A HOME FOR ALL: Engaging the signs of the times: September 2021, vol. 14, no.
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September 2021, vol. 14, no. 1
Four Elements: https://earthhavenlearning.ca/blog/the-four-elements/18
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Engaging the signs of the times:
A HOME FOR ALL:
2021 Season of Creation
A Home for All
FORUMWORD
As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at
once holds great peril and great promise — The Earth Charter
The capacity of Earth, our common home, to sustain life is rapidly being
OPENSPACE undermined. Each year, tens of thousands of species, each a unique
is published ŵĂŶŝĨĞƐƚĂƟŽŶŽĨƚŚĞƌĞĂƚŽƌ͕ĂƌĞĚƌŝǀĞŶƚŽĞdžƟŶĐƟŽŶ͘ůƌĞĂĚLJ͕ƚŚŝƐĞĐŽůŽŐŝĐĂů
by the Jesuit Forum ĐƌŝƐŝƐĐĂƵƐĞƐŝŵŵĞŶƐĞŚƵŵĂŶƐƵīĞƌŝŶŐ͕ƐƵīĞƌŝŶŐƚŚĂƚǁŝůůŐƌŽǁĂƐƚŚĞĐƌŝƐŝƐ
for Social Faith and Justice. accelerates. Indeed, life on Earth is now facing its greatest threat since the last,
ŐƌĞĂƚŵĂƐƐͲĞdžƟŶĐƟŽŶϲϱŵŝůůŝŽŶLJĞĂƌƐĂŐŽ͘
Mark Hathaway
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
This year’s ecumenical ^ĞĂƐŽŶŽĨƌĞĂƟŽŶ (September 1 to October 4) calls us
Victoria Blanco ƚŽƌĞŇĞĐƚŽŶ͞ŚŽŵĞĨŽƌĂůů͍ZĞŶĞǁŝŶŐƚŚĞOikos of God.” Oikos;͞ĞĐŽ͟ͿŝƐĂ
PROGRAM MANAGER Greek word meaning the home or the household—which can be understood as
the whole inhabited Earth. ^ĞĞ͗ŚƩƉƐ͗ͬͬǁǁǁ͘ƐĞĂƐŽŶŽĨĐƌĞĂƟŽŶ͘ŽƌŐ
Trevor Scott
NETWORKING COORDINATOR
tĞƌĞŇĞĐƚŽŶƚŚĞoikosƚŽƵŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚ͞ƚŚĞŝŶƚĞŐƌĂůŶĂƚƵƌĞŽĨƚŚĞŵĂŶLJ
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contact@jesuitforum.ca ĂƌƚŚ͕ƐŽƚŚĂƚůŝĨĞŵĂLJŇŽƵƌŝƐŚĂŶĚĂůůŵĂLJŚĂǀĞĂũƵƐƚĂŶĚƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞŚŽŵĞ1.”
To subscribe to the electronic
version, please visit our website:
www.jesuitforum.ca. WŽƉĞ&ƌĂŶĐŝƐŶŽƚĞƐƚŚĂƚ͞ĞĐŽůŽŐLJƐƚƵĚŝĞƐƚŚĞƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉďĞƚǁĞĞŶůŝǀŝŶŐ
ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐŵƐĂŶĚƚŚĞĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ͟;Laudato Si’, 138). Indeed, an integral ecology
ŵĂLJďĞƵŶĚĞƌƐƚŽŽĚĂƐƚŚĞƐƚƵĚLJŽĨŝŶƚĞƌƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ͗ŽƵƌƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉƐƚŽŽŶĞ
ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ͕ŽƵƌƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉƐǁŝƚŚŽƚŚĞƌůŝǀŝŶŐďĞŝŶŐƐĂŶĚƚŚĞ ĂƌƚŚ͕ĂŶĚĞǀĞŶŽƵƌ
ƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉǁŝƚŚŽƵƌƌĞĂƚŽƌ͘
Pope Francis also reminds us that the ecological crisis is a concrete
The Jesuit Forum is an initiative of ŵĂŶŝĨĞƐƚĂƟŽŶ2 of a deeper ethical, cultural, and spiritual crisis of modernity
the Jesuits of Canada. ;>^ϭϭϵͿ͘ZĞƐŽůǀŝŶŐƚŚŝƐĐƌŝƐŝƐƌĞƋƵŝƌĞƐŶŽƚŽŶůLJƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐŝĐĂů͕ƉŽůŝƟĐĂů͕ĂŶĚ
The Jesuit Forum brings together ĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐƚƌĂŶƐĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͕ďƵƚĂůƐŽĂĐŚĂŶŐĞŽĨŚĞĂƌƚƚŚĂƚƌĞĐŽŶŶĞĐƚƐƵƐƚŽƚŚĞ
small groups of people, who want wider community of life.
to – and can – make a difference, to
reflect, share and speak openly and
honestly on a range of issues.
