by Sr. Eleanor Goekler, smic 

    “It made me more aware of my action in relationship with the use of our natural resources. Now, I’m much more careful.

     “ I notice more often when environmental issues and climate change are presented on TV or in the newspaper.”
     ”…a good experience for me as it strengthens my commitment to care for creation.”

 These are some of the comments at the completion of the 5 session program “Care 4 Creation”, which was facilitated during Lent at the Provincial House, Paterson, NJ, by Sisters Joanne Riggs and Eleanor Goekler.  Six members of the US Province, 2 Sisters from the General Leadership, 2 Associates and 2 women from the nearby Islamic Center of Passaic County reflected together on environmental issues such as water and climate change, as well as our being part of the circle of life that is God’s creation. All was connected back to our Scriptures and a richness to the reflection was added by the Muslim women who brought the appropriate quotes from the Quran into the conversation. 

Based on the Franciscan principles that each of us in creation has our own uniqueness without which Creation would be incomplete (J. Duns Scotus), and that each part of creation is an aspect of God’s Goodness birthed into this world, called to be lived into the fullness of God, returning (reducing) back into that Goodness (St. Bonaventure), we faced the reality that as humans in this equation, we are free to choose.  We experienced this from choosing which of two seeds to plant and nurture into new life all the way to the choice of what concrete actions each would choose to do after the sessions ended. Our choices are to birth Goodness, sustain it into growth and allow it to return back to God. 

Over the 6 weeks, we lived the reality of what it  takes to nurture the seed prudently and in a sustainable manner, and to become even a little more aware that in the eyes of God, there really is no such thing as a “least plant/a least part” of creation.  All, no matter at what stage of development has its uniqueness and its place. 

While the first four sessions were mostly reflective, educational pieces around the important issues facing creation today, the fifth and final one led the group into determining the concrete actions their heart and heads were calling them to – personally, with the group, globally. 

Three participants pledged to work with government to address the garbage along the highways through the city of Paterson; another promised to look into the environmental literacy center developing in the local park; others agreed to continue or start composting, especially by adding their garbage to the composting already done by their neighbors. Others promised to continue to nurture their “least plant” and add other plants to it. The group also agreed to gather again in September to update everyone and move ahead. 

A final suggestion that arose afterward, so it is for the future, is that all the plants nurtured into life could have been planted somewhere together, as witness, and also to allow them to nurture each other. 

New seeds growing