Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or, even less, is the property of only a few: Creation is a gift… a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude
Pope Francis, General Audience 21 May 2014
The 2019 General Chapter of the FCJ Sisters calls us to Care for Our Common Home. Here is part of the text of that call:
We recognize God’s Spirit in the global movement which is raising the awareness of how we are destroying our Earth.
Concerns around the care of our Common Home are of great urgency and we cannot delay addressing them. We judge them to be matters of deep justice.
Because our actions flow from a faith perspective, we will continue to deepen our awareness and understanding of creation theology. Likewise we will deepen our contemplative awareness of the whole cosmos.
We want to help each other to reflect constantly on how our lifestyle decisions, small or large, affect the earth and the poorest peoples of the Earth. [6]
We will make connections with others, especially younger people, who are passionate about ecological issues. We will join with them in positive action to bring about change.
(Visit our Chapter Calls page to read the complete text.)
The FCJ Sisters and Companions in Mission in Europe made a commitment to mark the FCJ Bicentenary 1820-2020 by « responding to the Climate Emergency and acknowledging the integral link between the theology of Laudato Si, On Care for our Common Home,
our relationship with the Earth and the demand for social justice » committing ourselves
- to celebrate the beauty of creation and make a positive contribution to our local environment. We will plant 10 trees per community and/or group in 2020.
- to endeavour to divest all our FCJ communities and homes of single-use plastics, growing in our awareness and supporting each other in our resolve.
- to publicly acknowledge the impact of climate change on the poorest people in Society, raising awareness of issues locally, nationally and internationally, and becoming involved in advocacy where possible.
Visit the official Earth Day site to learn about the world’s largest environmental movement and what you can do to make every day Earth Day.
This year, 2020, we are celebrating Earth Day 2020 in the midst of the corona virus pandemic. Here is a reflection on Earth Day for our COVID-19 times