In this OpenSpace͕ǁĞŝŶǀŝƚĞLJŽƵƚŽƌĞŇĞĐƚŽŶ͞ĂůůŽƵƌƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐ͟ǀŝĂĂ
ŵĞĚŝƚĂƟŽŶŽŶƚŚĞĨŽƵƌƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶĂůĞůĞŵĞŶƚƐŽĨĞĂƌƚŚ͕ǁĂƚĞƌ͕ĮƌĞ͕ĂŶĚĂŝƌ͘ƐǁĞ
The hope is that this trust-building
ĞdžƉůŽƌĞƚŚĞƐĞƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ͕ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌ͗
approach will counteract the growing
privatization of peoples’ faith and • ,ŽǁǁĞĂƌĞŝŶƟŵĂƚĞůLJĐŽŶŶĞĐƚĞĚǁŝƚŚĂůůůŝĨĞĂŶĚƚŚĞĞůĞŵĞŶƚƐ͘/ŶƐŽ
deepest convictions. We want to ĚŽŝŶŐ͕ƚĂŬĞƟŵĞƚŽĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞŐƌĂƟƚƵĚĞĨŽƌƚŚĞƐĞĐŽŶŶĞĐƟŽŶƐ͕ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ
foster friendship, energy, ŽƵƌĐŽŶŶĞĐƟŽŶƚŽƚŚĞƌĞĂƚŽƌŽĨĂůů͘
enthusiasm and a deeper • ,ŽǁŚƵŵĂŶƐͶƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌůLJƚŚĞǁĞĂůƚŚŝĞƐƚĂŵŽŶŐƵƐͶĂƌĞĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJ
understanding of the world in which
ƚŚƌĞĂƚĞŶŝŶŐƚŚĞŝŶƚĞŐƌŝƚLJŽĨĐƌĞĂƟŽŶ͕ƉƵƫŶŐĐŽƵŶƚůĞƐƐƐƉĞĐŝĞƐĂƚƌŝƐŬŽĨ
we live. The Jesuit Forum process
helps to uncover creative solutions
ĞdžƟŶĐƟŽŶ͕ĚĞƐƚƌŽLJŝŶŐƚŚĞĂƌƟƐƚƌLJŽĨŽƵƌƌĞĂƚŽƌ͕ĂŶĚĞŶĚĂŶŐĞƌŝŶŐďŝůůŝŽŶƐ
that are within us and direct them ŽĨŚƵŵĂŶůŝǀĞƐ͘
outward, enabling us to determine • WĂƚŚǁĂLJƐƚŽǁĂƌĚƐĂŐĞŶƵŝŶĞĞĐŽůŽŐŝĐĂůĐŽŶǀĞƌƐŝŽŶ͕ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐĂĐƟŽŶƐƚŽ
what we can do with others renew and regenerate our common household.
to build a better world.
Mary Ward Centre ĂĐŚƐĞĐƟŽŶďĞŐŝŶƐǁŝƚŚĂŶŝŶǀŝƚĂƟŽŶĨŽƌLJŽƵƚŽƚĂŬĞƟŵĞƚŽĐŽŶŶĞĐƚǁŝƚŚ
70 St. Mary Street ĞĂƌƚŚ͕ǁĂƚĞƌ͕ĮƌĞ͕ŽƌĂŝƌƵƐŝŶŐƚŚĞĞůĞŵĞŶƚĂůďƌĞĂƚŚƐƉƌĂĐƟĐĞŽƌŝŐŝŶĂůůLJƚĂƵŐŚƚ
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1J3
ďLJƚŚĞ^ƵĮƚĞĂĐŚĞƌ,ĂnjƌĂƚ/ŶĂLJĂƚ
A Home for all
A HOME FOR ALL:
2021 Season of Creation
-By Mark Hathaway
Humanity is part of a vast evolving universe.
Earth, our home, is alive with a unique community of life….
The protection of Earth’s vitality, diversity, and beauty is a sacred trust.
— The Earth Charter
Take a moment to stand comfort- life, form the organic matter that
ably, keeping your knees soft, your enriches soil and makes it fertile.
Earth feet shoulder-width apart.
Each time you eat, you are
Be praised, my Lord, Close your eyes and become aware fed—directly or indirectly—by the
through our sister Mother of your breathing…. living soil that nurtures your food.
Earth, who feeds us and
As you breathe, become aware of Good soil, rich in humus, is very
rules us, and
your connection with the ground much alive. A single gram of soil
produces various fruits with beneath your feet. Breathe in and can contain billions of bacteria and
coloured flowers and herbs. out through your nose. other micro-organisms, millions of
— St. Francis, Canticle of fungi, hundreds of thousands of
the Creatures Imagine that you are drawing the algae and protozoa, and hundreds
air up through the soles of your of nematodes3.
feet to your heart and then return-
ing the breath back down to the Rich, organic soil is a vibrant and
Earth as you exhale. living ecosystem that enables
communication between plants via
Become aware of all that is solid the fungal network.
within you, particularly your bones
and the feeling of support from the In Genesis 2, the human (adam) is
Earth itself. formed from this living soil
(adamah) and the Creator breathes
Take some time to simply breathe life into this creation. You are
in and out in this manner. living, breathing soil.
As you maintain this awareness, Ultimately, your body will return to
experience yourself as living, the soil, becoming food for other
https://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqbk958N931qg5bkro1_500.jpg.
breathing Earth. living creatures. Soil is a gift given
to you and you, in turn, will give
Your Connection to Soil your body back to the soil in a
relationship of sacred reciprocity.
[Ecological] conversion calls for…
gratitude and gratuitousness, Take some time to experience grat-
a recognition that the world is itude for the living soil upon which
God’s loving gift. – LS 220 you depend for sustenance, as well
as for the beauty of all the growing
Every element in your body has plants and animals that depend
cycled through millions of other upon soil.
living creatures over time.
Feel gratitude, too, for the Creator
The remains of your ancestors— who sustains us all through the
both human and other-than-hu- living soil.
man—as well as from your more
distant living cousins in the web of
– continued on page 4
3 September 2021
A Home for all
over time and depleting organic Ultimately, a loss of living soil is a
Lament for the Soil matter, while tilling accelerates loss of the capacity to sustain and
erosion. regenerate life itself.
We lament and mourn the loss and
degradation of the gift of living, All these undermine the ability of Take a moment to experience grief
healthy soil. soil to hold water, contributing to for the loss of the living soil upon
both droughts and flooding. which all terrestrial life depends.
It can take centuries to produce a
single centimeter of topsoil. Practices like clear cutting forests Conserving and
or converting forests to cropland Regenerating Soil
Over the past 150 years—and further contribute to soil loss.
particularly since 1950—nearly half What we most need to do is to
of the Earth’s fertile soil has been The same practices that degrade hear within us the sound of Earth
lost due to deforestation and soil often contribute to global crying. –Vietnamese Zen Master
conventional farming practices4. heating: Soil is the largest land- Thich Nhat Hanh
based carbon sink, but industrial
Indeed, every year, 75 billion farming practices (use of chemical Let our lament and grief, as well
tonnes of soil is lost, and 12 fertilizers, tilling the soil, etc.) as our love for and connection to
million hectares—nearly the size have turned soil into a net carbon living earth, call us to a change of
of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick emitter. Globally, soils have lost heart and meaningful action.
combined—turns to desert5, even 30-70% of their carbon content—
as a growing population needs contributing to the greenhouse gas While the natural soil regeneration
more food. effect and the climate crisis6. takes centuries, humans can ac-
celerate this process. The Rodale
The use of pesticides and chemical When we lose or degrade soil, we Institute, for example, has demon-
fertilizers have accelerated this undermine the capacity of Earth to strated that regenerative farming
process, killing the living creatures generate food and forests, to hold practices that build organic matter
that maintain the soil’s fertility and slowly release reserves of wa- using compost, minimal tillage,
ter, and to stabilize global climate.
Courtesy of https://institutoterra.org/
Instituto Terra is the result of the initiative of the couple, Lélia Deluiz Wanick Salgado and Sebastião
Salgado in returning to nature what decades of environmental degradation had destroyed. Some 2.7 million
trees have healed a hole in the Mata Atlântica, the Atlantic Forest that was heavily deforested in the 20th
century in the mountainous coastal region of southern and eastern Brazil. There are now 293 different plant
species growing in this area, including grasses, mosses, flowers, shrubs and trees. Many of the plants do not
exist anywhere else in the world.
4 September 2021
A Home for all
and other ecological methods can We can also support sustainable
increase the carbon content of soil agriculture in the global South by
by 30% over thirty years7. supporting small-scale farmers via
alternative trade networks that
Around the globe, people have ensure a fair wage and safe
regenerated degraded land in ten working conditions for producers.
to forty years by planting trees,
using compost, building contoured Conclusion
swales to capture water, and em-
ploying a wide diversity of plant Take a moment to return to the
and animal species to create more earth breath, breathing in and out
diverse food ecosystems. through your nose as you
https://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqbk958N931qg5bkro1_500.jpg.
experience your connection to the
In Brazil, tracts of functional living soil.
rainforest have been restored. In
parts of Burkina Faso, desertifi- Feel gratitude for the gifts of the
cation has been reversed. On the soil and the gifts of all the living
Loess Plateau of China, a large creatures who sustain and who are
agricultural area has been brought sustained by that soil.
back to life8.
