A 7 – Year Journey
TOWARDS AN INTEGRAL ECOLOGY
May 24, 2021,

MSC SISTERS WALKING HAND IN HAND FOR THE PLANET
“If we want to change, we need Education and Inspiration,” Pope Francis

MOTIVATION: N’dilnabamuk—“All my relations.”
We are related to all beings within creation. The two legged, the four legged, the winged, the beings that crawl and slide along the ground, the plants, the trees, and the living Earth are all our relatives. There is one life, one breath that we all breathe.  

“The earth does not belong to humanity, it is humanity that belongs to the earth.”
The best inheritance we can leave is love, knowledge and a habitable planet”.
Chief Settle
WHAT DO WE SEE AND EXPERIENCE?
The MSC Sisters have taken time to SEE what is happening to Mother Earth and her resources, to the creatures and among them, the human beings. Such a noble and generous Earth puts its fruits and resources at the service of life. And in return, with our own actions and that of others, shielded by systems, we have made the Earth – according to Pope Francis – the poorest of the poor.
Destruction of the nature: Animals don’t do this. Humans are about power to subdue others, to show that they are better and that they have more.
Deep uncertainty and suffering in the midst of this global emergency due to Covid-19.
“Lethal pandemics” that our world suffers: Wars, violence – Hunger – Human trafficking – Destruction of nature – Corruption – Indifference – Racism – Disrespect for life.
WHAT DOES GOD TELL US?
. We have been created to be INTERCONNECTED, since Life is a chain of needs.
➢ God saw everything that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. Gen 1.31
➢ “Where there is a need, a mission arises.” Fr. Linckens
➢ “Simplicity must characterize your lives.” Fr. Linckens
➢ “As Christ was sent into the world by the Father, so we are sent by the Church
to serve especially the suffering, the needy and those whose rights are disregarded.” Const. 7

We are only stewards of God’s Gifts
Laudato Si teaches us how to create a more just and sustainable world together.

“If we were to wipe out insects alone on this planet, the rest of life and humanity with it would mostly disappear from the land within a few months.” –Edward O. Wilson (Father of Biodiversity) WHAT CAN WE DO?
Pope Francis has written to each of us, in an encyclical called ‘Laudato Si’, inviting us to think deeply, live wisely and love generously. He calls each of us to listen to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor who suffer the most from environmental destruction.
Now, it is time for INITIATIVES AND TO ACT, to contribute with something small or great to honor our Creator and help Mother Earth to reverse Climate Change.
❖ Answering Pope Francis’ urgent call in Laudato Si, let us commit ourselves to:
Pray for and with creation Be aware of the damage caused to the earth
Personal and community conversion
Ecological Education
Live more simply Advocate to protect our common home
Engage in solidarity actions
Activate our creativity in response to latent needs
Three Elements of Laudato Si’ Platform:
1. Public Commitment based on our Charism
2. Realizing the Laudato Si’ Goals
3. Networking Advocacy

TRANSITION PROCESS OF THE MSC SISTERS TOWARD INTEGRAL ECOLOGY

Laudato Si Goals: 7 Hopes for the Earth and the Poor
General Objective:
Care and defense of life in its integrity, with fundamental ethical options and to protect the environment, through experiential eco-pedagogical processes.
1. Response to the Cry of the Earth
2. Response to the Cry of the Poor
3. Ecological Economics
4. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles
5. Ecological Education
6. Ecological Spirituality
7. Community Engagement – Participatory Action
Past → Present → Future
REMEMBER AND WRITE THE HISTORY OF ACTIONS THAT THE MSC SISTERS HAVE BEING INVOLVED IN
What did we learn from them and from others around us?
Practice of the “R”: Recycle – Reduce – Reuse – Repair
Make compost
Create Bio-gardens
Energy saving – Renewable Energy – Use of Solar Panels

 WHAT KIND OF WORLD DO WE WANT TO LEAVE TO FUTURE GENERATIONS?
A clean and habitable world
A world with Ecological Values
A world interconnected, with sisters and brothers reaching out to each other
A world that lives a Culture of Care for the Earth and a culture of Solidarity in daily life
A warm, compassionate and merciful world
WE PLAN TO ACHIEVE THE LAUDATO SI’ OBJECTIVES:
“SPIRAL” METHOD

DOCUMENTATION AND EVALUATION
How are we responding to the cry of the Earth on a personal and communal level?
How are we responding to the cry of the Poor on a personal and communal level?
JPIC promoters will share and document their unit/communities’ movements and initiatives in a simple, chronicle style. This will be shared with the Generalate JPIC promoter.
At the end of each year, the promoters will share the actions and achievements of their unit with the Generalate JPIC promoter to document progress at the congregational level.
The news will be published for mutual enrichment, to praise the Creator and to continue walking together.

❖ SIMPLE AND CONSCIOUS LIFESTYLE

 .Personal conversion. Reflect and repent on our mistreatment of creation

Appreciate and interact with nature and our neighbors
Consciously practice INCLUSION, that no one is left out of my love, my attention, my consideration. We are all equal in the eyes of God
Avoid the throwaway culture personally and in our holiday celebrations.
“The important thing is to not walk alone, but to rely on each other as brothers and sisters”. (EG 33)

❖ ECOLOGICAL PRAYERS
Let us praise God including in our prayers Nature: plants, water, wind, cosmos, fire, stars…
❖ ECOLOGICAL
Practice the “R”
Recycle whenever you can and place all recyclables in the right place, do not mix
Reduce – Reuse – Repair as much as you can instead of replace
Take care of the plants
Take care of bees, do not kill them, a great part of the life of the planet depends on them.
Avoid using single-use plastic bags. Carry always your cloth shopping bags
Consider the use of Renewable Energy, i.e., Solar panels etc.
Responsible use of water
Conserve energy, unplug devices when not-in-use
Eat less meat and more plant-base foods
Drive less and travel sustainably by using public transport
Buy in  local area. Support  community, save the environment by purchasing local goods.
➢ Work with the Laity in the Parishes and Workplaces
Give voice to the voiceless and advocate for Nature in our environment and beyond.
Actions for the Benefit of Others:
Put into practice the Principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church: Life and Dignity of the Human Person – Community and the Common Good – Rights and Responsibilities – Option for the Poor and Vulnerable – The Dignity of Work and the rights of Workers – Solidarity – Care for God’s Creation.
Live in a state of solidarity: attentive to the needs of others, offer time, faith, joy, talents.
Get involved in sustainable development projects
Volunteer in Green groups or initiate a group of awareness of the planet
” (Laudato Si’, 91).
PRAYER
Praise be to you Lord creator of all.
By this guide, we have compiled the actions implemented by those
who have gone before us.
We want to share the vision of Laudato Si’ and commit ourselves to work towards
the goals we have set.
The earth cries out for healing
as it continues to be polluted, deforested and to heat up
due to human patterns of consumption, greed and selfishness.
We are all affected, especially the poor in our midst who are the vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Time is running out. We are all in peril.
Lord, we are aware that there is much to be done
to address this ecological crisis.
We cannot do it through our individual efforts alone.
We need to work together as communities scattered all over the world.
Lord, help us to be aware that we are all interconnected
and we can only make a difference when we act as one.
This we ask in Jesus name. Amen.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved everywhere Now and forever.