Wrobleski, Jessica

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Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 49 Jesuit Higher Education in a GlobalContext Article 36September 2016Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challengeof "Laudato Si'" in AppalachiaJessica WrobleskiFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationWrobleski, Jessica (2016) "Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challenge of "Laudato Si'" in Appalachia," Conversations on JesuitHigher Education: Vol. 49 , Article 36.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol49/iss1/3618 CONVERSATIONS ON JESUIT HIGHER EDUCATION                                                                                                                                          The concept of integral ecologyis undeniably central to PopeFrancis’ encyclical “LaudatoSi’,” but an important corollaryto this is the interdependence ofthe principles of solidarity andsubsidiarity – in popular termswe might say, “think globally,act locally.” Throughout the let-ter, Francis repeatedly stateshow “It cannot be emphasizedenough how everything is inter-connected,” (No. 138) not onlyin the sense that environmentaland social issues are deeply in-terwoven, but also in terms ofthe complex connections be-tween local and global concerns.        To take but one example,the effects of surface mining onlocal ecosystems and communi-ties are obvious as mountain-tops are blasted away, streamsare buried or poisoned, andproperty values and measuresof health and well-being de-crease. Yet the impact of fossilfuels extends well beyond theregions that produce them, bothin the form of carbon emissionsand in the political and eco-nomic power of the industry.Though the technological, eco-nomic, and political factors thatgive rise to such practices oftenoriginate far from the placeswhich feel their impact most di-rectly, addressing these broaderdynamics also requires thinkingabout local and regional solu-tions. “There are no uniformrecipes,” Francis writes, “be-cause each country or regionhas its own problems and limi-tations” (No. 180).        The region of Appalachiacertainly has its fair share of“problems and limitations.” In-Between a Rock and a Coal MineThe Challenge of “Laudato Si’”in AppalachiaBy Jessica Wrobleski1Wrobleski: Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challenge of "Laudato Si'" inPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2016                                                                                                                                                                                                               19deed, the problemsand limitations ofthis region are ar-guably unique withinthe developed world.Sometimes describedas an “energy sacri-fice zone,” the wealthof the land and thepoverty of the peopleof the region have been closely in-tertwined since the introduction ofindustry following the Civil War. In“Laudato Si’,” Francis offers oneparagraph which is particularly di-rect in its challenge to the industrieswhich have dominated the Ap-palachian region for much of its his-tory. He writes, “We know thattechnology based on the use ofhighly polluting fossil fuels – espe-cially coal, but also oil and, to alesser degree, gas – needs to be pro-gressively replaced without delay”(No. 165). Francis recognizes thatthis energy transition will not beeasy or immediate, but he is alsoaware that much of the challengelies in summoning thepolitical will to makethe necessary changes– no small task in anarea where the fossilfuel industry main-tains a force in theimaginations of manypeople, even thoughemployment in the in-dustry has been in steady declinefor decades.        So while a move away from fos-sil fuel industries may be both in-evitable and in the interest of thepeople of Appalachia, the church asan institution can find itself caughtbetween the proverbial rock and acoal mine (or natural gas well), ascan be seen in public statements on“Laudato Si’” by Bishop MichaelBransfield of West Virginia (dioceseof Wheeling-Charleston). In an in-terview with West Virginia PublicRadio earlier this year, BishopBransfield emphasized the idea thatmoving away from fossil fuels “isnot economically feasible in WestThe Strong Voice ofAppalachia’s BishopsThe Catholic Committee of Appalachia is a grassroots organiza-tion of lay and clergy who havebeen committed to the promotionof social and environmental justicein the region since 1970. In theearly 1970s, CCA held listening ses-sions with residents of Appalachiaand was instrumental in draftingthe 1975 pastoral letter “This LandIs Home to Me,” which was eventu-ally signed bythe bishops ofthe region andwhich has influ-enced numer-ous