Express your gratitude to them and
All of these are signs of hope. On to our Creator and commit yourself
the one hand, humans cannot (by to working for the sustenance and
themselves) create living, fertile regeneration of healthy soils.
soil. We need the wisdom and
labour of countless organisms to
generate and sustain humus.
Water
Yet, humans can work lovingly and
intelligently with other organisms Be praised, my Lord ,
to renew and regenerate the life through Sister Water; she is
of soil. We can also learn from the very useful, and humble, and
wisdom of those who live intimate- precious, and pure. Your Connection to Water
ly with the land, particularly
— St. Francis, Canticle of
Indigenous Peoples. If we approach nature… without
the Creatures
this openness to awe and wonder,
Each of us can contribute to this if we no longer speak the
process—seeking out foods language of fraternity and
produced more sustainably, Now, shift your awareness to the beauty in our relationship with
including organic products and water within you, all that is the world, our attitude will be
those with a lower carbon footprint flowing, all that is fluid. that of masters, consumers,
(less meat and fish, more plants). ruthless exploiters, unable to set
Standing again with your knees limits on their immediate needs.
We can compost our organic waste, slightly bent, inhale through your By contrast, if we feel intimately
returning it to the soil to enrich it. nose, but exhale through your united with all that exists, then
If we are able to garden, we can mouth. sobriety and care will well up
use the most sustainable meth- spontaneously. — LS11
ods possible, avoiding the use of Imagine that, as you breathe in
chemicals that can undermine the through your nose, you draw You are nearly two-thirds water.
health of soil and growing a wide the air up to your heart. As you For the first nine months of life,
diversity of plants. breathe out through your mouth, you lived immersed in a tiny sea.
imagine the breath moving up You were born out of the waters.
We can also advocate for more through the crown of your head
sustainable agricultural practices and then the emerging water In Genesis, the first day of creation
and policies. We can support farm- spraying forth like a fountain of is marked by the breath of God
ers employing these methods, via rain. moving over the face of the waters.
community shared agriculture or
buying at local farmers markets. Feel the droplets of water refresh-
ing and renewing you. Experience
yourself as living, breathing water. – continued on page 6
5 September 2021
A Home for all
The water within you is the union While water is essential to all life, age—is rapidly being drawn down,
of two elements, hydrogen and only a tiny fraction of that water is with 30% of the portion under
oxygen. Hydrogen came into being fresh (3%), and most of that water Kansas now gone. In parts of India,
13.8 billion years ago in the origi- is inaccessible. Only 0.5% of water up to 70% of wells have run dry as
nal flaring forth of the cosmos. is available to terrestrial creatures groundwater is consumed.
to meet their basic needs9, yet all
Oxygen was born in a supernova depend upon it. Mountain glaciers which feed many
explosion, over 5 billion years ago. of the world’s great rivers—includ-
In water, these two elements—the Water is vital to human well-being. ing those in the Himalayas upon
primordial substance of the We need water to drink, to clean, which billions in China, India, and
cosmos mixed with stardust—are to cook, and to grow our food; yet other parts of Asia depend—may
combined to sustain all life on 1 in 3 people do not have access largely disappear over the next
Earth. Connecting to water, we to adequate supplies of clean century due to climate change.
remember our ancient origins. water, result-
ing in
Remember the rain that fell for the countless
first 300 million years of Earth’s hours of
history, setting the stage for the labour to
emergence of life. Remember gather water
the birth of the oceans, the same and wide-
oceans you carry in your blood, spread
which has the same salt content as water-borne
the ancient seas. illnesses,
including the
If no life had existed on Earth, the deaths of
water on our planet might have nearly 300,000
disappeared long ago—slowly children
breaking apart into hydrogen and each year10.
oxygen, the former escaping from
the atmosphere, leaving behind a Even in a
desert world. water-rich
nation like
Yet, you live on a planet covered Canada, many
instead by oceans, lakes, and Indigenous
ISAAC MURDOCH & CHRISTI BELCOURT BANNERS.
Available at: http://onamancollective.com/
rivers. Three quarters of the communities
planet’s surface is covered in still live under
water. This water flows through boiled-water
all living creatures, linking us all advisories.
through both time and space.
