Parish Laudato Si’ Action Plan
Laudato Si News Cry of the Earth - Laudato Si' Goal 1
“What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come before us, to children who are now growing up.” (Laudato Si’ 160)
Seismic Blasting in the Southern Seas Campaign:
The Southern Seas are at threat with two multinational companies who have applied to seismic blast the area for 400 days. This damage endangers unique and globally significant areas, including the 12 Apostles, the Great Southern Reef and numerous marine protected areas (including two Commonwealth Marine Parks and protected whale sanctuaries). These proposals threaten the coastline, marine life, culturally significant areas and the climate.
Southern Blast Film screening at the Pivotonian on Wednesday, May 1 at 6.15 pm $10
What is Seismic Blasting? Seismic blasting is the first step in offshore oil and gas exploration. The process involves ships, equipped with air guns, emitting deafening blasts of sound into the ocean. These blasts reach 250 decibels–louder than an atomic bomb! Seismic blasts displace, injure and kill marine life. These blasts occur: Every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, up to 400 days at a time
Find out more about the campaign and sign the petition or write to your MP with the help of the Surfrider Foundation: https://www.surfrider.org.au/campaigns/save-the-southern-sea/
Laudato Si News Ecological Education - Laudato Si Goal 5
“Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change.” (Laudato Si’ 202)
Catholic Earth Care Caritas Australia has offered the Thin Ice screening for you here: https://thiniceclimate.org/
This is a unique exploration of the science behind global warming, and an intimate portrait of a global community of researchers racing to understand our planet's changing climate.
The next Earth Care Caritas live screening is on the 30th of April starting at 6pm AEST.
The film is ‘Queen of the Sun’. You can watch the trailer here: http://www.queenofthesun.com/about/trailer/
Queen of the Sun is a film about the importance of bees and the struggles they are facing around the world with the rise of chemical pesticides and herbicides, as well as colony collapse. Julie Armstrong from Act for Bees will be joining us to share a bit about her work and how you can help our pollinators!
To register please head to: https://caritas.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvdurqjkrHdM7OnPn066Wx_NUVdyj2XnB
An ecological approach to Holy Week
https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/ecological-approach-holy-week
March 22, 2024
In 1950, the renowned German theologian and theological peritus at the Second Vatican Council, Jesuit Fr. Karl Rahner, published a short article titled, "A Faith That Loves the Earth," in the journal Geist und Leben. The focus of his reflection was an attempt to say something about the joyful mystery of Easter, which is, as he put it, "the most human message of Christianity." And yet, Rahner notes, this "is the reason we have such a hard time understanding it. For what is the most true and obvious, in short, the easiest, is also the hardest to live out, to do, and to believe."
Rahner emphasizes our creatureliness, finitude and precarity as human beings, and reflects on the importance of Christ's full participation in that same human experience we all share. The mystery of Easter is the summation of God's incarnational expression of love — God's emptying God's self of all power and control (Philippians 2:6-11) in order to participate in the full range of creaturely existence, drawing near to human and nonhuman creatures, becoming a part of creation like us.
Precisely as one who is also fully divine, Christ's participation in the created order shows forth not only the inherent goodness of creation — something the second-century theologian Irenaeus of Lyon worked hard to communicate millennia earlier — but also the capacity of creation to receive the greatest good God could bestow to it, the gift of God's very self. In this way, what we celebrate at Easter is the full affirmation of the presence of the divine in the world and the hope we have of new life to come.
Rahner writes: "His resurrection is like the first erupting of a volcano, which shows that the fire of God is already burning inside the world and its light will eventually bring everything else to a blessed glow. He is risen to show that it has already started."
Easter is not only about the resurrection of one individual, but it is also about the whole of creation and salvation history, which are inextricably united. Easter is not only significant for us human beings alone, but also for all God's creatures. In a particularly moving passage, Rahner explains:
Christ is already at the very heart of all the lowly things of the earth that we are unable to let go of and that belong to the earth as mother. He is at the heart of the nameless yearning of all creatures, waiting — though perhaps unaware that they are waiting — to be allowed to participate in the transfiguration of his body. He is at the heart of earth's history, whose blind progress amidst all victories and all defeats is headed with uncanny precision toward the day that is his, where his glory will break forth from its own depths, thereby transforming everything.
And because Christ is at the heart of all of creation, we can say that it is not only Easter but all of Holy Week that has significance for more than just humanity alone.
"The Entry into Jerusalem; Christ riding on a donkey towards an arched city gate; an elderly man spreads out his cloak on the road," from "The Passion of Christ", after Dürer, circa 1500-34 by Marcantonio Raimondi (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Take Sunday's celebration of Jesus's arrival in Jerusalem. Nonhuman creatures, animals like the donkey upon which he rides and plants like the palms cut down and laid on the path before him, play a key role in the final chapter of the paschal mystery.
