Imagine if St. Ignatius of Loyola and Mary Aikenhead were alive today they would surely be excited about proclaiming the importance of an ecological examen. (The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience).
Care of the Earth
Season of Creation
The Congregation will be joining in a time of prayer and caring for Creation, a month-long Season of Creation, beginning on 1st September and ending on October 4 (Feast of St. Francis of Assisi). All Christians are invited to pray and care for Creation together. Click on the Season of Creation website to see the video invitation of Pope Francis.
An Afternoon on Laudato Si
Sisters and Friends of Mary Aikenhead gathered recently in Donnybrook, Dublin, for an afternoon on Laudato Si presented by Fr Francis OFM. It was an inspiring and energising afternoon permeated by the spirit of St. Francis.
The afternoon presented many challenges, two central ones I share here.
In an English City Garden
St Joseph’s Hospice, Hackney, has a beautiful wild garden for the third year running. And next door in the courtyard of St Joseph’s convent Sr Geraldine and community are getting back to the wild also and are nurturing some vegetable patches in which they are growing beetroot, beans, rhubarb and tomatoes, to name a few.
Laudato Si Eco-Village @ World Youth Day
Millions of Catholic youth will be gathered in Krakow, Poland in late July to be with Pope Francis as part of World Youth Day. As we think about climate change we know that it is the youth and future generations who will be most affected. This is why we are witnessing youth around the globe who are working hard to live out their faith by caring for creation.
