“Join the Dots Together” with Dr. Lorna Gold of FaithInvest, Ulster University, 12^th January 2024

Over sixty people representing 40 organizations gathered in Ulster University (Belfast) on 12^th January to continue a conversation which started last November on the topic of climate justice. The idea behind the initiative, entitled “Join the Dots Together”,

Dr. Lorna Gold, newly appointed CEO of FaithInvest, addressed the group. In her inspiring speech she tackled thorny issues including the slow progress of fossil fuel elimination and at the same time instilled a sense of joyful hope in all present. Reflecting on the incongruences which surrounded COP 28, Lorna highlighted the importance of the fact that the primary cause of climate change had finally been called out i.e.  fossil fuels – “The genie is out of the bottle now and there can be no going back”.  She spoke about the importance of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, saying that the use of the term “non-proliferation”, usually linked to weapons of mass destruction, brings home the fact that the risks the world faces from the continuing use of Fossil Fuels are equally as dangerous. She emphasized the importance of faith groups as major stakeholders in the planet with billions of dollars invested in the global markets and owners of 12% of the world’s land. “People of faith are in a key position to change the narrative and to rewrite the future”. FaithInvest has a focus on mobilising all faiths to put their own resources to work, especially their financial investments, to help shift the economy towards greater sustainability.

Lorna commented that the representation at the meeting was a “testament to the vibrant civil society and faith groups in Northern Ireland” with people from the Inter-Faith forum, the Baha’i community, the GAA, the Mothers’ Union and Trocaire as well as several non-faith groups such as Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. She was encouraged by the breath of activities going on at local level.  Such activities serve to bring about greater cognizance of the need of organisations and individuals to pull together for the benefit of the planet and the people who inhabit it.   She said, “It’s very unusual to find such a conglomeration of groups united for a common cause, but perhaps it is exactly the climate issue on which we can all agree”.

There was a lively buzz in the room throughout and conversations continued long after the formal close of the event, such was the enthusiasm and shared interest in the theme.

Georgia Allen and Glen MacAuley – “Fridays for Future NI”, took advantage of meeting Lorna to get their weekly climate strike photo with her! They have ‘striked’‘every single Friday in 2023 at Belfast City Hall. Georgia said, “It was a good and interesting event, with an inspiring speaker. It was a call to action, to do something concrete together”.

Participants commented:

• John Barry, Professor of Green Political Economy at Queen’s University stated, “At this time of the climate and ecological emergency we need to all come together recognising it’s both later and worse than people think, but not hopeless. Faith communities have an important role to play so it was great to see such an interdenominational gathering of people of faith willing to roll up their sleeves and start repairing our broken world. Now more than ever we need hope, hope that can only come through collective action.”

• Edwin Graham from the Inter-Faith Forum commented, “Joining the Dots… Together – an amazing initiative that brought many people together from a multitude of organisations and groups that have a concern about the environment.  The diversity of those present was impressive – from senior leaders in faith communities to small organisations composed of dedicated activists.  The highlight of the event was the presentation by Dr Lorna Gold, describing her own personal story but also giving a very skilful analysis of the actions that can be taken by faith communities to divest in fossil fuels”

• Nicolas Hanrahan from Trocaire added, “Lorna was a fantastic and inspiring speaker and it was great to see so many here, all of whom doing great work to care for our common home. You can see the passion and commitment of all involved, and it is a great work bringing these people together. Looking forward to the next one!”

• Nuala from St. John’s Parish commented, “Today was beyond all our expectations, everybody not just enjoyed it but found it extremely worthwhile.”

Lorna is also Chair of the global “Laudato Sì Movement”, which began after Pope Francis’ encyclical of the same name and which inspires many of the participants who attended the event. She starred in “The Letter”, the film documentary made to promote the Laudato Sì Encyclical which is directed not only to the Catholic world but to the whole of humanity. For Lorna the publication of Laudato Sì was a major turning point in her professional and personal commitment to work around climate justice.  She states this was a moment when she joined the dots between her faith and action on climate and ecology more generally.

There are many Laudato Sì groups throughout the world. Finbarr Keavney from Newcastle Laudato Sì group, present at the event said, “What an emotional, hopeful morning in Belfast listening to the inspirational Lorna Gold. So good to meet many lovely people from different faiths and none, all bound together by a longing for climate justice”.  Lorna reminded us that we have a voice, that joining the dots and formulating plans around working collaboratively on climate justice in this crucial year, when we know there will be a general election, is key.

The event was organized by an informal steering group made up of representatives from the Belfast Jesuit Centre, Ulster University

Chaplaincy, Redemptorist Youth Ministry, Down and Connor Diocese and the Focolare Movement.  We are keen to involve more groups in our events.

Please contact us at Juanita Majury, jmamajury@gmail.com

As Lorna said “We can sow seeds of a new future – but the only way to do that is together”.