When we have the courage to walk into our story and own it, we get to write the ending.
Brene Brown
This Palm Sunday
This Palm Sunday, March 24, my daughter Rochelle will celebrate her 52nd birthday. She was born with a myriad of problems and we were told to put her in an institution and forget about her and get on with our lives. How I had longed for this baby girl and never for a moment did I think she wasn’t a gift.
The advice of that pediatrician was harsh, in keeping with the times, but unthinkable. I would not leave her orphaned; I would not give her up. When I decided to follow Jesus I knew without a word of a doubt He would be at my side. I knew He would help and guide me. I had no idea what we would encounter, what barriers would be presented, what hurdles we would need to jump. But I believed that Jesus does not make junk and that all life has value and we would do whatever was needed to support her life.
Her birth for me was the triumphant entry into my life path of following Jesus. Rochelle began my Holy week and my commitment to caring for her in the best way I knew how. I knew that with the power of the Holy Spirit and the assistance of my beliefs we would succeed. For over 50 years we have been a team, breaking barriers and showing others what God can do if you are open. Her life has been very challenging, but she has been a leader, she has taught so many others countless lessons. She has been my greatest teacher in life. Often those considered by many in society as “bụi đời”, (less than dust is the translation) those who live undervalued by society give us the servant leaders our direction. My mother gave a poem to me many years ago that reads.
God hatH not promised skies ever blue
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, Peace without pain.
But he hath promised Strength for each day.
Rest after labour, Light for our way
Grace for all trials, Help from above
Unfailing sympathy and undying love.
Jesus tells us,
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36
Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24
-Grace King, CSJ Associate
Image: Tim Mossholder/Unsplash
World Water Day 2024
‘Water for Peace’ - World Water Day 2024
Leveraging water for peace - What does this mean?
Because water has become the next commodity on the economic scale, garnering huge profits for countries, organizations, and industries, it is now also a source of conflict across borders. On this day of remembrance and celebration for the sacred gift of water, a human right for all, we cry out against its misuse and abuse.
153 countries share water basins, yet only 24 of these countries have cooperation agreements. Water scarcity is increasing because of overuse and climate crisis. Water and its infrastructures have become targets and weapons of war.
The United Nations’ theme for World Water Day, March 22, 2024, is Leveraging Water for Peace. Check out the information provided in this UN Factsheet World Water Day | United Nations where water is proclaimed as a tool for peace.
At the UN Water Convention in 2023 some tools for peace were cited:
• At the community level: bring together different water users around a common cause providing an entry point for dialogue, reconciliation, and peacebuilding.
Might I suggest that this is what active Canadians did in creating a dialogue with government over the privatization of water.
• At the national level: provide a starting point for coordination across interests.
• At the transboundary level: provide a starting point for communication and broader cooperation. For example, out of approximately 400 internationally shared aquifers there are only 5 where international agreements exist.
An integrated and inclusive approach suggests that “Water can be a catalyst for peace at all governance levels. Water cooperation across borders and sectors will speed up progress across Sustainable Development Goals, including delivering safe drinking water and sanitation, enhancing food security, sustaining healthy livelihoods and ecosystems, helping to address resilience to climate change, contributing to disaster risk reduction, providing renewable energy, supporting cities and industry, and fostering regional integration and peace.” [i]
Knowing the facts awakens us to a path forward. Let’s keep alert to places where power and control of water resources and infrastructure sever relationships and use our voices to leverage equality and bring peace.
-Sister Loretta Manzara, CSJ
[i] UNECE and UNESCO (2023), Concept paper for interactive dialogue 4 at the UN 2023 Water Conference: Water for Cooperation: Transboundary and International Water Cooperation, Cross Sectoral Cooperation, including Scientific Cooperation, and Water across the 2030 Agenda: https;//sdgs.um.org/conferences/watr2023/events/interactive-dialogue-4.
International Day of Forests: March 21
International Day of Forests: March 21
How many people even know that there is an International Day of Forests? Given the present situation of climate change, which is wreaking havoc on forests and all nature due, in large part, to us humans who should be shaking in our boots. We have failed to do our share to prevent global warming. At this late date, can we atone and make a concerted effort to help to protect at least one of nature’s special treasures - our trees and forests?
