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Earthcare E Newsletter
March 2009 Edition
Editorial
Dear Friends,
I hope that you are all well. It has been such a busy start to the year!
The bushfires in Victoria have certainly marked a moment in Australia’s history. I am deeply saddened by the loss of life. These ongoing fires highlight the need to develop a coordinated approach for traditional fire management regimes in conservation areas where such practises do not currently exist. Learning about traditional fire burning practices will help us to become better custodians of the land and look after life on dry country.
Simultaneously, the amazing floods in Queensland caused communities to work together to get through a very wet and stressful period. Fortunately there is a positive aspect of the floods for the ecology of our normally dry desert country in South Australia. For the first time since 2000, Lake Eyre has been transformed from giant salt pans to an abundance of life. A couple of weeks ago the first of the flood waters reached Lake Eyre which had been flowing at 40km an hour through dry river beds to reach its low lying destination. I have no doubt that this life giving water is a sight to behold.
ASSISI, the sustainability initiative for the Catholic Church, is piloting well. St Francis Xavier’s in Ashbury NSW has begun the passion-building program entitled Eskies. The students, under the watchful eyes of parents and staff, are getting involved in creating ways to express themselves about God’s Creation and in particular the dangers of climate change. A evening event is scheduled for March 25th which invites the whole community of staff and parents to gather with students who then lead the proceedings and entertainment. The evening will culminate in prize giving for the runners up and best created songs, art, letters and short films/photography.
In other news about sustainability within the Catholic Church, I am delighted to announce that the Franciscan Friars have come onboard as the first congregation to pilot ASSISI. An On Holy Ground & ASSISI workshop was held for all school Principals in the Cairns Diocese and was co-facilitated by Earthcare’s Megan Seneque and Paul Lucas. ASSISI was introduced to the Presentation School, Star of the Sea, in Gardenvale Victoria. The NSW Catholic Education Commission is hosting a Sustainability Forum for Diocesan Directors, Heads of Congregations and Directors of CEO’s which will showcase ASSISI on March 16th. Catholic Health Australia is currently establishing its environmental interest group and the terms of reference indicate that ecologically sustainable policies are a high priority for hospitals and aged care facilities.
A collaborative partnership has been established between DECC NSW and Catholic Earthcare Australia to deliver professional development for Teachers and Diocesan Consultants NSW. It will enable those who attend the two day workshops to attain double accreditation as ASSISI Facilitators, through Earthcare, and Sustainable Schools Facilitators, through DECC NSW.
Carbon Systems Australia (CSA) and Earthcare have begun piloting the ECIS environmental audit tool for Catholic organizations across Australia. The environmental audit tool is being developed to enable all Catholic organizations to access information about their water, energy, carbon and waste. This software as a system approach has been chosen for its scale-ability, ease of use and very low cost. More on this brilliant new tool can be found in our feature parish story.
Earthcare has formed a new collaborative partnership with Richard Sharpe, an experienced Environmental Scientist, to offer the Catholic Church technical and strategic advice on Environmental and Heritage Government Grant applications. Should you wish to seek advice about available grant money or have your grant application reviewed please email earthcare@catholic.org.au
Some news about the Federal grant money available through the National Solar School Program (NSSP) for Catholic Schools: Negotiations are going on between the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) about facilitating a roll out of the NSSP program for Catholic Schools in Victoria. A similar relationship to that with other State and Territory Catholic Education departments is expected to follow. Catholic Earthcare Australia encourages Catholic schools to register their interest in the NSSP on the DEWHA website once they have a whole school environment plan.
Earthcare is soon to be featured in a Sky News story about the Vatican solar panel array. For those who do not have Sky Channel it will be made available through YouTube which will be accessible via a link on our website. Please check the Earthcare homepage of our website for the screening date and YouTube link.
In this newsletter edition we feature International Women’s Day with a prayer from Sr Monica Sparks followed by an environmental justice story about Sr Dorothy Stang. Catholic Earthcare Australia strongly encourages you to support Earth Hour 2009 on March 28th. We also highlight World Water Day on March 22nd and a Lenten program that focuses on Water Justice. With this edition we release our new DVD, ‘Caring for God’s Creation’ for a bargain at only $5. I hope that you also enjoy our regular features about a water wise school, St Emilies, in WA and a parish story about beginning ASSISI with our new environmental audit tool.
