Invoking St. Francis for climate change awareness

By William T. Clew | The Catholic Free Press

A group of about 60 people marked the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology and the environment, last Thursday by marching to three businesses on Park Avenue in a campaign against climate change.
The group, called the October 4th Coalition to Stop Climate Change, was organized by the SS. Francis and Therese Catholic Worker of 52 Mason St. After a rally and drumming in Elm Park which started with 35 to 40 people, the group formed a column of twos - or sometimes ones or threes - and marched down Park Avenue. Marchers joined the line as it moved along. Many wore T-shirts with the words “Children are counting on us to stop climate change.”
They made stops at the Bank of America branch, the TD Bank branch and the Gulf gas station and store at Pleasant Street and Park Avenue. According to information provided by the Catholic Worker’s Scott Schaeffer-Duffy, Bank of America is a major fossil fuel investor and TD Bank is a major investor in pipelines for tar sands.
In a talk to the marchers at Elm Park, he said that, at the gas station, they would block one of four lines, or 25 percent, of the station’s gas pumps. Claire Schaeffer-Duffy said the stop at the gas station was a reminder to the public that individuals need to make some kind of sacrifice to reduce the use of fossil fuel to protect the environment.
Mr. Schaeffer-Duffy said the marchers planned to give away T-shirts and leaflets stating their cause in each of the three businesses. That was not possible at the Bank of America branch, which was closed when they got there. The group instead stood on the sidewalk chanting and waving at motorists passing by on Park Avenue.
The TD Bank was open when the marchers got there and three marchers passed out leaflets inside. At least one clerk received them enthusiastically, Mr. Schaeffer-Duffy said.
At the Gulf station some marchers lined up in front of gas pumps while others stood nearby on the sidewalk. Mr. Schaeffer-Duffy said he had spoken to the station manager and told him what was planned.
During the demonstration, cars gassed up at the other three rows of pumps without incident.
The manager, who identified himself only as Mike, said he had no problem with people “voicing their opinion as long as they don’t keep people from earning a living.”
He said he lives in Lowell. When it was suggested that Lowell was quite a drive every day, he smiled and said, “I have to make a living.”
Literature provided by the October 4th Coalition to Stop Climate Change stated that the marchers would be carrying signs, banners and puppets and would be distributing leaflets and booklets.
“We will not impede street traffic,” the leaflet stated. It said that some marchers on the property of the three businesses might not leave if told to and accepted the risk of arrest for their actions.
The marchers “mean no disrespect to you or to the police. In fact, since climate change is a threat to all humanity, it is our sincere hope that you will join us in appealing to your corporate superiors and the general public for a vigorous campaign against climate change.”
The marchers stayed at each of the businesses no longer than 10 or 15 minutes and there were no confrontations and no arrests.