Cincinnati's archbishop has outlined how parishes and offices in the Cincinnati archdiocese are responding to Pope Francis' recent entreaty to preserve the earth.
Dennis Schnurr was joined at his news conference Wednesday by other Roman Catholic officials. He said the Cincinnati archdiocese is trying to lead by example in reducing energy costs in response to the pope's document concerning the environment and climate change. Schnurr said the pope's message is an urgent, spiritual call addressed to everyone to better care for the environment. Schnurr called on Ohio residents to save energy. He also asked local utilities and businesses to prioritize programs for energy efficiency and use fewer fossil fuels and encouraged policymakers at all levels to prioritize "care for creation." The 19-county archdiocese has almost 500,000 Catholics.