When we grasp those palms in our hands this weekend, and hold them up with shouts of "Hosanna" then raise them to be sprinkled with life-giving water, what thoughts enter our mind? Do we think about what significance there might be for the rest of creation in what we commemorate this week? Do we recognize the way nonhuman creation participates in the event of Christ's arrival?
What about Holy Thursday? The institution of the Lord's Supper — what the Second Vatican Council called the "source and summit" of our faith — is fundamentally about a meal shared by Jesus Christ with those women and men closest to him. They took "fruit of the earth and work of human hands," as our eucharistic prayer reminds us, and consumed it as we do all food.
This photo represents Renaissance painter Tintoretto's "The Last Supper." (CNS/Courtesy of Holy See Pavilion Press Office)
The intimacy of the eucharistic meal is obviously about the sacramental presence of Christ drawing near; of God becoming "closer to us than we are to ourselves," as St. Augustine famously described. But it is also about real bread and real wine, which began as wheat and water and grapes, and which nourishes and becomes part of us as all our food does.
It can be easy to overlook the ecological significance of the Eucharist, but as Pope Francis has taught in "Laudato Si', On Care for our Common Home," the Eucharist has cosmic implications:
Indeed the Eucharist is itself an act of cosmic love: "Yes, cosmic! Because even when it is celebrated on the humble altar of a country church, the Eucharist is always in some way celebrated on the altar of the world." The Eucharist joins heaven and earth; it embraces and penetrates all creation. The world which came forth from God's hands returns to him in blessed and undivided adoration: in the bread of the Eucharist, "creation is projected towards divinization, towards the holy wedding feast, towards unification with the Creator himself." Thus, the Eucharist is also a source of light and motivation for our concerns for the environment, directing us to be stewards of all creation.
When we say "amen" to "the body of Christ," may we also say "amen" to our interconnectedness with and interdependence on the rest of creation, recognizing that the Word first became part of that creation in the Incarnation and continues to draw near to creation in the transformed food we consume at Mass.
Rahner makes the point that even Christ's death has environmental significance, thereby signalling the ecological importance of Good Friday. He explains:
Especially because he died, he belongs to the earth, for putting someone's body into earth's grave means that the person (or the soul, as we would say) who has died enters not only into relationship with God but also into that final union with the mysterious ground of being, where all space-time elements are tied together and have their point of origin. In his death, the Lord descended into the lowest and deepest region of what is visible. It is no longer a place of impermanence and death, because there he now is. By his own death, he has become the heart of this earthly world. …
When we say 'amen' to 'the body of Christ,' may we also say 'amen' to our interconnectedness with and interdependence on the rest of creation.
In addition to reflecting on the agonizing death of an innocent man executed by the state, which continues to unveil the radical injustice of the death penalty and the culture of death reflected in support for capital punishment today, perhaps we might also reflect on the ecological implications of Christ's death.
Rahner suggests that we think about the present and future time as "still Holy Saturday until the last day, which will be the day of Easter for the entire cosmos." He adds that Easter calls us forward "as a loving faith that allows us to be brought along on this unimaginable journey of all earthly reality headed toward its own glory, a journey that started with the resurrection of Christ."
As we commemorate the paschal mystery this Holy Week, may we also remember that we are "children of this earth," as Rahner puts it. And may the creatureliness that we share with all of God's creation and with the Word incarnate, challenge us to also consider this sacred time of year through ecological lenses
Real Deal Action Forum 14/3
Adequate housing is essential for human survival with DIGNITY, with the current housing crisis a huge social justice issue in Geelong. St. Bernard's Parish has joined this alliance to advocate for solutions.
Over 200 people turned up for this Action Forum at the Geelong West Town Hall to learn about solutions to the housing crisis in Geelong, including 9 parishioners from St. Bernard's Parish. One of the shared experiences - "I learnt about the not for profit “PrefabAus” homes being built in Geelong, which can be assembled so quickly and look so modern. I also learnt of the Co-operative Housing which is a wonderful community way of living in a house that could be yours for life. I had no idea of the extent of homelessness in Geelong; how difficult it is to rent if you are aboriginal or disabled and that at least a couple of Members of Parliament are willing to do all they can to reduce homelessness in Geelong with the best use of land available. There are many good people who need our support". Victorian MPs Ella George and Christine Couzens attended and pledged to assist our efforts.
7258 people were supported by specialist homelessness services in the Barwon region in the last year, many who continue to be homeless when the support ends. There are 7,101 households on the priority list for social housing.
You can show your support by signing this petition to the City of Greater Geelong to build public and community housing https://bswhn.org.au/public-community-housing-petition
Real Deal Action
Please join us for the Real Deal Community Action Forum hosted by Real Deal Geelong, a coalition of community organisations including St. Bernard's Parish, dedicated to offering social justice solutions which will make a difference.
