The following comes from a Feb. 8 story on Cruxnow.com.
Pope Francis has been challenged to go vegan for Lent – and in exchange for his sacrifice, he’d receive a $1 million donation to a charity of his choice.
The high-stakes deal is being offered by a 12-year-old animal rights activist, Genesis Butler, and the Million Dollar Vegan campaign.
Earlier this week, an open letter was published appealing to the pope to abstain from all animal products during Lent, which is set to begin on March 6 for Catholics and will end at Easter. The letter makes a strong case that a vegan diet will yield dividends for the environment.
“Your Holiness, we must act,” writes Butler. “Moving towards a plant-based diet will have substantial environmental benefits. It will protect our land, trees, oceans, and air, and help feed the world’s most vulnerable.”
Should the pope accept the offer, the million-dollar donation would be made by the Blue Horizon International Foundation, which seeks to “accelerate the removal of animals from the global food chain.”
In her letter, Butler also cited the pope’s 2015 encyclical Laudato si’, wherein he calls for collective common action to fight environmental degradation.
“In your encyclical letter, Laudato si’, you stated that every effort to protect and improve our world will involve changes in lifestyle, production, and consumption. I agree with all my heart and seek your support in tackling one of the largest underlying causes of the problems we face: animal agriculture,” wrote Butler.
Is this little girl a Catholic child from India– or perhaps another Asian country?? In both the Latin Rite and Eastern Rite churches, all animal products have, in various historical eras, been prohibited, during Lent. (No meat, eggs, nor dairy, nor any other kind of animal products.) Many of these Lenten fasts were quite long and strong, and thought to be very good! Actually, many experts state that a vegan diet is very healthy. Fasting and abstaining from foods of the flesh, has been a spiritual practice for many centuries. Many of today’s Catholics do not take their religion as seriously– they live for the comforts of the flesh, and do not prepare for a hoped-for future of Heaven!
Oh– the term “meat” includes fowl, of course! There are many delicious vegan dishes, and one can be much more healthy, adopting a vegan diet! This little girl tells all the rest of the good points, of “going vegan.” Of course— a Lenten fast and abstinence regimen– is for religious purposes, to help purify the soul. Wonder what the Pope will say??
I think this little girl has good intentions– but of course, it is poor manners to “bribe” a Pope! But I think the Pope will be kind to her!
She’s from Signal Hill, CA. She is the great grand niece of Cesar Chavez.
Oh– she is the great grand niece of Cesar Chavez?? Cesar Chavez was a vegetarian, and a lover of animals, and a great believer in non-violence, like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. (and Rev.) Albert Schweitzer (the great Lutheran minister and missionary doctor in Africa), and Mahatma Gandhi! Chavez believed in love and non-violence for all, on earth, including animals, and was a vegetarian– and so were Schweitzer and Gandhi! (I don’t think Rev./Dr. King was a vegetarian– not sure.) I have always believed the same way– and am also vegetarian! (But I’m not an “activist!”) It will be interesting to see what the Pope has to say!
I hate that in our era kids with dumb ideas get publicity because it’s “cute.”
Oh– the term “meat” includes fowl, of course! There are many delicious vegan dishes, and one can be much more healthy, adopting a vegan diet– and put healthy food on others’ plates too, who are starving! This little girl tells all the rest of the good points, of “going vegan.” Of course— a Lenten fast and abstinence regimen– is for religious purposes, to help purify the soul. Wonder what the Pope will say??
It is good to give up meat at times — on Fridays, Wednesdays or for awhile. As far as a vegan diet being healthy, I knew a man who was a vegan who died of a heart attack in his fifties. He was overweight, probably from eating too many starches, such as rice.
I recommend St. Paul’s admonition, “Moderation in all things,” and I would add moderate exercise.
I think this little girl has good intentions– but of course, it is poor manners to “bribe” a Pope! But I think the Pope will be kind to her!
Jesus Christ and His twelve Apostles followed their kosher Jewish dietary laws. Later, after Christ’s death and resurrection, St. Peter and St. Paul– after their famous argument– abolished the requirements for new Christian converts to adopt Jewish customs — such as circumcision, following the 613 daily Jewish laws, and the kosher dietary laws, etc. Some Christian groups — and some monastic religious orders— are vegetarian, or have certain dietary customs. In England and Wales, the bishops recently reinstated Friday abstinence, on all Fridays of the year. I, myself, am vegetarian (no fish, either). But most importantly– to enter into Heaven, one must faithfully and lovingly follow Christ’s teachings!
Many monastic orders practice veganism or vegetarianism. Either of these practices are completely compatible with Catholicism. God Bless this little girl…and may the Pope promote these lifestyles which are better for our planet and our health!
I identify as a carnivore. God made me this way. Therefore God wants me to eat meat.
I like her suggestion to the pope but behind all this, when animal rights activists elevate their cause to a quasi-religious status, then I stand in opposition.
Same here, Dan. Pope Francis must also follow the advice of his doctors. Some people need to eat some meat or they become anemic. I was one of those when I was younger. Red wine is good for anemia too, but of course with moderation. Anything is unhealthy when over used. I remember reading in a local newspaper about a woman who was sent to the hospital because she actually overdosed on water.
Jesus Christ and His twelve Apostles followed their kosher Jewish dietary laws. Later, after Christ’s death and resurrection, St. Peter and St. Paul– after their famous argument– abolished the requirements for new Christian converts to adopt Jewish customs — such as circumcision, following the 613 daily Jewish laws, and the kosher dietary laws, etc. Some Christian groups — and some monastic religious orders— are vegetarian, or have certain dietary customs. In England and Wales, the bishops recently reinstated Friday abstinence, on all Fridays of the year. I, myself, am vegetarian (no fish, either). But most importantly– to enter into Heaven, one must faithfully and lovingly follow Christ’s teachings!
I would bet a lot of money that girl hasn’t read Laudato Si and that she was just fed some quotes by her handlers.
Well– I think it is so nice, that her great grand uncle, Cesar Chavez, taught respect and reverence for all life, and even became a vegetarian! These are good things, to teach to children! Even if you decide to not be a vegan or a vegetarian— it is still good to teach children, respect and reverence for all life– including, respect and reverence for the life of the unborn child in its mother’s womb!! And be kind to everyone you meet– regardless of their race, religion, etc.– and be kind to animals, too! Practice the teachings of Christ!
Well– I think it is so nice, that her great grand uncle, Cesar Chavez, taught respect and reverence for all life, and even became a vegetarian! These are good things, to teach to children! Even if you decide to not be a vegan or a vegetarian— it is still good to teach children, respect and reverence for all life– including, respect and reverence for the life of the unborn child in its mother’s womb!! And be kind to everyone you meet– regardless of their race, religion, etc.– and be kind to animals, too! Practice the teachings of Christ!
In the past, I have been an SPCA volunteer. It is wonderful, for a family to go to the SPCA– or to another animal shelter, with their children– and pick out a beloved pet to take home! And it is wonderful, to teach the children respect, love and proper care, for their beloved new pet! Regardless of your dietary beliefs and preferences— it is so wonderful for children to grow up with beloved animals!
There is a very great Peruvian saint, St. Martin de Porres, a humble lay Dominican friar– the illegitimate son of a black freewoman and a Spanish nobleman– who was a gifted healer, a prophetic visionary with miraculous knowledge, a mystic with mysterious gifts such as levitation, bilocation, ecstasies, the ability to pass through locked doors to help sick people of all classes— and the miraculous ability to communicate with animals! He prayed and fasted a lot, and he never ate meat. A remarkable vegetarian (or vegan??) saint! His body may also be incorrupt– not sure.