Washington, DC- Showing the early signs of a “movement,” the Franciscan Action Network successfully organized over sixty congressional visits in its first campaign. Mr. Grant Clifton, who organized the visits as part of the Franciscan Climate Change Campaign, said the heavy lifting was done by members like Jackie Schramm and Patti Sills-Trausch, who helped arrange four visits each. 

The Memorial holiday weekend is a time when many Americans remember those whose sacrifices make this nation’s freedoms possible.  For members of the Franciscan Action Network, this past holiday was a time to vigorously exercise one of those freedoms.  Senators’ and Representatives’ offices on Capitol Hill and across the nation, inundated with calls from FAN members, granted over sixty requests for face-to-face meetings.  As a result, this year’s holiday also may memorialize the time when the Franciscan Action Network came of age.

Jan Parker of the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) has been part of FAN since its inception in 2007.  She teamed with Lou Helleny, SFO, and Cheri Held, SFO, to express a care for creation value to Congressional District 9 in Missouri where opposition was anticipated.  Her experience typified that of others who felt they were well prepared by the FAN staff for the congressional visits, even when those visits were contentious.

“We are sorry to report our Congressman’s opposition to climate change legislation,” she said, “but we are confident that we did all we could to make our case.”

The climate change webinars that FAN hosted in the weeks leading up to the campaign “were invaluable,” she said.  The leave behind gave Congressman Luetkemeyer and his Deputy District Director Dan Engemann something to think about.  (“Leave behinds” are documents that summarize a visit’s talking points.)  Ms. Parker noticed that Mr. Engemann was especially interested in the expanse and reach of the new Franciscan Action Network.  He sought to find common ground with FAN in articulating the congressman’s pro-life position, something Ms. Parker acknowledged after drawing attention to the fact that caring for creation is a preeminent “pro-life” issue.

Returning to the upcoming climate change vote, Mr. Helleny and Ms. Held expressed disappointment that politics should obstruct a vote for the common good.  The congressman’s position—that climate change legislation hurts farmers—struck the trio as short-sighted and ironic.  It is farmers, after all, who are hurt most by unstable weather patterns, toxic run-off, and depletion policies.  A more plausible explanation is that the district’s constituents believe they will be hurt by any carbon tax.

Coordinating Ms. Parker’s visit and sixty others was Grant Clifton at the FAN Action Center in Washington, DC. Mr. Clifton expressed admiration for the courage of members who were willing to advocate for a care for creation ethic in places where the message was not apt to be welcomed.  Fr. Larry Janezic, a Franciscan friar, picked up on the theme of courage.

“I’m inspired by the fact that FAN’s grassroots stepped up like they did,” he said, “This is what it means to answer the prophetic call of the Gospel.”

Although some were members of religious orders like Fr. Janezic, a majority were lay people, or “Franciscan-hearted” persons. Just who are these "Franciscan-hearted" people?

“We believe that everybody has a Franciscan heart,” Mr. Clifton remarked, “many just don’t know it yet.”

Squarely aligned with the Franciscan care for creation ethic, the climate change debate serves as a platform for the non-partisan, non-profit organization’s social and spiritual message of transformation.  FAN members believe that no threat to the sustainability of the human species is more urgent--and thus better able to unite diverse interests--than climate change.  As Fr. Janezic implied, the Franciscan spiritual tradition compels advocacy for climate change policy regardless of politics. 

Two goals have characterized the FAN position since before any legislation was introduced:

1)    Reducing “green house" emissions;
2)    Transitioning to a low carbon economy without additional burdening the lives of persons who are poor. 

Any policy must aim for true sustainability and account for the marginalized; these are unifying themes of FAN’s approach to climate change.

The staff at FAN indicated it intends to bring the strength of its growing grassroots base to bear for a more moral and achievable climate change policy as the debate moves from Washington to Copenhagen for an international summit.  Partners in FAN’s effort include the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Franciscans International, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, Catholics in Alliance, as well as the Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation offices of FAN’s 44 institutional members, the many Franciscan ministries in the field, and the nearly two thousand Franciscan-hearted members of the online network. 

FAN participates with over sixty ecumenical and secular organizations in education, outreach and advocacy around climate change. The organization plans a web summit on October 4th,  2009, a feast day of the group’s patron Saint Francis of Assisi. The event will unite FAN's membership with partners around the theme of caring for creation in more sustainable ways.

On the Friday before Memorial Day, Jan Parker’s car made the forty mile return trip from the congressman’s office in time to enjoy the holiday break.  There was no discouragement inside of it.

“We traveled home as joyfully as when we first set out, thankful that we not only shared the Gospel of Life,” she said, “but that we lived out an article of our [SFO] rule.” That article challenges secular Franciscans “to promote justice with the testimony of their lives and their courageous initiatives.  Especially in the field of public life, they should make definite choices in harmony with their faith.”

Grant Clifton, visibly drained from the effort of organizing the campaign, was even more succinct.

“Franciscanism is really something,” he said.
 

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Franciscan Action Network is a non-profit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia. FAN is committed to inclusive social transformation in the spirit of Sts. Francis and Clare.  For more information please visit our website http://www.franciscanaction.org/.