At this forum, we will bring together community members, local Members of Parliament, Housing providers and Smart Building Solutions to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing Geelong: the housing crisis and the urgent solutions we need to see implemented.
As housing affordability continues to decline and homelessness rises, it's imperative that we come together to take action.
We want to see implemented important and urgent solutions, which we have spent the last nine months building. By joining us, you'll have the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue, hear from key stakeholders and decision-makers and contribute to positive change in our community.
We hope you'll join us for this important Forum. Free event.
When: Thursday March 14
Location: Geelong West Town Hall, 153 Pakington Street, Geelong West
Time: 6.45pm for 7pm sharp start. Supper served from 8.30pm
The housing crisis is climbing the income ladder. More and more people are stuck in housing stress. As long as our tax system remains unfair, they have no hope of a decent life.
A government that is serious about tackling housing affordability must end the unfair tax breaks. Sign our petition calling on the government to create a #FairHousingFuture today.
Please consider signing this petition about the current housing crisis.
Real Deal update and invitation
Join us to hear more about our proposed solutions which will benefit our community.
Participate in the process and show your support for positive action in a Real Deal for Geelong.
Date: Thursday 7 December
Location: Cloverdale Community Centre, 167-169 Purnell Rd, Corio
Time: 6.30pm for light meal, 7pm sharp start. Finish 9pm.
Registrations are essential, we expect seats to fill quickly so BOOK NOW. https://allevents.in/geelong%20west/real-deal-geelong-community-solutions-forum/10000736263452807
For further details about our work, see Real Deal in Geelong. https://www.arealdeal.org/geelong
As St. Bernard's Parish is a member of the Real Deal group, we would love to see you at the
event to hear about the solutions proposed in this social justice project. The Issues are:
- Housing,
- Meaningful Work and the Cost of Living
- Care and Connection within our community.
- Be part of creating and supporting policy from the ground up.
The Geelong Real Deal project
St Bernard's Parish has accepted the invitation to participate in this social justice project, joining a broad coalition of groups and organisations working together to create a fairer future for our community by supporting local jobs, ensuring justice and leaving nobody behind, while securing a safer climate.
A 'Real Deal' for Geelong began in mid-2021. This project is a 'coming together' of groups from all across the City of Greater Geelong, consisting of faith organisations, community groups, environment groups and unions to ensure that every person has the opportunity to determine their best life and no-one is left behind. We know there are women in particular, living in cars within our parish boundary because of the accommodation crisis; as a Geelong community we can do better!
The goal of our collective is to present policy-makers (Local, State and Federal) with a collection of stories and lived experiences from the community, to show how much harm can be done, through poorly managed periods of great change (like Ford and Alcoa leaving Geelong), and help them learn from mistakes of the past. We hope the Real Deal will be genuinely transformative, put a spotlight on inequality and insecurity, make plans for meeting social and environmental needs and is both participatory and collaborative.
There have been great results in Qld and Sydney using this community building process.
Pope Francis urges dramatic action to combat climate change.
Apostolic Exhortation: Laudate Deum, or “Praise God
The document’s release comes ahead of the United Nations COP28 summit scheduled for November 30 to December 12 in Dubai.
The new document, titled Laudate Deum, or “Praise God,” amounts to a strong rejection of scepticism about global warming and the consequences of human intervention in the environment. “Even if we do not reach the point of no return, it is certain that the consequences would be disastrous and precipitous measures would have to be taken, at enormous cost and with grave and intolerable economic and social effects,” he wrote.
Read more on our SHARING FAITH page!
So what does that mean?
Pope Francis released his encyclical letter Laudato Si’ to call for action to address the spiritual, social and economic crisis causing environmental devastation. He called us to “Hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor”.
Taking their lead from Pope Francis, our Australian Catholic Bishops have invited us through Catholic Earthcare to implement a Laudato Si’ Action Plan, in order to be converted to new ways of living both personally and collectively, to care for our common home.
In August, Pope Francis made the surprise announcement that he was writing a ‘second part’ to his encyclical Laudato Si’. This new apostolic exhortation is due to be released on 4 October 2023, the feast day of St Francis of Assisi. The date also marks the conclusion to the Season of Creation, the ecumenical celebration designed to bring Christians together over care for our common home.
The figure of St Francis of Assisi cannot be underestimated. The life of St Francis was an integrated one. His approach to creation, to the poor, and to the faith, were united together. It is not a ‘green’ encyclical, it’s a social encyclical …,
Following the publication of Laudato Si’ in 2015, Pope Francis wanted to clarify the meaning of the encyclical amid significant public discussion taking place. When we speak of the “environment”, what we really mean is a relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it. Read more on our CHURCH NEWS page.
