitly / misuse scripture and faith traditions / to justify the exclusion, domination, / and abuse of women. / Women’s roles continue to be limited / not only in churches, / but also in the family, in the wider community, / and in the region’s male-centered economy.
Accidents are not as random as they appear, / but are the result of a culture of disregard / for worker safety. / Coal industry villains come and go, / but the attitude which places profit above safety / is deeply embedded in the coal economy.
Miners still struggle regularly / against attempts to roll back / hard-won victories of better pay and benefits. / People of faith, / including laity, religious, and clergy, / have stood with retired miners / in public protests against the attempt / by a handful of mining companies / to eliminate health and retirement benefits / by spinning off their union mines / into new subsidiary companies / and then filing for bankruptcy.
The widespread presence of food insecurity / is an ironic reversal for a region / that was once populated by subsistence farms / and where family gardens were once popular.
Residents near fracking sites / in both rural and urban areas, / as well as health officials, / have begun to describe serious health concerns / connected to this industry.
Many people in our church communities, … / must admit that we have not heard or taken seriously / the experiences of people of color in Appalachia.
Although acts of genocide / against Native people are historical facts, / Native communities are alive and present here today, / including Cherokee, Shawnee, / Blackfoot, and Monacan peoples.
Some Appalachians believe / that same-sex relationships / threaten the natural state of things, / including the institutions of marriage and family. / But many Appalachian people / identify as gay or lesbian, / and have done so throughout history.
We know that the way of life / enjoyed by a small percentage of the human family, / and the distribution of wealth / enjoyed by an even smaller percentage, / are profoundly unjust and unsustainable / and climate change is rapidly / bringing us to the brink of disaster.
Creation is God’s garden, / and … human communities / exist within God’s garden as caretakers, / receiving with gratitude all of God’s good gifts / and using them only in ways / that nurture and sustain life to the full.
We shall no longer be crucified / upon the cross of coal.
Appalachian activism has a long history, / and in the struggles of history and of today, / being an activist is not a hobby or a luxury. / People have decided to act, / and to act boldly, / because life depends on changing / the way we live together. / As Larry Gibson often said, / “We’re either going to be an activist, / or we’re going to be annihilated.”
Related Links
Catholic Committee of Appalachia
“The Telling Takes us Home: Taking Our Place in the Stories that Shape Us”
Ohio Valley Environmental Council
Related Articles
Pope Francis Gives Hope to Appalachian People
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Catholic Committee of Appalachia Asks Appalachia’s Bishops to Vigorously Support and Apply Pope’s Ecological Encyclical
Grassroots movement with 45-years of work in the region demands more of bishops than shown thus far
Special to the Appalachian Chronicle
SPENCER, W.Va. – The Catholic Committee of Appalachia, a grassroots Catholic social justice organization based here, has issued a statement to the bishop of West Virginia as well as the other bishops of the Appalachian region asking them to speak strongly on environmental justice matters in response to Pope Francis’ recent ecological encyclical.
Appalachia
Source: Appalachian Regional Commission
The statement was initially conceived in response to the public comments of West Virginia Bishop Michael Bransfield regarding the encyclical, titled Laudato Si’, which CCA found concerning. In a diocesan statement and numerous media interviews, Bransfield expressed his views on how the document would apply in his diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, which includes all of West Virginia. The bishop’s comments appeared to downplay the pope’s strong message of economic change and the need to shift rapidly to alternative energy sources, changes which Bransfield claimed are “not financially feasible in West Virginia.”
The organization calls on the 26 bishops of the region to speak and act in the bold spirit of Pope Francis’ encyclical. The statement can be read here: CCA Statement to Appalachian Bishops.
The two letters, which were signed by CCA Coordinator Jeannie Kirkhope, follow:
Letter to Bransfield
Dear Bishop Bransfield,
Greetings in the Lord!
Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA) writes to you as an ally in the struggle for justice in our region. We thank you for your leadership as you issue statement after statement expressing sensitivity to the situation of the poor and marginalized in West Virginia and in our world. We also commend you and thank you for highlighting Pope Francis’ new ecological encyclical, Laudato Si’, in the media as it relates to the issues of poverty and ecological destruction in West Virginia. No other bishop in CCA’s network is issuing teachings or correlating the encyclical with distinctly Appalachian concerns as you have done.
