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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?
(Stay tuned for Reflection 3 by Br Eliakim Mbenda)
2023 Creation Care Calendars for Lent February 22nd, 2023
We invite you to join us this Lent to take actions to help preserve God’s great gift of Creation.
Our friends at Interfaith Power & Light, in partnership Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake and EcoLatinos, have produced downloadable calendars that can be adapted for your community & with different actions you can take during Lent.
Invite your communities to distribute them as bulletin inserts during worship on an upcoming Sunday. Each year, these calendars go up on refrigerators and bulletin boards across communities, and open many conversations about environmental stewardship and climate action.
SAMPLE ACTION
“Christians have fasted from meat during Lent for generations. Try eating vegetarian today and check out Oxfam’s Eat for Good resource online for other ways to use your fast to bless others”: bit.ly/eat4good
Visit their website to download the calendars:
ipldmv.org/lent
“May this season serve as a reminder of our interdependence and our call to care for our common home.”
Mark this Advent With Saint Eugène De Mazenod November 18th, 2015
Missionary Oblates JPIC is pleased to offer resources for the 2015 Advent season for you to adapt and use in your congregations, communities and personal prayer time. The Advent packet includes themes for the four weeks of Advent with related scripture, quotes from Saint Eugène De Mazenod, reflections and action. Please feel free to share this resource. Download the resource here.
Vatican Radio interview Oblate representative at UN about Laudato Si’ July 31st, 2015
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he Vatican Radio has interviewed Fr. Daniel LeBlanc OMI,Missionary Oblates General Administration representative to the United Nations and VIVAT in New York about the impact of Pope Francis Encyclical Laudato Si’ on United Nations deliberations.
Listen to Fr Daniel interview here
Part of being Christian is Protecting the Environment February 12th, 2015
According to Pope Francis, protecting the environment is part of a Christian’s identity, not an ideological option. “A Christian who does not protect creation, who does not let it grow, is a Christian who does not care about the work of God; that work that was born from the love of God for us,” the Pope added. “And this is the first response to the first creation: protect creation, make it grow.”
