News Archives » Laudato Si
Reflection on December’s Ecological Conversion Field Trip with OMI Novices January 14th, 2025
Contributed by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director of Oblate Ecological Initiative
We visited Treehouse Wildlife Center mid-December to experience a community dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured wildlife. TreeHouse exemplifies the spirit of Laudato Si which calls us to shift from the exploitation of other species to treating them as beings “with intrinsic value, apart from their usefulness to us”. Anyone can bring an injured animal to this center, and it will be treated as “brother or sister” in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.
Reflection on October’s Field Trip with OMI Novices November 8th, 2024
Contributed by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director, La Vista Ecological Learning Center
Novices Alfred, Michael, Eliakim and Edwin (L to R) are pictured here in Great Rivers Park by a monument
honoring Godfrey, IL’s first mayor.
Carved into stone is a Native American quote, “The Circle of Life teaches we are all the children of the Earth. May we leave the Earth a better place than what was left for us.”
This quote reflects the mayor’s life as well as the life and service of the man we were to meet next.
This park is adjacent to the Great Rivers Land Trust, the destination for our trip, as we set out to explore ecological conversion from exploitation of land to “responsible stewardship” (Laudato Si, 116) Alley Ringhausen, who has been Executive Director of GRLT for 25 years, is a living example of a responsible steward. Under his leadership, five thousand acres along the Mississippi River bluff corridor has been preserved in perpetuity, protecting a thriving ecological habitat of oak and hickory forests and unique hill prairies. Home to migratory birds like the American bald eagle and the white pelican, those acres are an invaluable asset for wildlife. Were it not for the GRLT the hill prairies and forests might only be a memory, and several threatened and endangered species, along with many others, would have lost their habitat.
Ringhausen regaled us with stories of his cunning acquisition of land which often took many years to accomplish. Reflecting on his presentation, the novices wisely noted that patience, foresight and deep commitment are hallmarks of responsible stewardship.
Finally, we returned to the Novitiate, which is a beneficiary of Ringhausen’s efforts, as more than 150 acres of there are preserved. Once again, we are grateful to OMI for longtime efforts to care for our common home.
Friends & Community Gather at Three Part Harmony (3PH) Farm’s Annual Fall Festival November 5th, 2024
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- Preparing garlic for planting
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- Preparing garlic for planting
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- Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI prepares garlic for planting
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- Gail Taylor, Proprietor & Farmer of Three Part Harmony & Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI find rest under a tree
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- Janice Cooke (middle) poses with friends
A New Heaven & a New Earth Multi-Artist Album Released October 16th, 2024
Celebrating the Season of Creation at Sacred Heart Church: Oakland, CA October 2nd, 2024
Contributed by Fr. Jack Lau, OMI
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.
