Is the Global Catholic Climate Movement Supported by the Church?

The Global Catholic Climate Movement appears to be Catholic clergy, religious, and laity around the world who are organizing and coordinating together to act on environment issues using Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si as their foundation document.  Members of the group have met briefly with Pope Francis and a Vatican official has even signed one of their petitions.

To say that the group is “supported by the Church” would be an overstatement and misunderstanding of Church teaching.  Very few things are “supported by the Church.”  This is an area of prudential judgment of how to best care for the environment and like-minded Catholics working together.  Some Catholic Bishops may be of the same opinion as the group regarding climate change, other Bishops may not.  The Church has no official teaching on the best way to care for creation, it is a matter of prudential judgment, discernment, and personal opinion.  The group appears to be working with several dioceses throughout the world so that would suggest to me that they are in good standing and the faithful are free to either join with them in their activities or disagree with them.