Brazilian Theologian to Lead Lenten Reflections on Earth & Environment

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New Mexico El Paso Region Interfaith Power & Light invite you to a series of Lenten reflections led by Claudio Carvalhaes, Associate Professor of Worship at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

This series, Ways of the Earth, builds upon traditional Catholic/Christian Stations of the Cross and integrates the suffering of our times and our planet with the suffering of Jesus. People of all faith traditions or openness are invited. Claudio will offer teachings every other week and share a reflective practice to do in the time in-between.

Our sessions  will be held on Thursday, March 3, Thursday, March 17, and Thursday, March 31.  All sessions are scheduled for 75 minutes, starting at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 6:45 p.m. The series will conclude with a worship on Wednesday, April 13.

Register here  for the three sessions in March. We will send out a separate link for the April worship.

A donation of $25 is requested (but not required) via the Paypal link on our website. Be sure to designate the donation for the Lenten series.

About Claudio Carvalhaes

Our presenter, earth thinker, theologian, liturgist and artist, a native Brazilian, completed his Ph.D. in Liturgy and Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City in 2007. He earned his first Master of Philosophy degree in Theology, Philosophy, and History at the Methodist University of Sao Paulo in 1997 and a Master of Divinity degree from the Independent Presbyterian Theological Seminary (Sao Paulo, Brazil) in 1992.

A much sought after speaker, writer and performer, Carvalhaes has preached and taught at  several venues in Latin America, Europe and Africa. He led an online Lenten series for Ghost Ranch Retreat Center in Abiquiu, New Mexico,  in 2021.

Sr. Joan Brown: Strong methane rules protect God’s creation

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In an opinion piece, published in The New Mexican on Jan. 14, urged policy makers to enact strong methane rules.

“...it’s so important the EPA strengthens its proposed rule by eliminating exemptions that would allow for many wells to be missed and many communities to continue to have to live with this harmful pollution. We need the rule to cover not just large producers but small ones — whose polluting impact can often be as bad or worse as larger sites.

The rule should make inspections more frequent and step up oversight, including allowing third-party observers to provide emissions data. It should institute stronger regulations over flaring — including banning routine flaring and placing strict limitations on unlit flares that vent methane pollution straight into the atmosphere.

St. Francis of Assisi centuries ago wrote that it was the responsibility of civic leaders to care for the common good. It falls on policymakers — including regulators at the EPA and other agencies — to uphold that ethical and moral standard to care for our sacred creation and common home. The time for action on climate has been here for a while. The EPA should take this opportunity to act on climate by finalizing strong methane pollution standards.

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Sr. Joan Brown discusses the complexities of the shift to sustainability

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In an interview for Global Sisters Report (a project of the National Catholic Reporter), Sister Joan Brown addressed the complexities of the shift to sustainability.   Here are some excerpts.

“The communities feel that they’re ‘a sacrifice zone’ and are continually ‘a sacrificed zone,’ ” Brown said. “They’re suffering from pollution now. Everybody else is using their energy. And yet with this transition, where are the jobs going to come from?”

These are challenging and daunting questions with no easy answers, and balancing respect for local needs with the demands required for the good of the entire planet will not be easy, she said.

But Brown stressed that local participation “at the table” is necessary, as is the voice of the faith community.

GSR: In your advocacy work, you’ve seen how difficult this process of just transition can be. Give us some idea of that.

Brown: We did an energy transition act in New Mexico that passed in 2019. That was to address the coal-fired power plants. The bill itself was to provide carbon-free energy by 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2045. In that process, the effort of a large collaboration was to move toward renewable energy while engaging communities in the transition for new jobs, training and ways to address local needs for tax revenue as we addressed climate change.

What about the need to shift to other technologies? There are complexities with that dynamic, right?

Yes. A story comes to my mind where there’s been an effort to get public comment on a large transmission line through the state of New Mexico to take all of the renewables from our wind and from solar. It’s going through rural areas again and through some sensitive environmental areas. Some ranchers, farmers and others in the affected rural areas are concerned. The energy is going elsewhere and they feel they are paying the price.

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The article appears in the A Just Transition feature series. View the full series.