JUSTIFYING AN INTEGRAL CAPABILITIES APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT   [Abstract: John Guo SM]   The idea that development should be sustainable has been refined and widely accepted. It is no longer a new discussion topic, but is part of the concern of human development already. The concern for the well-being and quality of life must be sustainable. The Brundtland Commission Report Our Common Future described sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." People is the only end of sustainable human development. The Brundtland Commission's definition ...

This article was forwarded to us by Kiwi Marist: Phil Cody SM:  it is written by Mary Betz, an associate of Phil's in ministry: Mary Betz: Originally from Canada and USA, Mary has lived in New Zealand for nearly thirty years. She is an ecologist, theologian and writer, has two grown daughters, and lives with her husband Peter in the Titirangi bush.https://acsd.org.nz/spiritual-director/mary-betz/ Mary Betz recommande que nous travaillions ensemble avec le courage et la résolution de l'Esprit pour réduire le chaos climatique en notre monde.   https://hail.to/tui-motu-interislands-magazine/publication/UecNnu0/article/LacE7TG      voir ci-dessous Mary Betz recommen...

Sr. Gladys Enanoria, smsm - Chulucanas, Piura, Peru – writes:   /   Sr Gladys Enanoria, smsm - Chulucanas, Piura, Pérou - écrit  [ voir ci-dessous] A powerful cyclone called "Yaku" - March 2023 - unleashed torrential rains, battering hundreds of homes causing major disruptions and devastations and has generated a lot of pain and suffering to the lives of the people in the north of Peru. Cyclone Yaku is an unusual phenomenon that has caused the rains to intensify in the north of the country. Officials say, the havoc can be traced to unseasonably warm ocean temperatures off the Peruvian coast that generate intense rainstorms and has caused Peru to receive 10 times...

Extrait du "Rameau de Pâques", bulletin de la maison de formation mariste Saint-Pierre Chanel de Yaoundé (Cameroun). Un article de Luigi Salvodelli sm See below for English Translation: From "Le Rameau de Pâques", a bulletin published by the Marist Formation House Saint-Pierre Chanel at Yaoundé (Cameroon). A contribution by Luigi Salvodelli sm.   THE ENCYCLICAL "LAUDATO SI" TO DATE LA RÉALISATION À CE JOUR DE L'ENCYCLIQUE "LAUDATO SI" Ces derniers jours, le Pape François est revenu une fois de plus sur le contenu de l'encyclique "Laudato Si", en soulignant son sens le plus profond, qui nous encourage à revenir à l'essentiel et à la terre, selon la pensée de saint François d'As...

For your consideration … "Overshoot" - Professor William Rees   /   « Overshoot », le dépassement des ressources de la terre   By Ross Flint – Marist Associate  /   Par Ross Flint – Associé mariste    -   faites défiler vers le bas pour la traduction française    This week (March 2023) I have been listening to an esteemed Canadian professor Bill Rees who gives a dire assessment for our future on this planet. His conclusion is that the climate change issue is actually a symptom of a more serious problem, what he calls "Overshoot". William E. Rees with Nate Hagens: "The Fundamental Issue - Overshoot" | The Gre...

Cet article est tiré du « Rameau » n° 22, avril 2023, bulletin de la Maison de formation Saint Pierre Chanel-des Pères Maristes du District d'Afrique à Yaoundé (Cameroun), avec l'aimable autorisation d'Yvan Carré sm, son supérieur.  -  This article was published in "Le Rameau", Nr 22, April 2023, Saint Peter Chanel formation house–Marist Fathers, Yaoundé, Cameroon, District of Africa , courtesy of its Superior, Fr. Yvan Carré sm L'écologie, une question qui concerne toutes les sociétés africaines Depuis quelque temps notre « maison commune » est sérieusement menacée par le changement climatique et la dégradation de l'environnement. Malheureusement, l'Afrique ne semble pas être...

POSITION PAPER: LAUDATO SI' AND MARIST OCEANIA                LAUDATO SI' ET L'OCEANIE MARISTE   traduction ci-dessous                                                  Fr Samu Tukidia sm Introduction This position paper specifically attempts to weave together certain themes in Laudato Si' and their applications and implications for us Oceanian Marists. It discusses three points. First, current steps taken by the Society of Mary to support the thinking of Laudato Si' is presented. Second, Marist ecological visions o...

No-Dig Gardening - Part 2, - "How we can undertake no-dig gardening in the growing of crops."  [author: Ross Flint] My no dig method allows you to grow masses of healthy, nutritious food. More easily than with traditional digging. 1 Leave soil undisturbed as much as possible, so that soil life continues helping plant roots to grow. 2 Feed the soil life with organic matter on the surface, once a year. I recommend compost. That's it! View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LH6-w57Slw This is the best introduction to the process of commencing a no-dig approach. How to get started 1. Create a new, no dig bed What size? For a beginner, the best option is to start small with just one bed,...

No-Dig Gardening   [written by Ross Flint, Marist Associate, Tasmania] - [écrit par Ross Flint, associé mariste, Tasmanie] Part 1 - Why undertake no-dig gardening in the growing of crops? Before explaining "How?" we need to address the prior question "Why?" Most soil already has a good structure for plant roots to grow, and is full of growth-enabling organisms. Millions of fungal threads, nematodes and earthworms, to name a few, are being helpful right under our feet, mostly out of sight. We need to help them to help us. You have already started no-dig without knowing! Since the last time you dug or tilled or forked your soil, it has been healing itself, with networks of fungi...

