Guest blog: Spirituality, Sustainability, Solidarity
In this posting, Fr. Juan Molina (seen third from the right with a group of CRS Fair Trade Ambassadors) offers some insights on how to make a connection between Fair Trade and consumer society from the perspective of our Catholic tradition.
“In one talk I did at Southern Methodist University, I focused on the tradition of Living Simply. As many of you may know, that tradition is relatively long but was highlighted in the 1970s and ‘80s and now many college students are beginning to pick it up with a new twist. I spoke about how living simply, in our contemporary world, includes three very contemporary issues: Spirituality, sustainability, and solidarity.
- Spirituality: The Simple Living movement and lifestyle has, especially for people of faith, been rooted in a spirituality that acknowledges that more is not necessarily better. Sometimes less is better. In fact, enough is what is really best. Enough to eat, enough to live, enough to be happy. Knowing that God is the one who fulfills all of our longings and desires sometime makes us realize that we do not need it “all.”
- Sustainability: With an almost “post-controversial” discussion on the environmental issues, living simply can focus us on the long-term realization that consuming less, especially of the resources that are nonrenewable, is actually a good idea and a good stewardship action to care for our vulnerable earth.
- Solidarity: Here is where Fair Trade makes sense. Living simply also incorporates an aspect of being in solidarity with others. The old adage of “living simply so others can simply live” highlights this solidarity. With Fair Trade, simple living goes a step further: we can also shop for things we consume everyday and be in solidarity with those who manufacture some of those products. In addition, the act of solidarity with a person — a producer, a farmer, a craftswoman — can also be an act of solidarity with the earth, as when we purchase organic sustainability produced crafts, coffee and chocolate.”
Fr. Juan is an advocacy program officer for CRS in the Southwest United States. Comment below to let us know how you practice simplicity where you live.
Tags: catholic social teaching, priest, simplicity