movementsand ministriesin Appalachiaand beyond. Twenty years later, thebishops issued a second statement,“At Home in the Web of Life,” offer-ing a vision of sustainable commu-nities – in many ways, an earlyarticulation of an integral ecology.In 2015, CCA marked the 40th an-niversary of the original letter bypublishing “The Telling Takes UsHome,” a “people’s pastoral” that revisits andreaffirmstheir commit-ment to lis-tening to thevoices of theregion andrespondingto the signs of the times – andplaces – in which they live.Far left: Mountaintop removal coal mine operation, Kayford Mountain, West Virginia.Above: A slurry pond; coal dust holding waste of coal mining. Photos by Creighton University student Ayet Nguyen. Courtesy of The Cliﬀord M. Lewis, SJ Appalachian Institute.Top: http://www.wju.edu/ai/research/research.html#p=12Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, Vol. 49, Iss. 1 [2016], Art. 36http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol49/iss1/3620 CONVERSATIONS ON JESUIT HIGHER EDUCATION                                                                                                                                          Virginia,” and in other state-ments the diocese has stressedthat the pope’s criticism of fossilfuel industries must be held to-gether with his concern for theworkers. “The Holy Father isnot trying to run West Virgini-ans out of work,” said BryanMinor, a spokesman for the dio-cese. In another interview, thebishop focused on the need forassistance with economic transi-tions in areas that have beenheavily dependent on a singleindustry like coal.       Yet such challenges have notprevented either the church asan institution or the people ofGod at the grassroots from tak-ing up Francis’ call to action in “Laudato Si’.” Forone example, the Clifford Lewis, S.J., AppalachianInstitute at Wheeling Jesuit University was foundedin 2002 with a threefold mission of research, service,and advocacy within the region. Elizabeth Collins,who currently serves as the institute’s director, isgrateful for the pope’s message in “Laudato Si’,”which has brought weight and credibility to many ofthe institute’s longstanding programs and concerns.Like those who represent the diocese, however,Collins is aware of the challenges of transitioningaway from fossil fuels – not only economically butalso culturally – within Appalachia. She explainsthat with coal, there is a growing consensus that theindustry’s days are num-bered, but the pros and consof fracking remain widelyand hotly contested. Collinsdiscusses the need for goingbeyond the usual suspectsand having hard conversa-tions about what is ultimatelyin the best interest of the re-gion. Although here, too,there are often challenges ofreconciling mission with fi-nancial need, providing aforum for having such con-versations is one way thatWheeling Jesuit Universitylives out its call to the serviceof faith and the promotion ofjustice in the region.       Elizabeth Nawrocki, a senior theology major,has worked closely with the institute since shetransferred to WJU in 2013 by leading immersiontrips, participating in community gardening proj-ects, and helping to develop programs and events.Like Collins, Nawrocki also identified the work ofthe Appalachian Institute as bringing together thecampus and the broader community for conversa-tion and collaboration. “WJU is not a city on a hillbut a city in the hills,” she says, “and our location inAppalachia is not coincidental to our mission.”        As Pope Francis has written near the end of“Laudato Si’,” “Social problems must be addressedby community networks and not simply by the sumof individual good deeds . . . The ecological conver-sion needed to bring about lasting change is also acommunity conversion” (No. 219). Certainly, muchmore could be said about the challenges of commu-nity conversion and promoting an integral ecologyin a region where economics and environment areoften seen as competing values. But ultimately,looking at “Laudato Si’” in Appalachia reveals thatFrancis’ vision of integral ecology requires not onlyrecognizing the relationship between social and eco-logical concerns but also respecting the particularchallenges and integrity of local places. Jessica Wrobleski is an assistant professor of theology andreligious studies at Wheeling Jesuit University; she alsoserves on the Jesuit Identity Team.Above: Community garden project. Below: Mountaintop mining. Photos courtesy of The Cliﬀord M. Lewis, S.J.Appalachian Institute.3Wrobleski: Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challenge of "Laudato Si'" inPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2016

Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challenge of  Laudato Si\u27  in Appalachia

Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 50 Article 10September 2016Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challengeof "Laudato Si'" in AppalachiaJessica WrobleskiFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationWrobleski, Jessica (2016) "Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challenge of "Laudato Si'" in Appalachia," Conversations on JesuitHigher Education: Vol. 50 , Article 10.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol50/iss1/1018 CONVERSATIONS ON JESUIT HIGHER EDUCATION                                                                                                                                          The concept of integral ecologyis undeniably central to PopeFrancis’ encyclical “LaudatoSi’,” but an important corollaryto this is the interdependence ofthe principles of solidarity andsubsidiarity – in popular termswe might say, “think globally,act locally.” Throughout the let-ter, Francis repeatedly stateshow “It cannot be emphasizedenough how everything is inter-connected,” (No. 138) not onlyin the sense that environmentaland social issues are deeply in-terwoven, but also in terms ofthe complex connections be-tween local and global concerns.        To take but one example,the effects of surface mining onlocal ecosystems and communi-ties are obvious as mountain-tops are blasted away, streamsare buried or poisoned, andproperty values and measuresof health and well-being de-crease. Yet the impact of fossilfuels extends well beyond theregions that produce them, bothin the form of carbon emissionsand in the political and eco-nomic power of the industry.Though the technological, eco-nomic, and political factors thatgive rise to such practices oftenoriginate far from the placeswhich feel their impact most di-rectly, addressing these broaderdynamics also requires thinkingabout local and regional solu-tions. “There are no uniformrecipes,” Francis writes, “be-cause each country or regionhas its own problems and limi-tations” (No. 180).        The region of Appalachiacertainly has its fair share of“problems and limitations.” In-Between a Rock and a Coal MineThe Challenge of “Laudato Si’”in AppalachiaBy Jessica Wrobleski1Wrobleski: Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challenge of "Laudato Si'" inPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2016                                                                                                                                                                                                               19deed, the problemsand limitations ofthis region are ar-guably unique withinthe developed world.Sometimes describedas an “energy sacri-fice zone,” the wealthof the land and thepoverty of the peopleof the region have been closely in-tertwined since the introduction ofindustry following the Civil War. In“Laudato Si’,” Francis offers oneparagraph which is particularly di-rect in its challenge to the industrieswhich have dominated the Ap-palachian region for much of its his-tory. He writes, “We know thattechnology based on the use ofhighly polluting fossil fuels – espe-cially coal, but also oil and, to alesser degree, gas – needs to be pro-gressively replaced without delay”(No. 165). Francis recognizes thatthis energy transition will not beeasy or immediate, but he is alsoaware that much of the challengelies in summoning thepolitical will to makethe necessary changes– no small task in anarea where the fossilfuel industry main-tains a force in theimaginations of manypeople, even thoughemployment in the in-dustry has been in steady declinefor decades.        So while a move away from fos-sil fuel industries may be both in-evitable and in the interest of thepeople of Appalachia, the church asan institution can find itself caughtbetween the proverbial rock and acoal mine (or natural gas well), ascan be seen in public statements on“Laudato Si’” by Bishop MichaelBransfield of West Virginia (dioceseof Wheeling-Charleston). In an in-terview with West Virginia PublicRadio earlier this year, BishopBransfield emphasized the idea thatmoving away from fossil fuels “isnot economically feasible in WestThe Strong Voice ofAppalachia’s BishopsThe Catholic Committee of Appalachia is a grassroots organiza-tion of lay and clergy who havebeen committed to the promotionof social and environmental justicein the region since 1970. In theearly 1970s, CCA held listening ses-sions with residents of Appalachiaand was instrumental in draftingthe 1975 pastoral letter “This LandIs Home to Me,” which was eventu-ally signed bythe bishops ofthe region andwhich has influ-enced numer-ous movementsand ministriesin Appalachiaand beyond. Twenty years later, thebishops issued a second statement,“At