Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate  United States Province

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May – Heartfelt Reflections from OMI Novices, Reflection 2 May 8th, 2025

Introduced by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director, La Vista Ecological Learning Center

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.

Ecological Encounter by Br. Michael Katona

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:
How can we, just like the person putting up those trail markers, help others find their way to their own meaningful encounter with Earth?

READ E News and Eco-spirituality Calendar NEWSLETTER
 
Visit La Vista Ecological Learning Center‘s Website
 
(Stay tuned for Reflection 3 by Br Eliakim Mbenda)

World Water Day 2025 Focuses on Glacier Preservation March 13th, 2025

Contributed by: Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI (Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of San Angelo)

Clergy in maroon robe Green, gold, red diocese logo

In 1993 the UN General Assembly designated March 22nd as World Water Day (WWD). This observance is one of the largest international days. Each year the UN selects a theme for World Water Day, and the theme chosen for World Water Day 2025 is Glacier Preservation.

In this article I share much information from UN.org and UN Water. A glacier is a river of ice often covered in snow, slowly moving down a valley from a mountainous area, with its melting waters flowing downstream. The UN points out that glaciers are critical to the water cycle. They provide essential supplies of fresh water for drinking water, for sanitation systems, agriculture, industry, clean energy production and healthy ecosystems. We are told that glaciers are melting faster than ever before.

Perhaps it is a little surprising that World Water Day focuses on glacier preservation, as glaciers are believed to be thousands of miles away from where we live. But we are learning the important part they play in the bigger picture of the importance of water on planet Earth. Water Day is a day to remember that water is an essential element for all life on planet Earth.

First and foremost, on Water Day we should thank our loving God and Creator for giving us this wonderful life-giving gift. In the first book of the Bible, we read how and why God gave us the gift of water in His plan for all of creation. World Water Day is a time to ask how we can better appreciate and use the water we deal with day by day. We start in our homes, asking the question how are we using the wonderful gift of water, or sadly perhaps abusing and wasting this gift.

And we then look at the sources of water that are closest to us like ponds, rivers and lakes and what we should do to keep them safe and clean. Because water is necessary for all of us, we need to take strong action, individually, in our families, in our schools, in our churches, in all our communities, in our workplaces, and in all levels of government about how we can better protect and provide water for our lives, and for all people on planet Earth.

WWD is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis beginning with the place where we live. As water is necessary for all life it is considered a human right for all people throughout the world. But sadly, on this World Water Day we are faced with the reality that 2.2 billion of our brothers and sisters on planet Earth live without access to safe clean water which has devastating impacts on the health and very life of whole societies. Some may ask: Why do people live in places without clean water? Most of these people do not have much choice in where they live. Many reside in the same communities they were born in – which they have called home for generations.

READ FULL ARTICLE: https://bit.ly/3R8utfb 

 

 


Introducing a Champion Tree at the Missionary Oblates Novitiate November 26th, 2024

In September there was buzz around a special champion tree recently discovered on the property at the Missionary Oblates Novitiate.
 
The Basswood tree was recently nominated as one of Illinois’ largest native trees.
 
In this video, Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director of La Vista Ecological Learning Center introduces us to the tree and explains the selection process.  
 


Friends & Community Gather at Three Part Harmony (3PH) Farm’s Annual Fall Festival November 5th, 2024

On what was a lovely, sunny day, friends and community came together at Three Part Harmony Farm (3PH)’s annual fall festival this past weekend.
 
The farm is on the grounds of the Oblate Administrative Offices in Washington, DC.
 
Festival goers connected with each other, watched a cooking demo, planted garlic, and shared a meal. 
 
(Huge thanks to OMI Staff Janice Cooke who captured the days events through lovely photos)
 
 
 
 

Celebrating the Season of Creation at Sacred Heart Church: Oakland, CA October 2nd, 2024

Contributed by Fr. Jack Lau, OMI

Sacred Heart’s GreenTeam (Oakland, CA) and parishioners gathered on the Autumn Equinox and the
International World Day of Peace for a city wide clean up “From Creek to Bay.” We joined with 35 other groups from all over the city, over 500 volunteers! For our part, we collected over 250 Gallons of trash.
 
After the clean-up, we gathered at Noon at the Hiroshima Peace Garden@Sacred Heart for a prayer service for peace. The Garden is on MLK JR. Way and is part of our public space that is an oasis of peace for all peoples and pets. Preparations are being made now for the Annual Blessing of Pets which will be on October 6th. That will conclude our Parish Celebration of the Season of Creation.
 
 
World Day of Prayer for Peace: https://bit.ly/3zyJcLn
 
Season of Creation Bookmarks: https://bit.ly/3XFAp27
 
 
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