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Fr. Darrell Rupiper, OMI – In Remembrance May 8th, 2013

“Heaven and earth are full of your glory.” This is the psalm response for today’s Mass, and was the title given by Fr. Darrell Rupiper, OMI to his seminar/retreat programs. Fr. John Cox wrote us to say that he offered Mass this morning in loving memory of Darrell, who passed away on February 10, 2009.

Remembering his life-giving spirit, Fr. Cox has shared these materials:

The Great Work – one of Darrell’s group discussion handouts
Tell the People I Love Them – song Darrell would teach the people (notes for guitar)
Earth Care – The handout Darrell often gave at the end of a session, practical things people can do.

Heaven and earth are full of God’s glory. In memory of Darrell, please join us in being consciously aware of God in creation today, and doing some action that reverences the earth and promotes public awareness.

JPIC Staff Visits Bangladesh May 3rd, 2013

Christina Herman, JPIC Office Associate Director, visited Bangladesh in late March/early April. Her daughter, Emma, accompanied her, taking thousands of photos and copious notes. Fr. Joseph Gomes, OMI graciously hosted a ten day trip around the Sylhet region of NE Bangladesh, which provided a fascinating look at the lives of the indigenous Khasi people and the issues confronting their villages. The Oblate mission in Bangladesh started in the Sylhet region, and there are a number of parishes among the indigenous peoples of the area.

Frequent national strikes (or hartals) called by a political opposition determined to undermine the government made the trip challenging, but the group covered a lot of ground.

Sharif Jamil, Buriganga RiverKeeper

In Dhaka, Christina teamed up with the Bangladesh WaterKeeper, Sharif Jamil, in an examination of environmental and labor issues related to the leather and garment export industries. They visited the Buriganga River, leather tanneries north of the city, a massive garment factory, and had a number of informative meetings with factory owners and managers, labor union organizers, and environmentalists.

Polluted Water from Leather Tanneries flows into the Buriganga River

The tanneries are a large source of pollution for the main river flowing through Dhaka, a megacity of an estimated 18 million people. Millions depend on the rivers for bathing, washing clothes, and transportation, yet they are heavily polluted with industrial and human waste. Human Rights Watch recently issued a study of the health impacts of the tanneries, which matched the findings of this trip. Untreated industrial waste flowing from the garment factories is common. A huge factor in the pollution is the lack of adequate sewage treatment for the city’s burgeoning population.

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Exploring the Sacred Universe Earth Literacy Program April 15th, 2013

There is still time to register for the week long transformative learning experience at the Oblate Ecological Initiative! The program runs from Sunday, August 4 to Sunday, August 11, 2013.

Join OEI staff and participants for a week of storytelling as the group explores the Universe Story, the Story of the Stars, Planets and Galaxies, Earth’s Story, the Human Story, and the story of our special region of life. Learn how these stories can provide a transformative context for the story of your evolving life. Together participants will enjoy delicious vegetarian meals, camaraderie with other learners, and the stunning view from the bluffs.

Register now and receive a short reading list to help you prepare. For details visit the OEI web site or call 618-466-5004 and request a registration form.

Oblate Ecological Initiative Director Given Spiritual Leadership Award April 5th, 2013

On March 23rd, 2013, Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, director of the Oblate Ecology Initiative was awarded the “Spiritual Leadership Award” by the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability (CSS), interfaith campus ministries at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Congratulations, Sr. Maxine!!