Loving your neighbor through creation care

Seizing the moment for local leadership

A current nursing student at Villanova University, Farrel anticipates that he won’t have free summers much longer. He says that now is a great time to explore different leadership opportunities outside of the healthcare sector since next summer he will spend most of his time working in a hospital. An MCC Summer Service placement was the perfect outlet. 

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PPC’s Peace Camp theme for the summer is “Love your neighbor,” and the second week of the camp focuses on loving your neighbor through caring for God’s creation in the face of climate change.  

As the earth experiences long-term changes in weather patterns, changes in rainfall and more severe weather such as floods and droughts are becoming more frequent. These changes affect families around the world, especially those who are most vulnerable. 

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Caring for all of creation

Farrel was inspired to choose this theme by an assigned college reading, a letter written by the late Pope Francis about the church’s call to climate justice. Climate justice asserts that working for a fairer, more peaceful world means recognizing historical injustices and changing unfair systems, including those that contribute to the unequal impacts of climate change globally. 

Pope Francis’ letter, Laudato Si, stresses that climate justice is not just for the earth, but for the creatures who inhabit the earth. When climate change affects vulnerable communities first and hardest, the church has a responsibility to act.  

Farrel said, “This problem doesn’t hit everyone equally… I think loving your neighbor is loving the neighbors who have less than you.” 

Experiencing climate change in South Philadelphia

Farrel reported feeling the effects of climate change in his own community in Philadelphia. High schools without central air conditioning in underinvested neighborhoods are forced to cancel school when temperatures become too hot for a safe learning environment. Because of a lack of resources, students from low-income families are losing days in school and their learning outcomes are negatively impacted. 

“Notice what is happening in your community and that people are affected by this,” Farrel said. “Rich people have AC!” 

Inspired to serve

While the local disparate impacts of climate change are daunting, Farrel finds hope in his Summer Service work. The high school volunteers that he depends on for support and organization of PPC’s Summer Peace Camp continue to increase in attendance. He was surprised this summer to have to turn down volunteers for lack of space. Farrel said that it is inspiring to see the next generation in his community with such a big desire to do service. They don’t want to make money; instead, they say, “It’s for the community; it’s for my neighbors.”  

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Similarly with his campers, Farrel was unsure if the children would enjoy a creation care activity like picking up litter in the South Philly streets under the hot sun. To his surprise, groups returned with full trash bags, asking for more bags to fill with garbage. Farrel said, “Seeing these kids already trying to understand it, not just be ignorant, is really cool.” 

Planting seeds of hope

Farrel also volunteers at Unity Clinic in South Philadelphia, helping to provide primary care for people without health insurance, many of whom are Indonesian immigrants. Just like his experiences with climate injustice in Philadelphia neighborhoods, the long waitlists and limited resources are daunting. But through serving his community at PPC and the health clinic, he finds meaning and hope. 

“Part of my job is to plant the seeds,” Ivan said. “Hopefully they will grow.”  

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