In a world where over 90% of its people live in urban situations, it behooves us to take care of forests which, not so many years ago, covered much of the earth, especially in North America. Early pioneers saw in trees and forests a wide variety of wood products which did, and continues to provide lumber for homes, dwellings, buildings, furniture etc. Today, Indigenous Peoples and conscientious conservationists have taken a stand to protect our forests and trees from wanton destruction and clear cutting, often without success or support of governments that cast a blind eye to the cry for justice for the earth.
There are many forests throughout the world, including the largest, the Amazon which shares its location with nine nations: the Tropical Rainforests in Congo, New Guinea, Borneo, Burmese, and Valdwan. Other beautiful forests include Germany’s Black Forest, United States’ Redwood’s National and State parks, and Australia’s Duintree Rainforest to name a few.
Not to be outdone in beauty are Canada’s magnificent lakes and forests, located in every province, claiming almost 10% of the world’s forests. Recently, I read about Canada’s amazing boreal forest which is the world’s largest intact forest ecosystem. It stretches across 1.2 billion acres (485 million hectares) of northern Canada, from Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador. It represents 25% of the world's only intact forest, even more than the Amazon rainforest. In the almost decade since these statistics appeared, it would be interesting to know how much of the boreal (northern) forest has been victim to fires, climate change, resource development, pipelines, roads, and urban development.
Considering the greed in our world, we realize that only concentrated effort will help to preserve the trees and forests that populate our world. Changing our lifestyle is our only hope, so go ahead, hug a tree, and thank Mother Nature on behalf of all those who care!
I share with you the lovely poem, Trees, by Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918).
-Sister Jean Moylan, CSJ
Images: Unsplash: Arnaud Mesureur | Olena Bohovyk
Civic Pride in Peril: Confronting the Issue of Waste in Our City
Our beautiful city, London Ontario, has numerous parks and a network of trails. I frequently walk on nearby trails where I encounter people of all ages, including groups of school children (and their teachers) joggers, cyclists, and children accompanied by parents, who feed ducks or catch and release frogs. But I am often saddened by the plastic bags and bottles, beer cans, coffee cups, styrofoam containers, candy wrappers, rotting food, empty snack bags, cardboard, paper, kleenex, cardboard boxes, and scrap paper that line our streets, spoil our trails and clog our parks. The amount of litter thrown on public property exceeds the capacity of City staff and ordinary Londoners who voluntarily pick up debris.
Sister Pat with Jerry Pribil, London Council Member
A week ago, I spoke to Jerry Pribil, the Council member responsible for London’s parks and recreation departments, about the problem of trash in our city. Mr. Pribil suggested that he accompany me on a walk. Accordingly, we walked along streets and the connecting North London trail adjacent to Ross Park. Mr. Pribil pulled a large garbage bag out of his pocket and proceeded to pick up garbage, hopping over the barrier along the ravine and reaching through bushes. We mourned this regrettable garbage situation and discussed possible remedies. I learned that Mr. Pribil, a member of Antler River Rally, participates in their monthly cleanups. In these events, large groups of volunteers gather at an area in London bordering the Thames River to pick up and dispose of large amounts of trash. Information about this amazing organization may be found here. You may even want to join the group.
During our walk, we discussed the deplorable problem of garbage littering London’s parks, trails, and streets. Removing trash is essential but prevention is far more desirable than a cure; we need both. Occasional letters to the London Free Press indicate that Londoners are disturbed by the lack of cleanliness on our streets, trails, and parks. We require a culture shift. How, as a community, can we develop a mindset that views littering on our streets as unacceptable? How might organizations, businesses, and home or apartment owners help with the litter problem? What constraints deter action and how can they be overcome?
I invite anyone reading this blog to respond by choosing to take one action towards resolving the problem of litter in our city.
-Sister Patricia McKeon, csj
Image: Markus Spiske/Unsplash