St. Bernard’s Parish - Laudato Si’ Action Plan 2023-2024
Congratulations on a great plan! Attached is your Level 3 Earthcare Parish Certificate.
Goal 1 - Cry of the Earth
“What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come before us, to children who are now growing up” (Laudato Si’ 160)
• Clean up Australia Action - Parish Team March 2023
• Consider indigenous plants for new columbarium/garden area
• Assess energy use – Café hot water heater on constantly
Goal 2 - Cry of the Poor
“When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person… it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself; everything is connected.” (Laudato Si’ 117)
• Vinnies active St. Bernard’s Belmont Conference
• Fairtrade coffee for church café/Easter chocolate
• Uluru Statement of the Heart event information in the Bulletin
• Caritas Appeal during Lent and regular Mannya Uganda appeals
Goal 3 - Ecological Economics
“Purchasing is always a moral - and not simply economic - act”. (Laudato Si’ 206)
• ‘Invest in our Planet’ – Geelong Sustainability event 26/4/23 in Bulletin
Goal 4 - Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles
“If we can overcome individualism, we will truly be able to develop a different lifestyle and bring about significant changes in society. An awareness of the gravity of today’s cultural and ecological crisis must be translated into new habits.” (Laudato Si’ 208-209)
• Connect LSi’ goal to local environment actions, charities and good works
• Season of Creation promote sustainability tips and external events ACF, Geelong Sustainability like https://energytips.org.au/ also the Our-Common-Home-SEI-Vatican (https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/our-common-home-sei-vatican-20221128.pdf)
Goal 5 - Ecological Education
“Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change.” (Laudato Si’ 202)
• Film presentation of ‘The Letter’ December 2022
• Parish LSi’ Action group formed January 2023, to advise on actions
• Parish social media – LSi’ education and events
• LSi goals/information in parish bulletin over the year
• A summary of LSi’ goals, actions to be included on the Parish website.
• Presentation by Sue Martin on Ecological Conversion September 2023 with CLC Australia
Goal 6 - Ecological Spirituality
“Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.” (Laudato Si’ 217)
• NATSICC Sunday Liturgy July 2023
• LSi’ Week May – Bulletin information and liturgy
• Walk with God in Nature resources provided in Season of Creation
• Tradition of LSi’ Sunday liturgy/music/sermon with reflection on goals x 3
• Indigenous Stations of the Cross on Good Friday 2023
• Clairvaux School led liturgy for World Day of Prayer 1/9/23
• Season of Creation Calendar on the website as a resource for parishioners
Goal 7- Community Engagement & Participatory Action
“Bring the whole human family together… for we know that things can change” (Laudato Si’ 13)
• Palm Sunday Walk for Refugee Justice 2/4/2023
• Suggestion Box in Church foyer to receive suggestions and respond to parishioners
• A Parish ‘Welcome’ sign on social media
• After 9 am Sunday Mass Parish Café open – welcome to all; new people, people with a disability, all cultures welcome
• Real Deal Social Justice Project and Research Action Teams ongoing; to champion systemic change to current social and affordable housing issues, Care and Connection for All and Meaningful Work and Affordable Living
• Connect with diverse cultures in parish through our International Lunch in August 2023
Welcome Sign
At St. Bernards we extend welcome to all people, whatever your faith, hopes or spirituality.
Those of diverse backgrounds, lifestyles, culture and gender. We especially welcome youth who are searching, curious or just perplexed.
All people “Welcome”
The Real Deal (https://www.arealdeal.org/) is a diverse and unusual collaboration of a broad alliance of faith, climate, union, indigenous and community groups in Geelong supported by the University of Sydney Policy Lab.
St. Bernard’s Parish is one of the faith groups involved in the Geelong Real Deal.
It aims to identify current social justice issues in order to build a safe and resilient community for the benefit of people and the planet. This social justice project is considered to be part of Catholic Social Teaching – Subsidiarity/Participation.
Catholic Earthcare Parishes/Organisations Coordinator
I’ve enjoyed going through your plan. You’ve got some action in all 7 goals which is ideal.
You are particularly strong on Goal 7 with your cooperation/partnerships with Clean Up Aust, Geelong Sustainability, Palm Sunday Walk and The Real Deal.
Love the idea of a new indigenous plants area. Your ongoing addressing of Goals 5 and 6 is admirable and will inevitably result in bringing change that ripples out.
If you achieve all your year 1 (and 2) actions, you will have firmly embedded the journey to ecological conversion in the life of your parish.
A couple of Francis’ thoughts to leave you with …
All of us are linked by unseen bonds and together form a kind of universal family, a sublime communion which fills us with a sacred, affectionate and humble respect. (LS 89)
With best wishes from the Earthcare family as you continue the journey.
