Catholics United, along with Faithful America, is calling on the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to terminate its land leases with local Oil and Gas companies.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles is currently leasing several properties to oil and gas companies and has begun lobbying local governments against public safety regulations intended to protect the public from the harmful effects of unconventional drilling processes. By lobbying to lift such public health regulations, the Archdiocese has prioritized their own financial interests, as well as the interests of oil companies, before the health and wellbeing of its own parishioners.

“The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is protecting and fighting for Big Oil all in the name of greed. And their actions will undoubtedly harm poor and minority communities the most” said Andrea Leon-Grossmann, a California spokesperson for Catholics United. “Archbishop Gomez actions are in direct violation of Pope Francis' beliefs in protecting the most vulnerable.”

Not only is the Archdiocese putting its financial interests first, but it is harming the health of people in its community. Studies have shown that these unconventional drilling techniques can be a very harmful process to the environment and to public health. In Los Angeles alone, there are major risks to urban drilling, such as toxic air pollution, increased risk of earthquakes and ground water contamination.

These actions are an affront to Catholics who are at the forefront of the climate justice movement. In his tenure, Pope Francis has prioritized protecting the environment: He takes his name after the patron saint of animals and the environment. During his inaugural homily as the Bishop of Rome, Francis called on Catholics to “protect with love all that God has given us.” Later this year, the Holy Father is expected to release the first-ever papal encyclical primarily dedicated to economic justice.

To support the Los Angeles communities most affected by urban fracking, Catholics United is joining Faithful America to launch an online campaign calling on the Archdiocese to stop leasing its land to oil companies for drilling. The petition can be found here: http://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/losangeles_drilling/?