All the very best for the coming quarter,
Jacqui
Jacqui Remond
Prayer with Sister Monica
8th March 2009, International Women's Day
We need to keep REFLECTING, RECLAIMING and RENEWING our theological/ecological spirituality. Let us reverently endeavour to plumb some of the depths of our God's relational presence in all Creation. Let us contemplate this interrelational mystery, pondering in our hearts some images from Papua New Guinea, the Amazon, or our own land.
GLORY, PRAISE AND THANKS TO YOU, O IN-DWELLING GOD IN WHOM ALL IS CREATED AND SUSTAINED AS IT WAS AND IS AND EVER WILL BE, AMEN. more
Photo courtesy of Brother Frank Richardson at the Cateret Islands
International Women's Day - Sr Dorothy Stang
"We must make great efforts to save our planet. Earth is not able to provide anymore. Her water and air are poisoned and her soil is dying of exaggerated use of chemicals." Sister Dorothy Stang.
Dorothy "Dot" Stang was a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur and moved to Brazil to help the poor build independent futures for their families. She was shot to death Saturday, February 12, in Anapu, Para, a section of Brazil's Amazon rain forest.
A citizen of Brazil and the United States, Sister Dorothy worked with the Pastoral Land Commission, an organization of the Catholic Church that fights for the rights of rural workers and peasants, and defends land reforms in Brazil. Her death came less than a week after meeting with the country’s human rights officials about threats to local farmers from loggers and landowners.
After receiving several death threats Sister Dorothy recently commented, “I don’t want to flee, nor do I want to abandon the battle of these farmers who live without any protection in the forest. They have the sacrosanct right to aspire to a better life on land where they can live and work with dignity while respecting the environment.”
Sister Dorothy, 73, was born in Dayton, Ohio. She entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur community in 1948 and professed final vows in 1956. From 1951 to 1966 she taught elementary classes at St. Victor School in Calumet City, IL, St. Alexander School in Villa Park, IL and Most Holy Trinity School in Phoenix, Az. She began her ministry in Brazil in 1966, in Coroata in the state of Maranhao.
In June 2004, Sister Dorothy was named “Woman of the Year” by the state of Para for her work in
the Amazon region. In December 2004, she received the Humanitarian of the Year award from the Brazilian Bar Association for her work helping the local rural workers. In early 2005, she received an “Honorary Citizenship of the State” award from the state of Para. Burial services were held in Anapu in the Brazilian state of Para. Sr Dorothy "Dot" Stang
"They Killed Sister Dorothy" is a documentary feature narrated by Martin Sheen. The film is currently being shown overseas to great acclaim. Visit www.theykilledsisterdorothy.com to find out more.
New Resource - Earthcare WYD DVD
"Caring for God's Creation" Earthcare DVD
Environmental Justice DVD filmed at WYD
Now available on DVD, “Caring for God’s Creation” is a series of reflections and insights into contemporary environmental issues and spirituality. These presentations were delivered as a part of the official World Youth Day environment event and encompasses issues such as: our place in the Universe and our role in protecting God’s creation, Indigenous environmental perspectives from Australia and Papua New Guinea, reflections on the importance of being in right relationship with creation and how modern technology can be a gift that allows us to open our eyes to the wonder of God’s creation. This DVD, is an excellent tool for exploring environmental issues within a Catholic framework with young adults and adults alike. Music performed by Soul Band.
‘Caring for God’s Creation’ is available for $5.00 (not including postage & GST) from Catholic Earthcare Australia at www.catholicearthcare.org.au/resouces.html
Speakers on the DVD include Bishop Christopher Toohey, Chair Catholic Earthcare Australia, Annie Kajir, Executive Director of the Environmental Law Centre in Papua New Guinea & Winner of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize and Erica Spry, a Traditional Owner from Bardi country in the Kimberley.
Visit our resources page to order.
Earthcare Supports Earth Hour - Saturday 28 March, 2009
“As Catholics we are called to love, respect and care for Earth’s atmosphere knowing that it is a unique gift from God. As far as we know there is no other place in the Universe that has an atmosphere enabling life to flourish as it does on Earth.
“The Earth Hour initiative calls us to act in solidarity with our friends in the Pacific and our fellow Australians in the Torres Strait who are watching their countries being covered by sea water. We are also being called to give thanks and show great love for God’s life-giving handiwork by participating in Earth Hour.