Home in the Web of Life,” offer-ing a vision of sustainable commu-nities – in many ways, an earlyarticulation of an integral ecology.In 2015, CCA marked the 40th an-niversary of the original letter bypublishing “The Telling Takes UsHome,” a “people’s pastoral” that revisits andreaffirmstheir commit-ment to lis-tening to thevoices of theregion andrespondingto the signs of the times – andplaces – in which they live.Far left: Mountaintop removal coal mine operation, Kayford Mountain, West Virginia.Above: A slurry pond; coal dust holding waste of coal mining. Photos by Creighton University student Ayet Nguyen. Courtesy of The Cliﬀord M. Lewis, SJ Appalachian Institute.Top: http://www.wju.edu/ai/research/research.html#p=12Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, Vol. 50, Iss. 1 [2016], Art. 10http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol50/iss1/1020 CONVERSATIONS ON JESUIT HIGHER EDUCATION                                                                                                                                          Virginia,” and in other state-ments the diocese has stressedthat the pope’s criticism of fossilfuel industries must be held to-gether with his concern for theworkers. “The Holy Father isnot trying to run West Virgini-ans out of work,” said BryanMinor, a spokesman for the dio-cese. In another interview, thebishop focused on the need forassistance with economic transi-tions in areas that have beenheavily dependent on a singleindustry like coal.       Yet such challenges have notprevented either the church asan institution or the people ofGod at the grassroots from tak-ing up Francis’ call to action in “Laudato Si’.” Forone example, the Clifford Lewis, S.J., AppalachianInstitute at Wheeling Jesuit University was foundedin 2002 with a threefold mission of research, service,and advocacy within the region. Elizabeth Collins,who currently serves as the institute’s director, isgrateful for the pope’s message in “Laudato Si’,”which has brought weight and credibility to many ofthe institute’s longstanding programs and concerns.Like those who represent the diocese, however,Collins is aware of the challenges of transitioningaway from fossil fuels – not only economically butalso culturally – within Appalachia. She explainsthat with coal, there is a growing consensus that theindustry’s days are num-bered, but the pros and consof fracking remain widelyand hotly contested. Collinsdiscusses the need for goingbeyond the usual suspectsand having hard conversa-tions about what is ultimatelyin the best interest of the re-gion. Although here, too,there are often challenges ofreconciling mission with fi-nancial need, providing aforum for having such con-versations is one way thatWheeling Jesuit Universitylives out its call to the serviceof faith and the promotion ofjustice in the region.       Elizabeth Nawrocki, a senior theology major,has worked closely with the institute since shetransferred to WJU in 2013 by leading immersiontrips, participating in community gardening proj-ects, and helping to develop programs and events.Like Collins, Nawrocki also identified the work ofthe Appalachian Institute as bringing together thecampus and the broader community for conversa-tion and collaboration. “WJU is not a city on a hillbut a city in the hills,” she says, “and our location inAppalachia is not coincidental to our mission.”        As Pope Francis has written near the end of“Laudato Si’,” “Social problems must be addressedby community networks and not simply by the sumof individual good deeds . . . The ecological conver-sion needed to bring about lasting change is also acommunity conversion” (No. 219). Certainly, muchmore could be said about the challenges of commu-nity conversion and promoting an integral ecologyin a region where economics and environment areoften seen as competing values. But ultimately,looking at “Laudato Si’” in Appalachia reveals thatFrancis’ vision of integral ecology requires not onlyrecognizing the relationship between social and eco-logical concerns but also respecting the particularchallenges and integrity of local places. Jessica Wrobleski is an assistant professor of theology andreligious studies at Wheeling Jesuit University; she alsoserves on the Jesuit Identity Team.Above: Community garden project. Below: Mountaintop mining. Photos courtesy of The Cliﬀord M. Lewis, S.J.Appalachian Institute.3Wrobleski: Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challenge of "Laudato Si'" inPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2016

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Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challenge of Laudato Si\u27 in Appalachia

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