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ST JEANNE JUGAN
FOUNDRESS OF LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
ELDERS BECOME
CREATIVE ECOLOGISTS
Got him!
In September 2022, the General Chapter of our Congregation made a firm commitment to accept our responsibility for our common home.
In his encyclical letter ‘Laudato Si' on Ecology and Climate, Pope Francis calls us to an ecological conversion
“Transformation of hearts and minds toward greater love of God, each other, and creation. It is a process of acknowledging our contribution to the social and ecological crisis and acting in ways that nurture communion, healing, and renewing our common home.” (LS
Little Sisters, Residents, staff, and volunteers have embarked on an ongoing programme to care for Mother Earth.
An Ecology Commission has been established for our Province to monitor, educate, and share initiatives and information.
Now they are working on creating bird feeders using cola bottles for the lorikeets and the other smaller birds
Sister cut the bottles and Tim prepared the soil and the residents did the planting,
I often visit Sydney Home, they feed me. I have been upgraded to meat scraps!
The lemongrass was planted during the season of creation and now we are using it to make lemon grass tea
OUR GOALS
Create awareness with the Residents, Staff, Volunteers, and visitors, take care of Mother Earth/Nature and find ways to recycle items and reduce waste.
Implement ecology activities into leisure and lifestyle programmes.
Invite our gardeners to do workshops about their role as participators in God`s creation.
Create vegetable gardens, pot plants, and more…
AND...HARVEST TIME - October, 2023
MELBOURNE The Residents were so proud to present the first harvest of vegetables to the kitchen.
St Kevins’ students were there to assist.
And look what was found near the rose garden! There is a sign saying "Bird Nesting do not touch"
Small Running Title
Melboourne: Residents improvement for creative nature, August, 2023
The joys of creation from a window...
Sister Rafaele, Ecology Commission Coordinator, asked Resident Peter Bramble, to talk to the plants outside his window. He remarked to Sister, that "the Hibiscus doesn`t answer back but it blooms".
Peter was also transfixed by this kookaburra outside his window fishing for worms, and its success.
Father Greg Mcennally MSC keeps
young by bushwalking, swimming,
biking. He is passionate about nature and preserving our native fauna.
His article below is thought provoking.
PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY HOME
I know you say you have a housing shortage, but there are many of you and so few of us. Yet you are becoming more and more numerous, while we are becoming fewer and fewer. Why? How many people do you want to put in this region? 5 million? 10 million? 100 mullion? 1 billion? What is your limit? After you have taken everything and we are extinct, will you be satisfied? Will you be happy? Maybe you do not have a housing shortage at all: you have a population surplus .
I promise you that we will never threaten you. We will not take your homes; we will not take your food. It has taken us many millions of years to become what we are and all we ask is to be left in peace. I promise you that in doing so we will bring much joy to you – although not to all of you: not to the destroyers who want to take our homes and our food. They may never know what peace is, never know what it is to belong to this wonderful natural world. The god they worship is incapable of bringing real peace and happiness, because his name is greed; his name is pleasure; his name is power. And I am powerless. So I ask you: please, will you let me live in peace? Please do not take my home.
HEALTHY TIPS FOR ONESELF AND FOR CREATION
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Talk to the plants – it helps them to grow.
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Hug the trees – it is very healing (Don`t give them negative vibes or you`ll kill them!)
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Feed the birds. Sing to them. It makes them wonder! Are you for real?
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Walk bare foot on the grass and experience morning dew and massage (reflexology.)
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Touch the leaves. You may not know but you are sending a message up to the rest of the plant/tree through the veins in the leaf. Positive vibes only!
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Admire and compliment the flowers and they`ll bloom for you.
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Daily thank God for the gift of life and the Beauty of His creation.
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Give your feet a gentle massage and thank them for carrying you around during the day!
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Complimentary medication: best remedy for stress, anger, frustrations etc. Go for a walk-in nature and talk to the plants about your concerns. At least they listen and are the only living creatures that can`t answer you back!
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Thank God every evening when you take a shower for sister water and let her cleanse you from all impurities, disappointments, negativities etc. of the day. It is a very cleansing ritual preparing us for a Blessed night sleep!
Ecology Commission
Dunedin
The Residents, sisters, staff and volunteers in our home in Dunedin, New Zealand, have created an ecology commission. This commission has as its main responsibility to create and gradually implement an action plan that provides “concrete actions that protect our common home” as the Laudato Si platform describes it.
The commission meets once a month. The initial meeting involved a viewing of “The Letter” a Laudato Si film which documents the journeys of persons from different backgrounds to Rome to meet with Pope Francis and discuss climate change. The film has the effect of driving home the tragic implications of climate change on the environment and the lives of people throughout the world. The members of the commission were touched by it and motivated to make a difference.
It was decided that the plan should be gradual so as to be effective. One or two projects a month will be chosen for implementation and the results will be reviewed at the next meeting.
The general theme of the action plan is “Let’s take care of our planet”.
Electricity conservation
The first project chosen and implemented concerns the usage of electricity. It was decided to post little reminders on all of the light switches to remind Residents, sisters and staff to turn off all power when not in use. A ladder was created and placed alongside the monthly activity calendar. Each months Kw’s (kilowatt ) consumption will be recorded as the year goes by to monitor the success of the project.
Garden Project
A second project still under development is to begin a vegetable garden:
A garden box will be placed outside on the side of a pathway for easy access for the Residents.
Some volunteers support would be required to assist with the planting and maintenance of the garden boxes.
Residents in Samoa commence an organic vegetable garden grown and taken care of by the Residents
This project is still in the planning stages.
