“We Still Have the Land, Right?”: Catholic Agricultural Sites as Hubs for Social and Ecological Teaching in Canada

Abstract

This ethnographic research examines the influence of Roman Catholic ecological agro-activism, that is, ecological activism that involves growing food, in Canadian society. For over a century, Catholic social teaching has informed the Roman Catholic Church’s response to various social issues and injustices, especially those brought about by the industrial revolution. More recently, this body of work has incorporated concern for ecological issues such as climate change, over-consumption, and industrial agriculture, and was popularized through the work of Pope Francis and his landmark encyclical, Laudato ‘Si, or Care for Our Common Home. At the same time, local and regional Catholic communities have developed their own unique blend of Catholic social and ecological programming to meet the needs of local parishes, clergy, institutions, and lay people. These top-down and bottom-up activities can appear at times seamlessly connected, disjointed, or even in conflict. As a result, questions remain about the degree to which these principles actually influence the attitudes and behaviours of Catholics.

To assess the impact of Catholic ecological agro-activism in public discourse in Canada, this project examines three levels of Catholic activity: regional programming, individual beliefs and practices, and official Church doctrine. I conducted ethnographic research at three Catholic sites to examine how they articulate the Church’s social and ecological teaching through various agricultural programs and advocacy efforts. Methods included participant observation and extensive interviews with regional Catholic leaders, as well as interviews with non-Catholic participants and leaders from other Catholic organizations. I develop my analysis according to four primary themes—places, people, participation, and politics. Key findings include a strong correlation between religious vocations and the formation of ecological “narratives,” the proliferation of partnerships with non-Catholic stakeholders, and the surprising role the COVID-19 pandemic played in bringing greater visibility for the congregations and their skills-training programs.

In the end, I argue that these sites act as “hubs” that help develop and deploy a unique blend of Catholic social and ecological teaching to the public through various agricultural projects (organic growing workshops, community gardens, etc.) and advocacy efforts. These hubs promote pro-environmental narratives and influence public discourse through organizational partnerships, various political activities, and the day-to-day interactions of Catholic parishioners and leaders. Such findings help to highlight both the challenges faced by Catholic congregations today and the creativity with which they navigate the Church’s complex structure. Moreover, describing the rural congregations at the heart of these activities helps not only to better understand the unique experiences of rural Catholics, but also the religious landscape in Canada more broadly.