“By registering and observing Earth Hour on Saturday 28th March we will demonstrate our deep concern for the damage that we now understand is being driven by industrialised lifestyles on planet Earth. We will also be signifying our need to be in right relationship with God’s Creation at home, in our schools, at our churches and our places of work.” more.
A Parish in Action -
St Charles Parish, Waverley - Earthcare's new Environmental Audit Tool - ECIS
Father Nick Lucas, a Franciscan Friar agreed to test Earthcare’s new environmental audit tool at his St Charles Parish in Waverley. At a meeting with Earthcare and Carbon Systems Australia Father Nick provided copies of his recent utilities bills. Carbon Systems Australia then put the parish data into the newly designed system for the Catholic Church in Australia.
The audit tool, which was developed by Carbon Systems Australia, is called ECIS and stands for Energy Carbon Intelligence System. ECIS is ‘software as a system’ which means that we do not need to install any software or navigate our way with a new program to do the environmental audit. The ECIS system enables flexible data capture in an ongoing way; either automatically (with authorisation) from a smart metre or from a simple spreadsheet template that is filled in once per month and emailed which takes about 15-20 mins. more
School in Action - St Emilie's Catholic Primary School, Canning Vale, WA
Through the Challenge, St Emilie’s were able to kick-start their water conservation programs and learn about water management. Assistant Principal, Daine Burnett, said all the students had to complete a water-wise quiz to be declared a winner. “We have a major sustainability focus here – something that comes from our Principal Sally O’Dea – and have been able to develop a sustainable culture through the school,” he said. “With the watertank, we can use the water for cleaning but
we are also looking at using it for a perma-culture garden. We focus on all aspects of sustainability here – social, economic and environmental. “We have a whole-school scoping focus and with the support of the staff and leadership from the principal it has been easy to implement. For example, we recycle paper at all levels and thanks to the tank, we are now looking towards the permaculture garden. ”There are many schools within Catholic education to learn from. St Emilie’s Catholic Primary School in Canning Vale has become a water-wise school and was one of 200 recipients Australia-wide to win a free watertank through the BlueScope Tank a Day Challenge.
Prayer And Action During Lent - Water Justice
During the season of Lent , the Ecumenical Water Network (EWN) invites Christians to mark the occasion with reflection and action on water justice.
During the Seven Weeks for Water initiative, theologians and church activists from Africa, Europe, North and South America will share short biblical meditations for each week along with some campaigning ideas and resources.
The first set of materials will be available on the EWN website water.oikoumene.org from 25 February - Ash Wednesday according to Western Christian tradition. EWN also provides an RSS stream for the seven weeks, which allows groups and congregations to give visibility to their participation on their own websites.
"Traditionally Lent is a time for concentrating on what is essential in life and opening our hearts to our neighbours, for example by fasting and giving to the needy," says Maike Gorsboth, the EWN coordinator. "The Seven Weeks for Water initiative encourages Christian groups and individuals to deepen this experience, reflecting on the concrete issue of water justice."
The Seven Weeks for Water initiative was first celebrated during Lent 2008. This year, the resources will for the first time be available in four languages - English, Spanish, German and French.
More information on the Seven Weeks for Water:
http://www.oikoumene.org/7-weeks-for-water
World Water Day 22 March 2009
For Parishes we recommend the Murray-Darling Basin Statement: "The Gift of Water". A Statement from Catholic Earthcare Australia endorsed by Bishops of the Murray-Darling Basin.
Much of the food that feeds our nation is grown by the farming families that live and
work in the Murray-Darling Basin. For them, and for many other Australians, the rivers are
places of peace and renewal. They are centres of community life. Many find the rivers and
wetlands to be locations where they experience a sense of God’s presence. Visit our resources page for more information.
For Schools we recommend Freshwater is Sacred Water. This CD-ROM is an educational resource that is interactive and using multimedia for students P-12. Catholic Earthcare Australia produced this interactive CD-ROM to encourage and assist schools in celebrating an 'Earthcare Day'. This CD-ROM contains earth and water liturgies, lesson plans on water for English, Religion, Mathematics, Science, Art and Geography (in PDF format), an interactive lesson for upper primary and secondary students (running time approx. 50 minutes) as well as a Powerpoint presentation, useful weblinks and teacher background notes.
Ideas for World Water Day 2009:
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/activities/ewn-home/resources-and-links/ewn-resources.html
UN website for World Water Day:
http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/flashindex.html
