Faith, Food and the Environment is a project devoted to the vocation of agriculture—and especially directed to those who show leadership in producing nutritious foods and essential agricultural goods, such as fiber, feedstocks and renewable fuels.
Through this project we express our gratitude to farmers, ranchers and food producers: Yours is a blessed way of life that provides our “daily bread” and calls you to care for the land and the integrity of Creation.
Vocation of the Agricultural Leader is a 30-page document, published in 2016, that was generated by the Faith, Food and the Environment Symposium in 2014. It offers a faith-based reflection on today’s modern agriculture and food production practices, as well as affirming the noble vocation of farming as a God-given calling. This calling comes with certain moral and ethical responsibilities and the document helps us to explore and reflect upon these.
One of the comments we hear often when presenting the document across the country is that the acknowledgment of agriculture as a vocation is refreshing, new and welcomed, as this vocation is not often affirmed. One participant in recent workshop commented:
“We’ve never heard this before, and I wish I would have known. I would’ve invited all of my neighbors—Catholic and non!”
Faith, Food & the Environment seeks to deepen the dialogue with agricultural leaders as they navigate the challenges facing agriculture, food production, and care for creation.
Catholic Rural Life encourages farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural leaders to make the connection between their faith and their work, recognizing food production as more than an economic activity but as a vocation with moral responsibilities to people, communities, and the land. Through resources such as Vocation of the Agricultural Leader, we invite agricultural leaders to consider how the principles of Catholic social teaching can guide their decisions in the complex and competitive world of modern agriculture.
We travel across the country giving presentations and workshops on Vocation of the Agricultural Leader. To request a workshop in your area, please email Info@CatholicRuralLife.org. We are looking forward to meeting you!
Through education and formation, we seek to encourage ethical agricultural practices that respect human dignity, strengthen rural communities, promote responsible stewardship of creation, and serve the common good. You can read more about this here:
Local vs. Global: Farm Management and Food Security
Family Farms: Essential to Rural Life
Next Generation of Farmers and Ranchers
In March 2018, we hosted our second national conference dedicated to the Vocation of the Agricultural Leader document. The conference was titled, A Noble Vocation: Integrating Faith, Food and the Environment. See below to access photos and materials from the event.
