St. Louis Ecology Group-Irish Region

“Whatever our project, or wherever we focus our energy, unless we are situating that within the total community of life on the planet, we are failing to be faithful interpreters of the Signs of the Times.”(Thomas Berry,C P)
The St. Louis Ecology Group was set up in the Irish Region in 1993. The role of the group was to offer leadership , educate , and raise awareness of this important issue in the Region.
From the outset this group aimed to link Ecology with theology, scripture , spirituality and our founding charism SINT UNUM ,”That all may be one.” This was honouring the thinking of our founder Abbe Louis Bautain who in a diary published the year after his death 1868 numbered “cosmology ( the study of the world and of nature )” with theology and philosophy as the three domains of human knowledge needing to be harmonized, ” a noble enterprise of exploration ” he named it . Therefore an important context for the work of the group was the new cosmology – the new story of creation . To quote Sr. Pauline Mc Govern “ this universe story provides a radically new context for SINT UNUM”

The “Earth Day “ is an annual event attended by Sisters, Associates, colleagues and friends . Invited speakers and facilitators explore the new story of creation and its implications for theology , spirituality and ecological ministry. Other speakers focus on the state of the planet and the more practical responses needed. Some years an event is organized that has a practical educational focus with workshops for those involved in adult, post primary and primary education .

There were visits , too , to the Planetarium in Armagh, the Ecos Millennium Centre in Ballymena and “An Táirseach” ,the Dominican Ecology Centre in Wicklow. In participating in these events in an experiential and hands –on way we are challenged by the wonder of the universe with which we have been gifted and are brought to a new awareness of the responsibility we carry for its care and conservation.

The group initiated the structure of ecology link persons in the various communities and for a number of years published “Earth Echoes ”, a newsletter with practical suggestions, poetry ,prayers and current information . Prayer services are prepared and circulated for the Solstice and Equinox celebrations. The “Earth Charter ” was used in a special way for a year of reflection in communities as we see this document expresses in a comprehensive way the deep cries of our age. It reads like a revisiting of the call to unity for our time and helps us search for a deeper understanding of the relevance of SINT UNUM to those cries.
While educating and raising awareness is still a priority the group is focusing on practical ideas around “Reflect, Respect, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle ”. Advocacy and e-action in connection with Climate Change is now a major priority in the lead up to the Copenhagen meeting in December 2009. In this we work closely with the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition.

Stop Climate Chaos Parade for the Planet

One of the group is a founding member of Eco Congregation Ireland www.ecocongregationireland.org and in this capacity is involved in the European Christian Environmental Network and works with The Churches Together in Britain and Ireland in the preparation of web resources for the celebration of Creation Time- 1st September to the Sunday after the feast of St. Francis .
In the Headmasters Report 1837 Bautain had this to say ”We will have made progress if we succeed in giving our pupils a taste for serious study and we encourage them to have wide interests which will enable them to see things as a whole, the interests of humankind , all parts of the world and the wonderful world of Nature“ (L.Bautain,Prizegiving Day,Institut de la Toussaint,Headmasters Report 1837)

There were some creative and tentative efforts to link Ecology with movement, music, art and poetry. The development of this area is one of the challenges for the future as the group has plans to be more involved in the St. Louis Schools Network.The recently published “ St. Louis Handbook for Schools “ has a section on Ecology with background material and classroom resources.

Ecology is also an important topic in the” Growing in Faith Together” Programme with young people ( 12-16 age group ) in Co.Monaghan parishes. They engage in outdoor experiences in nature, tree planting, visits to centres, workshops, and projects linking ecology with issues in the developing world.

The launch of “Words for the New Millennium “–Earth Day 2000

In 2008 Central Leadership wrote to the Sisters and Associates “ Sint Unum calls us to day to consciously live our oneness with the whole Earth Community, in a way that respects and nourishes all life, both human and non human".

7th Assembly of the European Christian Environmental Network.....more