The price of meat may be a few dollars—but the true cost is far greater. Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ examines the hidden environmental, human, and animal harms of animal agriculture and explores what justice demands of a Catholic dinner plate.
Posts in Creation
The Right to Life of Animals
Being in the image of God implies that humans have certain capacities for the transcendent, which confers them their rights. Because animals have certain capacities for love and self-mastery, Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ reflects that they too deserve to be treated with dignity.
Praying with the Pope: Caring for the Mental Health of Farm Workers
As the Church prays this November for those struggling with mental health, Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ draws attention to an often unseen group: slaughterhouse workers. In this reflection, he links compassion for animals with care for the human souls bearing the trauma of the meat industry.
The Spiritual Foundation of a Lasting Ecological Conversion
How do the Spiritual Exercises speak to an ecological crisis? In this Season of Creation, Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ proposes an “Ecological First Principle and Foundation” to ground a lasting ecological conversion.
Flee from Demons in Food as Saint Paul Commands
In Corinth, meat in marketplaces often came from sacrifices to gods — and Saint Paul thus warned it carried a demonic character. Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ asks if our modern food system carries its own spiritual dangers.
Eating Vegan and Healthy Isn’t Selfish — It’s Faithful
The Catholic faith esteems the human body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. Given the negative health outcomes of animal-based foods, Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ reflects how loving God, neighbor, and self through a plant-based diet seems to be a no-brainer.
Consuming Creation: The Ecological Toll of Animal Agriculture
The damage inflicted by animal agriculture is often ignored, but its impact on God’s creation is undeniable. Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ, argues that Christians cannot settle for an “out of sight, out of mind” approach to the ecological crisis.
Cooperating with Evil: Our Complicity in the Torture of Animals
A vast majority of our animal-based foods come from the cruel practice of factory farming. Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ explores how our Catholic faith ought to inspire us to refrain from cooperating with this evil.
Persevering in Conversion: After the Cannonball Moment comes the Thorny Path
The story of Saint Ignatius reminds us to always trust in God’s goodness and graces for the unknown twists and turns of life. In the footsteps of Ignatius this summer, Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ reflects how he found this saint’s example helps him navigate the difficult spiritual and practical realities following his conversion to a plant-based diet.
The Reality of Cheap Chicken and the Overlooked Misery of our Animals
Many people eat chicken without knowing the harrowing realities of factory farms. Daniel questions whether Christians, in light of the Beatitude to show mercy, can continue to eat factory-sourced meat.