Agriculture
The water in your body has flowed accounts for
through bacteria, ancient sea crea- 85% of human
tures, dinosaurs, and your human water con-
ancestors from time immemorial. sumption. It
takes 15,500
You are living, breathing water, liters of water
blessed by this miraculous sub- to produce a
stance sustaining all life. Take kilogram of In a report tabled in Parliament (2021),
some time to experience your beef or 24,000 liters to produce a by Auditor General Karen Hogan
gratitude for water, for all the kilogram of chocolate11. said many Indigenous communities will
living creatures who have enabled continue to live without access to clean
our planet to retain its water, and In many parts of the world, agri- water.
for the Creator who made them all. culture depends on irrigation—yet
the deep aquifers and rivers upon Hogan found that since the government
Lament for the Waters which this depends are being made that commitment, 100 advisories
rapidly depleted or polluted. have been lifted. But 60 remained in
effect in 41 First Nations communities
Let us lament and mourn the rapid
The giant Ogallala aquifer under as of November 2020, and some
loss and pollution of water.
the plains of the United States— communities won’t be able to get clean
accumulated after the last ice water out of their taps for many years.
6 September 2021
A Home for all
plankton, Many Industrial practices including
responsible for the production of single-use
nearly 50% of the plastics and the release of toxic
Earth’s oxygen chemicals need to cease.
Art by: Jhaimarr Joshe Angelo P. San Miguel
production.
Mining operations also need to
Meanwhile, change—and the demand for min-
plastics are erals and energy that drives the
killing seabirds development of new mines needs
and ocean life to be drastically reduced.
while microplas-
tics have We have the capacity and technolo-
contaminated gy to provide all people with
nearly all of the sufficient clean water for their
Earth’s waters. needs, but we are not doing so.
Water is key to all Models exist for changing agri-
life, but this pre- culture (such as agroecology and
cious gift is be- permaculture) and industrial
ing squandered practices (closed-loop systems)
and destroyed at that could be employed more
a rapid rate. widely.
Take time to We need to truly value water as
experience grief something precious—more
for the loss and valuable than energy, minerals, or
contamination of non-essential comforts.
the water upon
which all living At a personal level, we can eat
creatures foods that require less water and
depend. reduce our demand for products
that contaminate water.
We also need to advocate for
policies and practices that actively
Indeed, glacier runoff from many seek to protect water, and which
smaller glaciers in Canada, Europe Conserving and Renewing ensure that all people—and all
and South America has already Water living creatures—have access to
markedly decreased, threatening safe, clean water.
essential sources of water. Let our lament and grief, as well as
our love for the waters, call us to Conclusion
Both agriculture and industry are a change of heart and meaningful
polluting the world’s water. Mas- action. Take a moment to return to the
sive runoff from chemical fertiliz- water breath, breathing in through
ers and animal wastes is causing Water is precious, but often we your nose and out through your
“dead zones” at the mouths of squander water needlessly. mouth. Experience your
many of the Earth’s great rivers. connection to the living waters
Changes to agricultural practices flowing through you.
Water is also being contaminated can prevent runoff and conserve
by toxic chemicals due to water, particularly when rich organ- Feel gratitude for the gift of water
hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for ic soil is regenerated, the use of and the gift of all the living crea-
oil and gas, by pipeline leaks, and chemicals eliminated, and massive tures who sustain and are sus-
tanker accidents. livestock operations are replaced tained by water.
by more sustainable models.
Even the Earth’s immense oceans Express your gratitude to them and
are endangered. Ocean acidifica- New methods of irrigation can to our Creator and commit yourself
tion—due to CO2 being absorbed greatly reduce the draw on water, to working for the conservation
by seawater—dissolves calcium as can the selection of crops that and regeneration of water.
shells, affecting coral reefs. use less water and a movement to
This process also affects forms of more plant-based diets.
– continued on page 8
7 September 2021
A Home for all
Theologically, food is connected While our living planet has, over
Fire with the gift of the Eucharist, as time, removed greenhouse gases
well as to community and the joys from our atmosphere, enabling
Be praised, my Lord, through of sharing. Fire is associated with Earth to remain comfortably cool,
all your creatures, especially Pentecost and the Holy Spirit. over the past two centuries this
through my lord Brother Sun, who balance has been disrupted.
brings the day; and you give light Earth, our home, is fortuitously
located in the “Goldilocks” zone By rapidly burning oil, gas, and
through him. And he is
where life is possible. Our sunward coal—and by degrading soils
beautiful and radiant in all his neighbour, Venus, has a searing holding carbon—the delicate
splendour! Of you, Most High, he surface temperature of 475 C, balance that has regulated the
bears the likeness. while Mars averages a frigid -60 C. temperature of our planet has
— St. Francis, Canticle of been destroyed. Over the past few
the Creatures Amazingly, the surface tempera- decades (particularly since 1980),
ture of Earth has remained average global temperatures have
relatively constant throughout risen around 0.5 C—although in
Shift your awareness once again. time, even though the sun is 40% polar regions this change has been
Standing, breathe in through your warmer today than when the Earth much more drastic.
mouth and out through your nose. was formed.
