La Vista joins all those on our planet who are feeling the great loss of Pope Francis who heard the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor and acted on what he heard in a most remarkable way.

This Novitiate year we have been immersed in his words as they come to us in his encyclical Laudato Si. As we ended our time together here at Immaculate Heart of Mary Novitiate in April, the Novices offered to share their thoughts about ecological conversion as described in Laudato Si. May their words honor the memory of Pope Francis.

I grew up in Colorado, and unsurprisingly I’m a fan of hiking and find spending time in nature to be enjoyable, comforting, and fulfilling. Exploring the woods on our property, I’ve often found empty drink cans, coffee cups, and fast-food boxes signs of people treating Earth as nothing more than a place to enjoy, wreck, then expect someone else to take care of. I’ve also seen evidence of people treating Creation as something valuable, as something to be preserved and cared for. In addition to the folks who root out invasive honeysuckle, remove trash or help facilitate controlled burns, I am particularly moved and impressed by the person (or people) who placed thumb tacks as trail markers to help others find their way to the Cross overlooking the bluffs. I can’t help but think they had a special connection to this trail and wanted to share it with others.

 

In his 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si , Pope Francis uses the phrase “ecological conversion,” which has served as the basis of our monthly classes with Sr. Maxine Pohlman. He describes part of this conversion as allowing the effects of our encounter with Jesus Christ to become evident in our relationship with the world around us (#217). To me, it seems rather straightforward: if we want real “ecological conversion,” we need real “ecological encounter.” I question if the folks who leave their garbage in the woods have had a meaningful encounter with Creation – a time we become aware of just how precious and comforting and magnificent Earth really is, and how at-home we are when we’re close to her. I’m thankful for these ecological encounters in my life, and I’d be willing to bet most folks who subscribe to this newsletter are, too.

 

We’ve received a piece of the Good News through these encounters, and I’d pose to you the same question I ask myself:

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Visit La Vista Ecological Learning Center‘s Website

 

(Stay tuned for Reflection 3 by Br Eliakim Mbenda)