Resources to help you enter the Season of Creation? Sept 1 – Oct 4, 2021

The 2021 theme for the Season of Creation is ‘A Home for All? Renewing the Oikos of God.’ A celebration guide has been prepared by the eccumencial steering committee in 6 lnguages including French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian It is accessible ENGLISH, FRENCH, SPANISH, PORTUGUESE, and ITALIAN. While the guide is a rich resource covering prayer opportunities and actions there are some advocacy points on page 17 that maybe of interest to you. There is refererence to COP 15 October 11 – 24 Convention on Boidiversity where the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will be negotiated in light of the global community failing to reach the Aichi targets on biodiversity management set ten years ago. The second meeting from 1-12 November 2021 is COP26 on climate change where new national commitments to tackle the climate crises under the Paris Agreement are due to be delivered.

The Ecumenical Prayer Service for the Season of Creation is pages 25 – 32 followed by an Earth Examen – Rich resources for every and communities to use. Pages 37 to the end is a themed lectionary for the Sundays within the season of creation. Below is the logo featuring Abraham’s tent which symbolizes “a home for all.”

Moving Forward with the Laudato Si’ Action Platform
a webinar presented by Sowing Hope for the Planet, June 9, 2021

“Sowing Hope for the Planet” is a project in which every Sister whose congregation is a member of UISG, and their connections are provided with an opportunity to make a difference in our care of the planet. This project is a collaborative effort of the JPIC Commission in the name of UISG and theGlobal Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM).  During this webinar Winifred Doherty presented the “Integral Egcology’ Position Paper of the congregation. French and Spanish. Starts at 1:15:44

The Laudato Si Movement promoting “Healthy Planet, Healthy People” petition is inviting you to tell world leaders how they should care for our common home later this year. The two COP Conferences (Conferences of the Parties), are COP 15 on biodiversity and COP 26 on climate change.

Sign the Petition

Our postion paper on “Integral Ecology’ calls on us to engage on all levels and to advocate locally and internationally, to study and apply documents such as Laudato Si, and the The Earth Charter, and to admit our complicity in perpetuating dualistic and domineering attitudes about the earth. We understand that reconciliation with our earth calls for a new consciousness, a new identity, and new behaviors centered on the kinship of all creation and the implementation of human rights for all. Interdependence demands inclusion of all – non-living and living, non-human and human – without discrimination.

Want to learn more about the UN Biodiversity Conference. The 5th Global Diversity Outlook report was recently published and available in multiple languages HERE. This Outlook draws on the lessons learned during the first two decades of this century to clarify the transitions needed if we are to realize the vision agreed by world governments for 2050, ‘Living in Harmony with Nature’. SDG 15 has a target of halting the lost of biodiversity and integrating biodiversity values into national and local planning (15.5 and 15.9)

Short Video – Web of Life

Earlier this year a report was released in which it was shown that around 1 million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction. Read more here “The Report also tells us that it is not too late to make a difference, but only if we start now at every level from local to global,” Sir Robert Watson, Chair of Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES),said. “Through ‘transformative change’, nature can still be conserved, restored and used sustainably – this is also key to meeting most other global goals. By transformative change, we mean a fundamental, system-wide reorganization across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values.” See the animated video showing the 5 direct drivers of change in Nature with the largest relevant social impacts so far.

More Reflections on ‘Laudato Si’

This is a follow up to the posting on October 15th where I posted the first 4 reflections on Lauddato Si.  They are prepared in both English and French.  The second set of 4 have been prepared.  These are done by African Europe Faith Justice Network  See French and English  The website is a great resource with a spirituality and action emanating from faith and justice.
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For ease of access here are the reflection for Sessions 5,6,7 and 8.  E for English E 5E 6E 7, and E 8; and F for French F 5F 6F7, and F 8

These refection are very helpful if you are following the Climate Conference that will be held in Paris at the end of the month.  E 5 invites us to look at nature with different eyes and recognise the unique beauty and dignity of each creature which, by its very existence, praises God and gives joy to humanity.

E 6 reflects on  Pope Francis’ development of a new and profound theology of creation which looks at human beings as part of nature and as God’s responsible co-workers in creation. There can be no well-grounded ecology without a sound anthropology.  E 7 notes that nobody has definite answers to the many open questions how to control climate change or how to shape a truly sustainable development for all.  Pope Francis in his Encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ does not offer final solutions to these huge problems. He rather invites all stake holders to enter into a transparent interdisciplinary dialogue and to search for ways out of the crisis leaving aside all particular group interests but focussing on the global common good.

E 8 reflection has reference to the Parish Climate Summit.   The numerous climate summits in the last 20 years have not succeeded to reach a binding agreement for all countries which defines ‘common and differentiated responsibilities’. Pope Francis sees the reason for this in a lack of ethics in international relations, the fight for national interests to the detriment of the global common good, the lack of effective international institutions and the dominance of the financial markets over politics. Will the Paris Climate Summit pick up the challenge and live up to its responsibility to future generations?

NCP Primer ebook front cover

 

A background to previous conferences can be followed in this Primer prepared by IBON.  Here is the direct link IBON Primer on a New Climate Protocol  There are 87 pages with 5 Chapters.  The topics are interesting and some of the jargon we hear and read in the media is explained.  The first Chapter reviews Climate Change the Long-term View.  Chapter 2 looks at the Rio Mandate and the Koyoto Protocol.  Chapter 3 is interesting creating awareness of False Climate Solutions.  Chapter 4 has a draft of the Paris Climate Treaty and the last chapter presents some Real Climate Solution.

 To conclude here is an article linking climate and peace authored by Michael T. Klare, a professor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College.   ‘Why the Paris Climate Summit is also a Peace Conference’ Read more

Organize for Climate March on 29th November

gccmA historic event is about to happen. On November 29, hours before world leaders meet at the Paris Climate Summit, the Global Climate March will take place to push political leaders to commit to bold action to solve the climate change crisis. Over 1 million people are expected to join in over 2000 cities. – Link to Website with all the information   This website is prepared French  Spanish  Italian Portuguese  and Polish

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I am attaching a set of papers prepared with regard to Laudato Si.  They are in English and French. E 1     E 2   E 3  E 4   and  F 1  F 2  F 3  F 4

Don’t forget that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development focuses on the social, the environmental and the economic.  The 2030 Agenda is in 6 languages  You can access the 2030 Agenda here in the various languages

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