If we continue with our current
As you do so, on the inbreath, Why is this so? Once again, life projected rate of emissions (even
imagine that you draw the breath processes—particularly, the emer- with promised reductions), the
through your solar plexus. As you gence of photosynthesis—accounts Earth is likely to warm another
exhale through your nose, imagine for this phenomenon. Plants 2.5-4 C13, even though most scien-
your breath existing through your learned to break down CO2 and tists agree that any warming about
heart, radiating light and heat. turn it into food and free oxygen. 1.5 C over pre-industrial levels
would be disastrous.
Become aware of your blood as it Over time, the carbon removed
pulses through your heart, from the atmosphere was seques- With global heating, forest fires
arteries, and veins, bringing tered in the oceans; the soil; in become more frequent. Those fires
nutrients and oxygen to all the vast reservoirs of coal, peat, oil, release CO2 and accelerate climate
cells of your body. and natural gas; in limestone; and change.
in living organisms, removing CO2
Your Connection to Fire and other greenhouse gases from
the atmosphere.
Nature cannot be regarded as
something separate from Otherwise, Earth’s atmosphere
ourselves or as a mere setting might closely resemble that of
in which we live. We are part of Venus, leading to a runaway
nature, included in it and thus in greenhouse gas effect, raising
constant interaction with it. surface temperatures to about
https://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqbk958N931qg5bkro1_500.jpg.
–LS 139 300 C. Life as we know it would
cease to exist12.
Become aware of the energy that
sustains you, the fire born in the Feel gratitude for the sun, for the
unimaginable force of the first plants that capture sunlight and
moments of creation. turn it into food, for the living
processes that have carefully
Remember that the food that regulated the temperature of our
nourishes you is energy stored planet, and to the Creator whose
from the sun itself. This energy wisdom guides them all.
flows to you from the plants, per-
haps through other animals, and A Lament for Fire
into your own body.
Let us mourn and lament the fire
The wisdom of plants—the miracle that has now been unleashed upon
of photosynthesis—turns sunlight the Earth.
into food. The sun sustains you
and pulses through your veins.
8 September 2021
A Home for all
Wildfires in British Columbia (2021). Courtesy of Canada Press.
Melting ice means that the Earth most powerful global corpora- 60-70%, yet few politicians are
reflects less solar radiation, also tions—now threatens the well-be- proposing such drastic cuts.
accelerating heating, while melting ing, and even the survival, of much
permafrost releases methane, a of Earth’s life. Quick and decisive action is
powerful greenhouse gas. needed to reduce overall energy
Take a moment to experience consumption, eliminate the
The devastating effects of grief for the fiery heat trapped by production and use of fossil fuels,
global heating are already begin- greenhouse gases that has been electrify transportation, and se-
ning to manifest themselves: More unleashed upon the Earth, threat- quester carbon in soil and forests.
extreme weather, massive fires, ening the lives and well-being of a
rising sea levels, the extinction of myriad of creatures. As well, funds must be provided
species, the loss of traditional to poorer nations to transition to
life-ways among Indigenous Reducing Greenhouse greener energy and agriculture as
Peoples, the rising incidence of Gas Emissions quickly as possible.
mosquito-borne diseases, and
decreasing crop yields. Let our lament and grief, as well as At a personal level, working to
our love for all living creatures, call reduce greenhouse gas emissions
A mere 100 large corporations us to a change of heart and means driving and flying much less
have been responsible for 71% of meaningful action. frequently, conserving energy at
greenhouse gas emissions14 and home, eating less meat and more
the wealthiest 10% of humans are The more quickly and decisively we organic and local food, divesting
responsible for nearly half of con- act, the easier (and less costly) it from fossil fuels, using public
sumption-related emissions. will be to contain the damage. transit when possible, and walking
and cycling more.
