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Missionary Oblates Welcomes Papal Encyclical – “LAUDATO SI” June 18th, 2015
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate welcome and join with other Catholics and all people of goodwill in celebrating the release of the encyclical “Laudato Si- Praised be: On the care of the common home.“Pope Francis encyclical on the environment is an invitation to reflect on how to live simply and be in solidarity with the poor.Today, His Holiness Pope Francis released the encyclical Laudato Si’ – On The Care of The Common Home.
Below is a Welcome message to the ecology encyclical by Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate as summarized by Fr. Seamus Finn OMI, Chief of Faith Consistent Investment at OIP Investment Trust:
Among virtually all faith groups is a universal call to be in right relationship with the earth, t o act as responsible stewards of the planet, and to preserve its health and resources for future generations. With a missionary presence and faith-based relationships in the world’s most vulnerable communities, faith institutions recognize climate change’s potential to exacerbate the suffering caused by extreme poverty and inequality which are at the root of so many existing social justice issues. The environmental crisis facing our planet transcends politics, economics and science; it is, at bottom, a moral and ethical crisis. In issuing Laudato Si, the Holy Father is reminding us of our duty to restore our right relationship with the earth, which is one of harmony and respect for God’s creation.
In the encyclical, Pope Francis cautioned:
“Climate change is a global problem with serious implications, environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods; it represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day. Its worst impact will probably be felt by developing countries in coming decades. Many of the poor live in areas particularly affected by phenomena related to warming, and their means of subsistence are largely dependent on natural reserves and Eco systemic services such as agriculture, fishing and forestry…the climate is a common good, of all and for all.”
To honor the Holy Father’s call to protect creation and the most vulnerable of God’s children, we are invited spend time to read encyclical, reflect, share and bring all into our community and personal prayers and actions.
Encyclical “Laudato Si- Praised be: On the care of the common home: papa_francesco_20150524_enciclica_laudato_si_en
DONE! BANGLADESH RANA PLAZA FUND REACHES $30 MILLION GOAL. June 17th, 2015
The Missionary Oblates, particularly through their membership and involvement in the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) have expressed concern for the workers at the factory that collapsed at Rana Plaza in Bangladesh two years ago.
In April 2015, Missionary US Province signed onto a letter going to several corporations asking them to provide funds to help compensate victims of this tragedy hoping to generate a fund of $30 million called the “Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund”.
That goal has been reached!
Preview of “pr_-_bangladesh_trust_fund_6-9-15final2.pdf”
Oblate Community Supported Garden Hosts Feast in the Field at Godfrey Illinois. June 12th, 2015
Recently the Oblate Community Supported Garden at La Vista in Godfrey Illinois hosted the well-attended and successful Feast in the Field. The dinner was also celebration to honor La Vista Oblate Community Supported Garden and its dedication to help feed the local community sustainably. St. Louis’ top culinary and restaurants prepared the dinner menu.
Doing this event is customary for La Vista Community Supported Garden. The goal of Oblate supported garden is to be a source of renewal for human, social and physical health. It also provides healthy, nutritious food and builds a diverse community.
For the Missionary Oblates, this celebration in many ways lives our mandate for integrity of creation. It is also timely that in the coming weeks, we are looking forward to Pope Francis’s Ecology Encyclical ‘Laudato Sii’ (Praised Be). For the faithful community, the Pope’s Ecology Encyclical is an Invitation to Reflect and Respond to its Call to Action.
Best Wishes: JPIC staff Leave for ICCR. May 21st, 2015
It is with mixed feelings that Oblate JPIC staff and comittee members say farewell to Christina Herman and yet happy to see her extend career boundaries with the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) based in New York as their new program director. Christina worked as for the JPIC office since 2006.
Our Best Wishes to Christina as she joins ICCR!
Religious Leaders Support Normalization with Cuba May 4th, 2015
Photo credit (see below)
Thirty U.S. religious organizations signed onto a letter to Congress urging an end to the decades-long embargo with Cuba. The Rev. William Antone, U.S. Provincial, signed on for the Missionary Oblates USP. The letter refers to the long-standing ties of many of the faith organizations to religious bodies in Cuba, and cite their call for normalization of relations and an end to the embargo.
Photo credit: Krasivaja at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons
