Roanoke professor, student reflect on climate change rally, Pope's address in nation's capital

A group of students and a professor from Roanoke College ventured to Washington, D.C., in late September to attend the Moral Action on Climate Justice Rally, held in honor of Pope Francis. Dr. Valerie Banschbach, professor and chair of Environmental Studies, and Nicole Sabilia '19, a first-year Environmental Studies student, were part of that group. They share their experiences here.

Dr. Valerie Banschbach

"Laudato Si," the Pope's recent Encyclical statement on caring for the Earth, is addressed to "every person living on this planet." The climate rally and viewing of the Pope's speech to Congress was significant not only for Catholics but for all who, like Pope Francis, wish to "acknowledge the appeal, immensity and urgency of the challenge we face" with respect to ecological crises, particularly climate change. The document begins with encouragement to ponder our home, the Earth, as a loved one. 

"Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us ... This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her." 

In his speech to Congress, however, Pope Francis did not scold us for our grave inaction or seek to daunt us with the enormity of the challenges ahead.  We were encouraged to sing and dance, laugh and pray, not to cry, as we watched singers, preachers, and heads of NGOs on the stage at the end of the National Mall and then watched the Pope's speech on Jumbotron screens. The rally featured spiritual leaders, heads of Greenpeace, Sierra Club, Earth Justice, and grassroots NGOs, indigenous leaders, musicians and celebrity actors delivering an upbeat message of environmental action and successes.

In "Laudato Si" and in his speech to Congress, Pope Francis conveyed a message of both love and hope, reminding us that in our country we have freedom, freedom to choose to do what needs to be done to address the problems confronting us. The Pope ended his speech by asking the faithful to pray but noting that he welcomed prayers from any faith tradition and ending by asking for those who do not believe to send him their well wishes, connecting with each of us present and inspiring us to carry on in the good work that we each do.     

Nicole Sabilia '19   

Moral Action on Climate was a moving event. Before Pope Francis' Congressional address, a number of people spoke to the rally crowd. Leaders in the faith community, frontliners of national environmental associations and social justice groups, as well as celebrities such as Natasha Bedingfield, Victoria Justice and Sean Paul came to show solidarity in the fact that climate change is a vehemently important issue that affects all people.  

A uniting theme across the entire event was an air of peace. Together, thousands of rally go-ers prayed, danced, sang, waved flags and signs, and stood for immediate action on climate change. When it came time to watch the Pope's congressional address on the jumbotrons, the entire crowd in the vicinity simply laid on the ground. This action itself was a testament to the peaceful nature of this rally.  

The Pope's powerfully loving voice washed over us as he spoke life into urgent issues such as gun regulation, poverty, global abolition of the death penalty, rehabilitation of criminals and the refugee crisis. The Pope touched on the topic of environmental degradation. I distinctly remember waiting and waiting, an excited feeling welling up within me for when the Pope finally enlightens certain Congress members about the very real, very detrimental changing climate in front of us. He did not. The word "climate" and the term "climate change" was not used in the Pope's address. This was mildly disheartening seeing as this was the reason myself and many of my classmates made the journey.

In his defense, he did have a discussion with President Barack Obama the day prior in which climate change was discussed. His lengthy Encyclical, addressed to "every person living on this planet," detailed the many environmental challenges we're facing.

The Pope is a revolutionary of the Catholic Church and the world in this respect. I am personally grateful that Pope Francis brought these global issues to demographics who may have previously doubted their legitimacy. While the Pope's address may have left me mildly dispirited, the event was a beautiful demonstration in America's eyes that climate change is not only an alarming environmental issue, but a social justice issue. I am that much more motivated to evoke change in our country and around the globe.