Yet, the poorest and most vulner- Yet almost every nation—including
able people are those who often large per-capita emitters like Perhaps even more importantly,
experience the negative impacts of Canada—propose too little action each of us needs to strongly
the climate crisis most acutely—as taken over too long a time frame. advocate at a local, regional, and
well as the myriad of other living national level to wind down fossil
organisms threatened with habitat To keep within a safe temperature fuel industries, promote
loss, and even extinction. range, greenhouse gas emissions regenerative agriculture, finance
need to fall by 45% globally by public transit and energy retrofits,
While all living beings need 2030 in comparison 2010 levels15. and increase funding for energy
energy, the unbridled consumption transitions and climate change
of fossil fuels on the part of a rela- Justice demands that high mitigation both nationally and
tively small minority of per-capita emitters like Canada internationally.
humans—including some of the should reduce emissions by – continued on page 10
9 September 2021
A Home for all
Conclusion all the prophets, and all your erated from the burning of fossil
ancestors. fuels alone may be responsible for
Take a moment to return to the the deaths of one in five people—
fire breath, breathing in through You are also connected to the nearly 8.7 billion in 201817.
your mouth and out through your first organisms to emerge in the
nose as you experience your ancient seas, to the trilobites, to Even compared to the 4.6 million
connection to the living fire whales swimming the oceans, to all or so estimated to have died from
pulsing through you. the forests, to all creatures great COVID-19 since the pandemic
and small. With each out-breath, began over a year and a half ago,
Feel gratitude for the gifts of you return some part of yourself to this is a very large number.
fire and the gifts of all the living the greater community of life.
creatures who sustain and are Air pollution contributes to heart
sustained by fire—and who work to The oxygen you need to survive is disease, asthma, emphysema, and
contain fire and sequester carbon. the gift of plants who turn lung cancer and may also damage
sunlight into food and oxygen. the nervous system, the immune
Express your gratitude to them and Without plants, all oxygen, over system, and major organs.
to the Creator and commit yourself time, would oxidize minerals and Pollution can also damage forests
to work to reduce greenhouse gas other substances until almost no while acid rain can destroy aquatic
emissions. free oxygen would exist. life in lakes.
Oxygen is a gift from other With more stringent regulations in
creatures, upon whom we depend the global North, many polluting
Air on each second of every day. industries moved to poorer nations
in the global South. Air pollution
Be praised, my Lord, through Trees and other plants naturally often more severely affects poor-
Brothers Wind and Air, and cleanse the air of pollutants. The er workers living in large urban
clouds and storms, and all the world’s forests absorb about 1/3 centres, but ultimately affects all
weather, through which you give of all fossil fuel emissions16—in- people and living creatures.
your creatures sustenance. cluding a variety of air pollutants.
— St. Francis,
In Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek (as
Canticle of well as in many other languages),
the Creatures the words for breath and for spirit
are identical. The spirit of the
Finally, shift your awareness to the Creator is also the Creator’s
air surrounding you, both within life-sustaining breath. We are one
and without. Breathe in and out in the spirit; we are united in the
very gently through your mouth. breath that we share.
Imagine, as you breathe, that you With every breath, feel your
draw air in through every pore of gratitude for air, for the creatures
your skin, and that likewise you that sustain it, for the gift of life,
https://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqbk958N931qg5bkro1_500.jpg.
breathe out through your skin. and for the Creator of them all.
Let the perception of your skin as a A Lament for Air
boundary gradually dissolve as you
become conscious of your connec- Let us lament and mourn the pollu-
tion to all beings through air. tion of the air that sustains life.
Your Connection to Air The air we breathe is no longer
clean. The fossil fuels that have
With each breath, you inhale atoms released greenhouse gases have
that have been part of nearly every also released pollution that
living creature that has ever lived. threatens the well-being of us all.
As you inhale, you breathe in Other industrial pollutants have
atoms that every human over released poisons into the
the course of history has ever atmosphere, many of them toxic or
breathed. Through the breath, you carcinogenic. The pollution gen-
are connected with all the saints,
10 September 2021A Home for all
Many of the same corporations Final Reflection
and consumption patterns by the
wealthiest ten percent are largely The universe unfolds in God, who
responsible for this ongoing legacy fills it completely. Hence, there is
of poor health and death. a mystical meaning to be found
in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in
Take a moment to experience grief a dewdrop, in a poor person’s
for the pollution of the air upon face… — LS 233 For the Love of Creation18 is
which all living creatures depend. a national initiative that brings
Earth, water, fire, and air are wo- together faith bodies and
Cleaning the Air ven together in the living, suffering faith-based organizations in
body of our planet. The entire web Canada under a unified banner
Let our lament and grief, as well of life is under threat as hundreds to mobilize education,
as our love for the air, call us to a of thousands of species—each a reflection, action, and advocacy
change of heart and meaningful unique and precious reflection of for climate justice.
