A Call To Respond, Dialogue and Share (Caring for Our Common Home)

Fr. Pedro Walpole, SJ
October 20, 2015

During 2015 we may have experienced major challenges in seeking a greater reconciliation with creation, but we have also received a very inspiring affirmation from Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato sí, where he addresses the very complex reality of integral ecology and social and economic inclusion of the poor.

Looking over the year in the Philippines we have been affected by the earthquake in Nepal last April as well as the fleeing of the Rohingya people from Myanmar. Both were considered social disasters relating to land and life. In August weather Typhoon Soudelor passed over China, Japan and Taiwan and brought about many landslides and flooding for which we have limited involvement but share a growing awareness and concern. Similarly, Typhoon Koppu has flooded Nueva Vizcaya Province in the Philippines, which left homes and livelihoods in widespread disarray showing how vulnerable and insecure our people are.

The questions about nuclear energy in the region and the call for greater transparency with Fukushima nuclear disaster still haunt us. The lack of transparency in Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) also calls for greater concern from all of us and the ASEAN integration raises many unknowns as to its potential impact on the poor.

The issues of dams and haze coming from Indonesia are a realisation of political and environmental complexities, which need to be addressed within the region. There is an emerging risk of El Niño, which is already affecting weather patterns in the Philippines. These potentially are the social and environmental concerns for the coming year.

At the global level, many groups are preparing for COP21 (Paris Climate Change Conference) where Jesuits are also participating, seeking for a more integral process on social and environmental inclusion. Prior to this global event, there are two valuable Jesuit meetings, one in Stockholm in terms of dialogue on sustainability science and values that is preceded by the Social Apostolate meeting of the GIAN teams in Loyola.

Today, as Jesuit people (people sharing the Ignatian charism) working in ecology, what are we doing through our mission: pastoral, research, social and educational works? Are we looking for new ways of sharing our experiences and initiatives? Stories about programs and initiatives on reconciling with creation and Laudato sí are very much needed.

Our Provincials in JCAP have also encouraged us in their statement of praise, integral ecology and practical steps on Laudato si, and identified water, planting vegetation and recycling as our practical priorities in the region. These points are best coordinated through management practices for our houses where we can audit the sustainability of our buildings and communities.

A few people have started a Facebook Group: Ecology Asia Pacific Jesuit as a way to improve our exchange of experiences and learnings on reconciling with creation and integral ecology not just within the Philippines as Asian Jesuits need to share our experiences. These are things that we can join and contribute to with the stories of our own efforts help the flow of thoughts and energy of people in doing integral ecology. You can share through this your websites and facebook accounts the programs where you are doing something with Laudato sí. You can invite those you think interested in this endeavour to join and share experiences.

With the preparations for 2016 the Jesuits are much focused on General Congregation 36 and the call for broader initiative in promoting Reconciliation with Creation is evident. Everyone is encouraged to respond to the challenge of integral ecology and sustainable human development. While we, human beings are capable of the worst, we are also capable of “rising about ourselves, choosing again what is good and making a new start”. Three posters have been prepared for more general use. You may download the posters as PDF. If you want to print them, the advisable size is 53×53 inches; we can send you higher resolution if needed. These are good material for discussion groups to elicit further action with students, parishioners and partners.

1. A call to respond to a world at risk. Disaster Risk Reduction is one of the key agenda of the Philippines. With the increasing incidence of more intense storms and other climatic hazards, people are actively seeking opportunities to respond to needs. We are responding to disasters and relief, which extends to an initial year of rehabilitation and we are challenged to understand more the collaboration. The disaster management cycle is generally described as having four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery with an increasing realisation of a fifth phase of redesign. Beyond an overall approach, Jesuit people need more specific guidance to enable collaborative action.

2. A call to dialogue on sustainability science and values. Jesuits are collaborating with academic and scientific institutions like the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Newman Institute in coming together to shape a common ground, as science alone will not provide solutions for a more sustainable world. Science gives us the rational arguments for guiding global decisions. We recognise the need for a deeper understanding of values to guide us along this transformative process towards justice and healing within planetary boundaries. Initial elements enabling this process for society to transform include: solidarity, spirituality, hope, depth, mind-shift and social inclusion. This transformative process in one form is personal and on the other hand includes both social and political will with greater economic accountability to sustain the natural flows of the planet for the generations to come.

3. A call to share inner life and simple lifestyle. Coming from the invitation to response to Reconciliation with Creation, many are starting to be more conscious of the broader web of life – how one’s decision or action affects others in the web of relations. Jesuit people are moving towards sustainability and responding to the call for simple lifestyle. Though many are struggling to achieve a more sustainable and simpler life, the learnings are great, where all of us can continue to share and learn.

---

Jesuits and their partners throughout the world are invited to understand and share in the critical work of reconciliation and ecological concern (GC35 Decree 3). Ecology and Jesuits in Communication or EcoJesuit, initiated by the Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC) and the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific (JCAP), is an online communication currently in Spanish and English, open to all who share in this vision and action.