Letter to President Barack Obama from Leaders of U.S. Congregations of Catholic Sisters September 21, 2015 Dear Mr. President, As the elected leaders of U.S. congregations of women religious, representing thousands of Catholic Sisters throughout the United States, we take the occasion of the state visit by Pope Francis to add our words of concern, as U.S. citizens, to those he expressed to the global community in his encyclical, Laudato Si – along with an urgent call for action. We believe with Pope Francis that all nations have “a clear, definitive, and ineluctable ethical imperative to act” on climate change. None more so than the United States as we, historically, have been the world’s largest carbon polluter. As women religious who have dedicated our lives to working on the frontlines of many of the social and environmental issues of our day, we daily “hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” We know at first hand that “we are not faced with two separate issues one environmental and the other social, but rather one complex crisis” that requires exceptional global leadership and a profound concern for the common good of the whole community of life to resolve. Time is running out. As scientists have been warning, we risk irreversible impacts globally if we fail to take real and meaningful action now. We thank you for the recent steps your Administration has taken through the Environmental Protection Agency to cut carbon emissions by U.S. power plants. We now urge that you do everything in your power to ensure the U.N. talks on climate change this December take the world off the catastrophic course that humanity is charting, which threatens to devastate God’s creation and rob future generations of life. We respectfully ask that you charge our U.S. representatives at the Conference of the Parties in Paris with the task of helping to negotiate a binding legal agreement among all nations that will keep global average temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels. Thank you. In the abiding Spirit of our Creator, U.S. Catholic Sisters (signatures attached) cc: Todd D. Stern, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Leaders of US Congregations of Women Religious - Signatories of Letter to President Obama Congregational Leader Title Name of Congregation City/State Evelyn Eckhardt, DW Member of Leadership Team Daughters of Wisdom Ozone Park, New York Mary Patricia Driscoll, CCVI Council Member in Leadership Srs of Charity of Incarnate Word Houston, Texas Jeanne Comze,ois, SSJ-TOSF Vice President Srs of St. Joseph, Third Ord St. Francis Rice Lake, Wisconsin Dolores Kalina, RGS Councilor Sisters of the Good Shepherd Ft. Thomas, Kentucky Carole Griswold, HM Treasurer of the Congregation Sisters of the Humility of Mary Villa Maria,, Pennsylvania Mary Pat Cook, HM LeadershipTeam Sisters of the Humility of Mary Villa Maria, Pennsylvania Sister Ellen Carney, IHM Councilor for Temporal Resources Sisters, Servants of IHM Scranton, Pennsylvania Zenaida Nacpil, O.P. Mission Chapter Prioress Adrian Dominican Sisters Adrian, Michigan Sr. Kathleen Hutsko, SSMI Provincial Superior Sisters Servants of Mary Immac Sloatsburg, New York Sister Susan Francois, CSJP Leadership Team member Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Sister Paul Marie Gouthro, S.A. 2nd Councilor Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement Garrison, New York Angela Homoki-Szabo, S.S.S. US District Moderator Sisters of Social Service of Buffalo Buffalo, New York Sharon Brannen, FdCC Provincial Councilor Canossian Daughters of Charity Albuquerque, New Mexico Mary Bea Snyder, CHM Cabinet Member Congregation of the Humility of Mary Davenport, Iowa Ellen Taylor, FdCC Provincial Leader Daughters of Charity of Canossa Albuquerque, New Mexico Kristin Funari, CSJP Assistant Congregation Leader Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Sheila Lemieux, CSJP Congregation Leader Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Margaret Shannon, CSJP Congregation Council Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Natalie Rossi, RSM Leadership Councilor Sisters of Mercy NyPPaW Buffalo, New York Angela Golapi Palma CSC, AGP Councilor Sisters of the Holy Cross Notre DAme, Indiana Lenore N. Dowling, IHM Board member Immaculate Heart Community Los Angeles, California Anna Marie Reha, SSND Provincial Councilor School Sisters of Notre Dame St. Louis, Missouri Pat Prinzing, RSM Vice President Sisters of Mercy - NyPPa W Buffalo, New York Sheila Stevenson, RSM Councilor Sisters of Mercy - NyPPaW Buffalo, New York Margaret Magee, OSF Assoc Congregational Minister Franciscan Sisters of Allegany Allegany, New York Susan Cunningham, CSJ Provincial Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chambery West Hartford, Connecticut Marilyn Jean Hagedorn, CHM CHM Cabinet Member Cong of the Humility of Mary Davenport, Iowa