"Pope Francis is asking us to see that destroying the environment is a sin"

Father Sean McDonagh, a renowned ecological theologian, is the keynote speaker at a forthcoming day of reflection on Laudato Si’ being held by the Conference of Religious in London. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the meeting will now take place later in the year.

In 2014 and 2015, Fr Sean was involved in the research which led to the publication of ‘Laudato Si’ On Care for our Common Home.’ The following year he published a book on the encyclical and in 2017 he edited a book entitled ‘Laudato Si’ An Irish response.’ (published by Veritas).  

The reflection day aims to help congregations consider quantifiable steps so that Religious will be in a position to lend their prophetic voice to the urgent climate crisis. 

Review of publications by Fr Sean McDonagh:

Fr Sean was born in Nenagh, Ireland, studied for the priesthood in St. Columban's College, Dalgan Park, Navan (ordained 1969), and was sent as a Columban missionary  to Mindanao in the Philippines the same year. After working among the lowland people in Oroqueita City, Misamis Occidental, Mindanao for four years, he studied linguistics and  anthropology in USA.

On returning from Washington DC, he taught at the Mindanao State University in a predominantly Muslim area, and then moved to Lake Sebu to work among the mountain people called the  T’boli. In response to the destruction of local forest in T’boli country, Fr Sean began his ecological activism, which culminated in the pioneering book ‘To Care for the Earth’ (1985), though it took three years to find a publisher because the connection between ecology and theology was not well known. ‘To Care for the Earth’ called for a new theology which would give at least as much prominence to creation as to redemption. Fr Sean argued that the grammar of this new creation theology ought to be the findings of modern science. This new cosmology developed from the insights of Teilhard deChardin and Thomas Berry ought to become the guiding myth for modern humankind, especially in the way we relate to the earth and other creatures.

In 1990 this volume was followed by ‘The Greening of the Church’ which revealed that, while Catholic teaching was strong on social issues, it needed to promulgate a supplementary message about the destruction of God’s creation. The focus this time was on developing a theology of creation from the resources of the Biblical tradition to complement the cosmological approach.

His second book, moreover, contained the first environmental pastoral letter of any Catholic Conference of Bishops.  It was entitled  What is happening to our beautiful Land?  and it had a major impact on the Philippine Church.  Social justice programmes are no longer confined to addressing human rights abuses or working for a more equitable society. They now include concern for the environment.  In the Philippines this means protecting what is left of the tropical forests, mangroves and coral reefs. The pastoral letter was also printed and distributed by the Philippine Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Fr Sean was the main drafter of this document, which was published in 1988.

‘Passion for the Earth’ (1995) contains a critique of multilateral lending and trading bodies (World Bank, IMF, GATT-WTO) and their effects on development and the environment. Third world debt was his particular focus.  

In 1999 ‘Greening the Christian Millennium’ appeared. It reflects on the ethical and ecological implications of genetic engineering in the plant world and on the patenting of life.  Fr Sean argued that a human-centred ethical framework, that has dominated Western thought for almost 2,000 years, was unsuitable for discussing issues like genetic engineering. While supporting laboratory research in genetic engineering he maintained that current field trials and the commercial planting of genetically engineered crops breached the precautionary principle and posed a danger to human health and the environment.  Furthermore, he opposed patenting living organisms such as seeds or animals viewing this as a new form of colonialism whereby the North, which is financially rich but poor in biodiversity, is able to commandeer the rich species and genetic resources of the South.

‘Why are we Deaf to the Cry of the Earth’ was published in 2001 and looked at environmental challenges facing Ireland today after six years of unprecedented economic growth.

‘Dying for Water’ was published in 2003.  It explores the crisis the world faces both in terms of access to fresh water and the destruction of the oceans.  Unless this crisis  is managed Fr Sean predicts that the wars of the 21st century will be about water not oil.

‘Patenting Life? Stop! Is corporate greed forcing us to eat genetically engineered food?’ returns to the theme of genetic engineering and the patenting of living organisms. What is at stake here is the question of who will control the seeds of the staple crops of the world within the next decade and a half. Fr Sean fears food will be controlled by a handful of Northern transnational corporations.

‘The Death of Life: The Horror of Extinction’ (2004) examines the current extinction spasm which is considered the sixth greatest extinction period since life began on the planet 3.8 billion years ago.  Fr Sean examines the biological, ethical and religious consequence of this destruction and discuss ways to turn back the tide before it is too late. 

Fr Sean McDonagh SSC

‘Climate Change : The Challenge to Us All’ (2006) ; Fr Sean describes how the threat of climate change comes about and shows the consequences of global warming. He then examines various responses to global warming and questions various solutions. Finally he examines how the churches have responded to this threat to date and calls for a wider ecological pastoral approach to minstry, respecting both social teaching and good science. Again, he writes with passion and a deep sense of urgency. As individuals and as institutions, we must make choices in favour of life. This is a prophetic call, calling for a radical change in the way we view ourselves in relation to the rest of creation.

PUBLICATIONS:

Sean McDonagh, To Care for the Earth (London: Chapman & Sons, 1985);

Sean McDonagh, The Greening of the Church (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 1990);

Sean McDonagh, Passion for the Earth (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 1995);

Sean McDonagh, Greening the Christian Millennium (Dublin: Dominican Publishers, 1999).

Sean McDonagh, Why are we Deaf to the Cry of the Earth (Dublin: Veritas. 2001).

Sean McDonagh, Dying for Water    (Dublin: Veritas, 2003)

Sean McDonagh Patenting Life? Stop! Is corporate greed forcing us to eat genetically engineered food?  (Dublin: Dominincan Publications, 2003).

Sean McDonagh, The Death of Life: The Horror of Extinction, (Dublin: Columba, 2004).

Sean McDonagh, Climate Change; the Challenge to Us All, (Dublin, Columba 2006)

Sean McDonagh, Fukushima; the Death Knell for Nuclear Energy? (Dublin, Columba, 2012

Sean McDonagh, (ed) Laudato Si’; An Irish Response, Veritas, 2017