action. the wisdom of our Creator—are
being lost forever. To encourage dialogue on
The reports of air pollution clear- climate change, it developed
ing as factories shut down and Thomas Berry believed that Faithful Climate Conversations,
people reduced their commutes humans could only have evolved a series of guides to facilitate
during the early months of the on a planet as beautiful as our small group conversations
COVID-19 pandemic illustrate what own. Our intelligence, our emo- on climate change: Creation,
happens when our use of fossil tions, and our spirituality evolved Climate and You; From Concern
fuels is drastically reduced. in intimate contact with the more- to Action; and Building a Better
than-human world. All other be- Future are available at https://
At a personal level, reducing our ings are our teachers and mentors. fortheloveofcreation.ca/engage-
consumption of fossil fuels and ment/
the use of polluting products such Certainly, we need other living
as plastics and other petrochemi- beings to sustain soil, water, food, A Letter of the Faithful is also
cals would contribute to reducing and air, but we also need them to currently being written using a
air pollution. nurture our souls. We are part of a collaborative process involving
greater community of life, and we faith communities across
Politically, advocating to eliminate can only fully realize our human- Canada.
the use of fossil fuels and toxic ity as loving participants in that
chemicals of all kinds would con- diverse community. See https://fortheloveofcre-
tribute to cleaning the air. More ation.ca/theology/ or use the
stringent standards are needed, It is also true to say that humans, self-guided process available at
not only at a national level, but alone, cannot “save” the Earth. We https://jesuitforum.ca/videos/
also globally. need the wisdom of the microbes, flc-letter/ to participate in the
the fungi, the plants, the insects, theological reflection process.
Conclusion the sea creatures, and the animals
to heal what we have broken. We Finally, join the campaign to
Take a moment to return to the air also need the wisdom of the myr- work with other communities to:
breath, gently breathing in and out iad, diverse Indigenous Peoples
through your mouth as you experi- who have, over time, discovered • Increase our national GHG
ence your connection to the living ways to live well in specific places. emissions reduction target;
air. • Invest in a just transition to
Let us seek, then, to reach out and a fair, inclusive, green
Feel gratitude for the gift of air be good allies with all these beings economy;
and the gifts of all the living crea- to repair and regenerate the web • Implement the UN Declara-
tures who sustain and are sus- of life. tion on the Rights of
tained by air, including the trees Indigenous Peoples,
and plants who cleanse the air. Let ours be a time remembered including, but not limited to,
for the awakening of a new rev- the right of free, prior and
Express your gratitude to them erence for life, the firm resolve to informed consent; and
and to our Creator and commit achieve sustainability, the • Commit equal support for
yourself to working to protect air quickening of the struggle for climate change adaptation
and reducing pollution in all its justice and peace, and the joyful and mitigation measures in
forms. celebration of life. the global South.
–The Earth Charter
11 September 2021A Home for All
On care for our common home: A dialogue guide for Laudato Si’ offers a way to engage in the
dialogue that Pope Francis is calling for. It includes excellent quotes from Pope Francis and
comprises 9 sessions with reflections on the text, side stories, photos, and cartoons to bring the
Pope’s ground-breaking and challenging letter to life. Each session ends with questions for group
sharing.
Living with Limits, Living Well!: Hints for neighbours on an endangered planet offers a way for
small groups to engage on the interconnectedness of poverty, inequality, globalization, ecology, and
spirituality. The guide explores new ways of envisioning authentic sustainable progress, departing
from a traditional and very restrictive GDP measurement approach, to uncover more meaningful
ways of appraising genuine human development. It is similarly meant to be used in the context of a
small group conversation.
To order a copy or for more information, see: https://jesuitforum.ca/resources/dialogue-guides/
Open Space is a publication of the Jesuit Forum Questions for small group dialogue:
for Social Faith and Justice
70 St. Mary Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1J3 1. What struck you most in this meditation?
416-927-7887 www.jesuitforum.ca
2. How do you experience your connection with earth,
Your contribution is greatly appreciated. ZDWHUÀUHDLUDQGRWKHUOLYLQJEHLQJV"+RZGRHVWKLV
connection nurture your spirituality?
Name __________________________________ 3. :KDWORVVHVPRYH\RXPRVWVWURQJO\WRPRXUQWR
Address _________________________________ ODPHQWDQGJULHYH"
_____________________________________ 4. Where do you feel called to a change of heart? What
Cheques are payable to the Jesuit Forum. You can donate FRQFUHWHDFWLRQVGR\RXIHHOPRYHGWRXQGHUWDNH"
online through Canada Helps by going to
www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/jesuit-centre-for-social-faith-and-justice/
Donations are tax deductible.
Charitable tax number 11897 3742 RR0001
For more information about the Forum dialogue process,
see: tiny.cc/forumprocess
For textual references, see: www.tiny.cc/OS14-1-refs
12 September 2021You can also read