Dear confreres and friends, the Laudato Si Movement is going to launch the Laudato Si' Animator training next April; kindly find at this link the promotional kit in all languages. Thank you for sharing widely within your network, on the Society of Mary's website and social media. Be aware that the training starts as follows and people can register accordingly: English (next 19th April), Spanish (next 17th April), French (next 19th April), Italian (next 19th April), Portuguese (next 18th April). Laudato Si Animator Training is recommended by our Marist Sustainability Covenant , approved by the SG and Council, 2022. Anyone interested in the Animator of Animators training, please let me kn...

Our blog this week has been submitted by Br Ivan Vodopivec SM - agreed by Anei - a South-Sudanese Refugee who made it to England. Anei requested to keep his original name for his article. Notre blog de cette semaine a été soumis par le Frère Ivan Vodopivec SM - accepté par Anei - un réfugié sud-soudanais qui s'est rendu en Angleterre. Anei a demandé de conserver son nom d'origine pour son article. Name / Nom: Anei                      Country / Nationalité : South Sudan                       Ethnicity / Origine ethnique : Shilluk I was born in Malakal Town South S...

Fr Donato Kivi SM presented the following "Care for our Oceans" to the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania - a regional grouping that comprises the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands and the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific (CEPAC) – which includes Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna. At their recent Assembly held in Fiji from 5th – 10th February. Care for the Oceans Ferdinand Magellan and his exploration group g...

Our blog this week was referred to us by Fr Petero Matairatu sm, Director of Marist Training Centre, Tutu, Fiji. The booklet can be downloaded here – in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. It is the fruit of a common endeavor between the Vatican Dicastery of Integral Human development and the Stockholm Environment Institute. It is a useful resource for groups, parishes, schools in addressing current issues in 'Our Common Home'. Notre blog de cette semaine nous a été référé par le Père Petero Matairatu sm, Directeur du Centre de Formation Mariste, Tutu, Fidji. La brochure peut être téléchargée ici – en français, anglais, espagnol, italien et portugais. C'est le fruit d'un effor...

Aotearoa/New Zealand poet, Brian Turner has written a poignant little poem called Sky. Made all the more poignant with the recent weather bomb in Tāmakimakarau/Auckland it reads; If the sky knew half of what we are doing down here it would be stricken, inconsolable, and we would have nothing but rain.[i] This poem points to what American ecologist Eileen Crist calls the human supremacy complex[ii].In such a complex the human community and all its noble endeavours reigns supreme. Human industry takes over our planet home in almost every sphere. Extreme, and all too common, examples of human supremacy show up in what are called sacrifice zones[iii]. Almost every nation on Earth has its sacrifi...

The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, or COP27, is being held as the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference, and occurs from 6 November until 18 November 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. One way we can all partake in the present and future care of our common home is through a Contemplative exercise – Earth Examen. The one below comes from the Season of Creation website.  Contemplation - Earth Examen: An examen is a way of beholding an object or being in prayerful wonder. Through questions, you are invited to reflect on God's presence and the goodness of that which you behold. Consider contempla...

The Letter: This film was released on Tuesday 04th October, the last day of the Ecumenical Season of Creation. Produced by Oscar-winning producers Off the Fence it explores issues including Indigenous rights, climate migration, and youth leadership in the context of action on climate and nature. The highlight of the film is the exclusive dialogue that the protagonists have with Pope Francis. The Trailer, 2 mins, can be viewed here: https://theletterfilm.org/ The Movie, 80 mins, can be viewed here: https://theletterfilm.org/watch/ Both the Trailer, and the Movie are good news that can be spread in every family, every community, every school, parish, and diocese.  The press conference was...

Fr Paul Walsh sm, Irish Marist who spent some years in Norway, sent us this news from Elizabeth Golding, a friend and Marist Associate in Oslo, who calls Grandparents to care for the future of their Grandchildren:  The future of the grandchildren must be secured. Now the Grandparents' Climate Action is fighting for extensive use of solar roofs on public buildings. While the state is raking in extra billions on high energy prices, there must be room to invest much of it in energy-saving and climate-friendly solar panels on public buildings, such as churches and schools, Demands Elisabeth Golding and Grandparents' Climate Action.  The organization Grandparents' Climate Action is a ge...

This blog anticipates the third week of the Season of Creation: beginning on Sunday 18th August:  We bow to the presence of God in all creation and we also bow to the presence of God in the heart of every person. Mantra: Holy Ground Monica Brown You are here, so this is holy ground. In all that is You are here. This is holy ground, the ground of my being now. My spirit bows to You upon this holy ground. Before each reading, the reader places a pair of shoes at the prayer focus. Reflection 1: Holy Ground is any place where we experience God: where we learn that we're not alone and where we discover that God provides us with what we need to be, who we're...

The Second Sunday in the Season of Creation will be on September 11th.  This Meditation and Prayer Exercise anticipates the 2nd Week:  Meditative exercise: I invite you to close your eyes and to be attentive to all that you hear. (allow 2 minutes) I now invite you to open your eyes. Remembering what you have heard, try to locate where the different sounds came from. Do you see anything unusual, extraordinary, or unexpected? Rejoice and thank God our Creator for what you have heard, seen, and discovered… and allow it all to draw you into the presence of God! Scripture Reading: Exodus 3:3-4 Then Moses said, "I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bu...