Latest OMI JPIC News
L to R: Edwin Silwimba, Alfred Lungu, Bro. Francois, Mike Katona, Eliakim Mbenda
For our final session this “year” we stayed at home so we could connect with Br. Francois Balga Goldong, a remarkable OMI brother who is from Cameroon and is currently studying in the Philippines.
After viewing the documentary, Fleeing Climate Change: the Real Environmental Disaster (
https://bit.ly/4jmi9UO), Francois was so moved that he felt impelled to write his thoughts in an article he entitled “The Urgent Mission of Religious Congregations in Caring for the Earth” (
https://bit.ly/43E6ZpV). We viewed the video and were also moved by the way that rising sea levels in Indonesia, melting permafrost in the Arctic, extreme heat and drought in Cameroon, and desertification in the Sahel, are resulting in the mass migration of, “climate migrants”. Francois told us he is familiar with the crisis, having experienced heat and drought in Cameroon. He shared that he was now experiencing climate change effects in the Philippines in the form of flooding from rising seas levels and increased intensity of typhoons.
The novices were all ears when Francois spoke, since he is close to their age, has experienced climate change first hand, and had the courage to challenge the Congregation to a deeper response to the climate crisis. He said, “The documentary…presents a stark reality: entire communities are being uprooted due to ecological degradation. As I reflect on this I feel compelled to explore whether ecological justice should be considered and essential part of our missionary identity, even if it has not traditionally been emphasized within our charism”.
Even though it was the wee hours of the morning in the Philippines, Francois had the energy to share the urgency he feels about the many people around the world who are facing climate migration, saying, “The question is not whether we should act, but how we will act. If we, as religious, do not take this crisis seriously, who will? We cannot afford to delay, for the earth and its most vulnerable inhabitants are crying out for justice. By embracing this call, we as Oblates will continue to be true to our missionary identity bringing hope to the most vulnerable and witnessing to God’s love in a world in crisis.”
We ended our time feeling blessed by the witness of a young Oblate who is tuned in to the reality of the
climate crisis and who had the courage to write his thoughts, resulting in our meeting across the miles and supporting one another. Since we met in March, Brother Francois has also written ” The Three ” H”, Integrating ” Head, Heart, and Hands”: A New Culture of Response to Ecological Conversion”. I invite you to support him by reading his inspiring article and enjoying the photo of his garden, pictured here
Keep the Fire Going
(By Matthew Illian, Director of Responsible Investing, United Church Funds)
As we gathered at the Interfaith Center “God Box” for February’s
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility’s (ICCR) conference, many of us carried a troubled spirit. You didn’t hear any lamenting, but you could sense our weariness in the way we greeted one another. Whether with words, a smile, or a hug, our interactions were more heartfelt than usual. We weren’t just saying hello; we also came seeking something – perhaps reassurance.
We were two months into rapid-fire Executive Orders from the Trump Administration, and many were witnessing their efforts to uphold a more just and equitable society being dismantled nearly overnight. In planning this conference, we determined that it was essential to turn to the elders of the ICCR community. We were eager to know how they kept the fire going through distressing times. How had they persevered through the ups and downs of political regime changes?
The session was dubbed a “Fireside Chat with ICCR Elders”. As it began, Sister Barbara Aires, Steven Heim, Fr Séamus Finn, OMI and Bill Somplatsky-Jarman (SJ), who had collectively served the ICCR community for over 140 years, started sharing their stories.
One of the recurring themes was about the power of persistence. Both Steven and Sister Barbara shared stories of their unwavering determination, such as calling corporate offices on a daily or weekly basis.
(Contributed by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director La Vista Ecological Learning Center)
On March 6 and 7 La Vista hosted four young women from Mount Mary University, a School Sister of Notre Dame sponsored university in Milwaukee, WI. They spilled out of their car ready to work, and work they did! I was amazed at their enthusiasm and willingness to do hard, dirty tasks.
They dug and tugged, and succeeded in pulling out several tires that had been tossed into the Oblates’ Nature Preserve and buried for years in the soil. They weeded and mulched a garden and cleared a stone wall of debris. Then they cleaned out a storage area that had been neglected for years. When I asked if they needed a rest, together they said, “No, we want to work!”
Beyond the significant amount of work they did, what was even better was what they learned about themselves. “I didn’t know I am strong!” “I never get my hands dirty, but this feels great!”
I was also impressed with how they became a team as they addressed challenges, collaborated on solutions, and succeeded in their tasks.
Working with them was a learning experience and a true pleasure for them and for me.
READ La Vista’s E News and Eco-spirituality Calendar
“We want to welcome Br. François Balga Goldung, OMI to the OMI Laudato Si Action Platform team and to celebrate his work and his garden while he is studying theology in Manila, Philippines.
We are excited to learn about his commitment to caring for the planet, his ecological conversion and his work to apply the recommendations of the encyclical Laudato Sí in his local community.”
(Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI)
(Contributed by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director La Vista Ecological Learning Center)
In mid March, staff from the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, HeartLands Conservancy and the Habitat Strike Team joined with several of our volunteers for a prescribed burn on 10 acres of the Oblates Woods Nature Preserve.
This crew of 15 spent a long day overseeing a successful burn, which is a maintenance technique restoring health to an ecosystem dependent on fire.
It reaps many benefits such as: removing old vegetation to promote growth of native trees and wildflowers; improving habitat for threatened and endangered species; recycling nutrients back into the soil; consuming excess fuel, reducing threat of wildfires.
Return to Top
climate crisis and who had the courage to write his thoughts, resulting in our meeting across the miles and supporting one another. Since we met in March, Brother Francois has also written ” The Three ” H”, Integrating ” Head, Heart, and Hands”: A New Culture of Response to Ecological Conversion”. I invite you to support him by reading his inspiring article and enjoying the photo of his garden, pictured here