As you know, one of our members, Michael Iafrate, put forth independent criticisms of your media comments in an article published in the July 1stt online edition of National Catholic Reporter. We want to express our concerns over those same comments which suggested that part of the encyclical is not applicable in our state right now. We feel quite the opposite is true. CCA has long held that Appalachia is “ground zero,” unique as a region where social, environmental and economic issues all coalesce to form a microcosm of the wider world. As the heart of Appalachia, West Virginia is actually the perfect place to start responding to each and every urgent challenge set forth by Laudato Si’, especially that of stepping away from fossil fuels. West Virginia has an incomparable ability to offer countless ways in which our national and international communities can address the concerns we face as a planet.
In light of this, following the release of Mr. Iafrate’s article, we were pleased your spokesman, Bryan Minor, initiated an informal, unofficial conversation with several of us in an online forum on CCA’s Facebook group page. This gave us hope that CCA might be able to dialogue with you directly and work together to respond to the pope’s message, a message that echoes many of the concerns of the first two Appalachian pastoral letters which animate our work as CCA. This correspondence, then, is also to extend that invitation, and call on you and your Appalachian brother bishops to speak boldly and act publically with us in response to the key imperatives of the encyclical that correlate most closely with our work for justice in the mountains as outlined on the following pages.
We are experiencing a beautiful, hopeful moment in the church. Catholics all over the region are thinking about Laudato Si’ which presents a wonderful opportunity for CCA and the bishops within Appalachia to reconnect and work together again. There is so much potential for different sectors of the church to do what they do best and to learn from each other in dialogue without fear.
We look forward to your further reflections on Laudato Si’, and on the two pastoral letters of your Appalachian predecessors, as they relate to the state of West Virginia. It is exciting to imagine discovering together more concrete steps toward local and regional responses to them. We pray for the Spirit’s wisdom in your words and in your continued work for God’s People.
Letters to other Appalachian bishops
Dear Bishop
Greetings in the Lord!
Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA) writes to you as an ally in the struggle for justice in our region. We are experiencing a beautiful, hopeful moment in the church. Catholics from all over are thinking about the Holy Father’s encyclical, Laudato Si’, which presents a wonderful opportunity for CCA and bishops of the region to reconnect and work together again.
CCA has long held that Appalachia is “ground zero,” unique as a region where social, environmental and economic issues all coalesce to form a microcosm of the wider world. Our region has an incomparable ability to offer countless ways in which our national and international communities can address the concerns we face as a planet. Therefore, we feel Appalachia is the perfect place to start responding to the challenges set forth by Laudato Si’.
This correspondence, then, is to extend an invitation to dialogue and to call on you and your Appalachian brother bishops to speak boldly and act publically with us in response to the key imperatives of the encyclical that correlate most closely with our work for justice in the mountains as outlined on the following pages.
There is so much potential for different sectors of the church to do what they do best and to learn from each other in dialogue without fear. We look forward to your reflections on Pope Francis’ message, and on the two pastoral letters of your Appalachian predecessors. It is exciting to imagine discovering together more concrete steps toward local and regional responses to them. We pray for the Spirit’s wisdom in your words and in your continued work for God’s People.
About the Catholic Committee of Appalachia
Since 1970, the Catholic Committee of Appalachia has existed to serve Appalachia, her poor and the entire web of creation. Mountaintop removal, labor, private prison development, sustainable lifestyles and communities, poverty, health, clean water, racism and climate change are among those issues which CCA has addressed. CCA was responsible for the organization and promulgation of two groundbreaking pastoral letters of the Catholic Bishops of Appalachia, “This Land is Home to Me” (1975) and “At Home in the Web of Life” (1995).
© The Catholic Committee of Appalachia, 2015. Reprinted with permission.
Catholic Committee of Appalachia Issues Statement on Applying Pope Francis’ Ecological Encyclical
Special to the Appalachian Chronicle (See the related article CCA Challenges Appalachian bishops)
SPENCER, W.Va. – Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, offers the church in Appalachia much to reflect on for years to come. The way local churches might respond to this encyclical is not simple or straightforward. Families, local communities, and community organizations will need to carefully discern their responses in the upcoming months. And local bishops must engage in the difficult task of attending to conflicting voices and ideas in their own contexts. As a contribution toward clarity of thought and action, we are compelled to raise our collective voice and to make the following immediate, concrete suggestions to the bishops of our region.
(1) Employ an “integral ecology.”
Catholics in Appalachia notice when their bishops are tentative if not absent in publically voicing how Catholic social teaching relates to environmental issues specific to our region. Real concern has been expressed when bishops have placed near exclusive focus on a protectionist view of jobs—jobs which are declining as reliance on coal diminishes—while ignoring the exploitation of natural resources and ecological destruction that is still rampant in Appalachia.
Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA) has always insisted that human and ecological concerns are interrelated and must be addressed together. That is why we stand for and by miners in the struggle for worker justice, while, at the same time, fighting mountaintop removal and other socially and ecologically destructive practices of extractive industries, and we do not see any contradiction in doing so. Likewise, in Pope Francis’ encyclical, he sates, “Today, however, we have to realize that a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” (Laudato Si’, no. 49).
CCA is in its 45th year of calling Appalachian bishops, Catholics and all people of good will to expand their views to include concerns for the whole, and we reiterate that call now.
Poverty Rates in Appalachia 2009-2013
Source: Appalachian Regional Commission
(2) Expose and work to rectify the root causes of the region’s poverty, unemployment and ecological destruction.
This has been CCA’s prophetic voice in the region from the beginning. We are not aware of any current bishops clearly, strongly and unmistakably speaking out against industrial corporate interests, acknowledging the economic effects and structural violence they have inflicted on the people of Appalachia, both historically and in the present. (These industries include coal, gas, oil, timber and any corporate ventures that gain a profit at the expense of people, communities and creation, such as private prisons and factory farming.) When bishops neglect to do so, Catholics, the general public and industry itself are at risk of understanding that silence as approval of new industrial developments such as the expansion of oil and gas extraction that is spreading across the region in the form of hydraulic fracturing. This is an industry which has followed the same patterns as the coal industry, perhaps in even more destructive ways.
CCA publicly called for a moratorium on mountaintop removal mining in 1998. Without endorsement from the Church, in 2004, we offered an educational forum on the issue for bishops in the region. Statements from our church leaders in defense of God’s creation and people are in line with the “precautionary principle” Pope Francis encourages, namely that, “If objective information suggests that serious and irreversible damage may result, a project should be halted or modified, even in the absence of indisputable proof” (no. 186).
We ask Appalachian bishops to unambiguously call for a moratorium on mountaintop removal and other forms of extraction of natural resources that destroy God’s creation beyond repair, endanger communities, and poison residents, including babies in the womb. Although bishops may be working on these concerns indirectly through their lobbying Catholic Conferences, it is important for Catholics to hear our bishops publicly issue this challenge.
(3) Move concretely away from fossil fuels.
It is contradictory and damaging to the integrity of our faith tradition when bishops speak about justice, concern for the poor, and care for God’s creation while allowing their dioceses to benefit financially through investments in the very industries that structurally impose injustice, impoverish communities, and destroy creation.
Reducing and eliminating the use of fossil fuels and divesting of them while moving towards alternative renewable energy sources has been an ongoing educational theme of CCA. It is also a central imperative challenge that Pope Francis makes; and one that needs to be amplified by the church specifically in a region that most needs to hear the message. “A strategy for real change calls for rethinking processes in their entirety, for it is not enough to include a few superficial ecological considerations while failing to question the logic which underlies present-day culture” (no. 197). There could be no more significant and profound shift in paradigms than coal country reducing the use of and divesting from coal.
CCA calls the church of Appalachia to explore, with diocesan finance councils, options for divestment from fossil fuels at the earliest opportunity and redirection of finances into socially responsible investments such as alternative energies. Other Catholic institutions, mainly colleges, have felt this contradiction and have divested from fossil fuels, and faith communities such as the Episcopal Church have divested as well. The church in Appalachia, of all places, needs to be taking leadership in this area.
(4) Partner with groups at the grassroots.
Catholic Committee of Appalachia, Christians for the Mountains, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition are examples of grassroots groups that are working to address regional justice issues on the ground and have decades of experience and wisdom to bring to the discussion. The encyclical aligns the Catholic Church with the grassroots climate movements like these, not with institutions that produce and ignore crisis. “Particular appreciation is owed to those who tirelessly seek to resolve the tragic effects of environmental degradation on the lives of the world’s poorest” (no. 13).
There are many ways that these groups and the church in Appalachia can connect and learn from one another: listening sessions, tours of rural communities affected by mining, theological reflection, prayer, and celebration. CCA would like Appalachian bishops to join us around the table for dialogue and clarification of thought of the Pope’s messages in Laudato Si’ and to see how they can be fully implemented in Appalachia. For starters, we invite them to CCA’s Annual Gathering, September 18-20 at St. John XXIII Pastoral Center in Charleston, W.Va. See our CCA website for more detailed information.
© The Catholic Committee of Appalachia, 2015. Reprinted with permission.
