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St. Benedict's signs Catholic climate change pledge

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Jan 27, 2012 at 4:07 pm

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (KNSI) - The College of St. Benedict has signed a nationwide Catholic pledge to protect against the effects of global climate change, the college announced Monday.

CSB became the fourth college in the nation and first in Minnesota to sign the St. Francis pledge led by the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change. The other three colleges include Indiana's Notre Dame, St. Michael's College in Vermont, and Salve Regina in Rhode Island.

The pledge is a national push by Catholic individuals and institutions committed to protecting "God's creation" and advocating on behalf of people in poverty who face the harshest impacts of global climate change, CSB President Mary Ann Baenninger said.

"As a Benedictine institution, we are committed to the values of stewardship and respect for persons," Baenninger said. "The St. Francis pledge is consistent with the sustainable practices we already enact nd value at College of St. Benedict."

By supporting the pledge, school officials said they commit to pray, learn about and educate others on climate change, assess their own environmental impact as well as act to reduce the ways the college contributes to climate change.