Mary Rose Bumpus, RSM Leadership Team Member Srs of Mercy South Central Community Belmont, North Carolina Eva Bryan, RSC Councilor Religious Sisters of Charity San Pedro, California Mary Cecile Gunelson, CPPS Counsel Member Sisters of the Most Precious Blood O'Fallon, Missouri Frances Raia, CPPS Superior General Sisters of the Most Precious Blood O'Fallon, Missouri Sister Rose Marie Tresp, RSM Director of Justice Srs of Mercy South Central Community Belmont, North Carolina Sr. Lucy Meissen, CPPS General Council Srs of Most Precious Blood O'Fallon, Missouri Leaders of US Congregations of Women Religious - Signatories of Letter to President Obama Leadership Team, CSSF Leadership Felician Sisters of North America Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania Brenda Cousins, CSC General Secretary Sisters of the Holy Cross Notre DAme, Indiana gabriela martinez, SSMN Provincial Sisters of St. Mary of Namur Fort Worth, Texas Sharlet Ann Wagner, CSC First Councilor Cong of the Sisters of the Holy Cross Notre Dame, Indiana Veronique Wiedower, CSC President Sisters of the Holy Cross Notre Dame, Indiana Therese Demers, O.P. Provincial Prioress Dominican Srs of the Roman Cong Lewiston, Maine Susan Sanders, RSM Leadership Team Member Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Omaha, Nebraska Barbara Blesse, OP Vicaress Dominicans of Springfield Springfield, Illinois Anne Myers, SSJ Congregational President Sisters of Saint Joseph Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Margaret Mary Hinz, RSM Leadership Team Member Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Omaha, Nebraska Sister Gertrude O'Connor, O.S.F. Provincial Vicaress Hosp. Srs of Third Order of St. Francis Springfield, Illinois Maureen O'Connor, OSF Provincial Superior Hospital Sisters of St Francis Springfield , Illinois Barbara Hudock, ASC Region Leader Adorers of the Blood of Christ St Louis, Missouri Maureen Erdlen, SSJ General Council Sisters of St. Joseph Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ellen Maroney, IHM President Sisters of IHM, Scranton Scranton, Pennsylvania Kathlyn Mulcahy, OP Councilor Dominican Sisters of Springfield Speingfield, Illinois Sister Patricia Gardner, OSF Councilor/Treasurer Sisters of St. Francis Sylvania, Ohio Patricia Lowery, MMS, MD Coordinator for Health Medical Mission Sisters Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Bernadette Morgan, RSC Regional Leader Religious Sisters of Charity Culver City, California Maria Hughes, ASC Regional Councilor Adores of the Blood of Christ St Louis, Missouri Janet McCann, ASC United States Region Councilor Adorers of the Blood of Christ Saint Louis, Missouri Sr. Kathleen Bryant, RSC Regional Vicar Religious Sisters of Charity Culver City, California Maureen Foltz, CCV U.S. Regional Coordinator Carmelite Sisters, Vedruna Washington, DC Sr. Pietrina Raccuglia, M.S.C. Provincial Superior Miss Srs of the Sacred Heart of Jesus New York, New York Mary Byrnes, PBVM Councilor Srs of Presentation of the BVM New Windsor, New York Lucy Panettieri, MSC Provincial Councl Miss Srs of the Sacred a Heart of Jesus West Park, New ayork Sheila Walsh, RSM Council Member Sisters of Mercy Buffalo, New York Jean Marie Zirnheld, SSJ President Sisters of St. Joseph Clarence, New York Mary Alice Aschenbach, CIJ Executive Board Member Nursing Sisters of the Sick Poor Inc. Rockville Centre, New York Valerie Heinonen, OSU Team Member Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk New York, New York Louise Alff, Louise Alff General Councilor Srs of St. Francis of Neumann Comm Syracuse, New York Elizabeth DiTolla, SU Regional Councilor Sisters of St. Ursula Rhinebeck, New York Mary Doyle, CSJ Regional Superior Sisters of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York Joan Anzalone, RCD Vice-President Sisters Of Christian Doctrine New York, New York Leaders of US Congregations of Women Religious - Signatories of Letter to President Obama Katherine Marie Bogner, SSMN Provncial Councillor Sisters of St. Mary of Namur Buffalo, New York Sister Mary Eamon Lyng, SSJ Major Superior Sisters of St. Joseph Watertown, New York Catherine Artale, C.I.J. Councilor Congregation of the Infant Jesus Rockville Center , New York Margaret Bishop, OSF Leadership Team Member Sisters of St. Francis Tiffin, Ohio Peggy McVetty, OP Councilor for Mission Dominican Srs. of Amityville, NY Amityville , New York Barbara Marie Cady, SU Regional Superior Sisters of St. Ursula Rhinebeck, New York Honora Nicholson, RSM Leadership Team Member Sistrs of Mercy Merion Station, Pennsylvania Nancy Zelma, OSF Provincial Councilor Srs of St. Francis of Penance Buffalo, New York Veronica Mendez, RCD President Srs of Our Lady of Christian Doctrine New York, New York Susan Bremer, OSU Councilor Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland Pepper Pike, Ohio Roberta Smith, OSF General Minister Srs