We Can do Something NOW about Climate Change

As you know well, human activity is warming our planet at an unprecedented rate. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that humanity only has a few years to avoid catastrophic climate change.  Solutions exist now that can help slow and even reverse this climate warming. However, we need faith-filled voices to strengthen our nation’s moral and political will to enact bold policies that dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and care for the common good. 
 
The Catholic Climate Covenant is offering us the opportunity to take action NOW! Here are three simple and impactful actions you can take TODAY!

1. Sign and share The Catholic Climate Action Petition for Individuals, 

1. Ask authorized leaders or representatives of Catholic institutions to sign the Climate Action Letter is for Catholic Institutions.

Ordaining Women: Leading to more corruption or bringing justice

 

Women’s Ordination Conference 45^th Anniversary. Sister Dorothy Ettling, Dr. Ada María Isasi-Díaz, Sister Mary Walden, and Sister Martha Ann Kirk attended the first Women’s Ordination Conference in Detroit. Three of them have died, but Sister Martha Ann was invited to be a presenter at the anniversary celebration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b69mOzuTkbk&t=3s  

She had been the leader of dance and drama at 2015 gathering of Women’s Ordination Worldwide https://sanantonioreport.org/gender-gospel-and-global-justice/  Sister Tere Maya was a part of the gathering of major superiors in Rome a few years ago when they had invited Pope Francis to consider women in the diaconate.  An interactive platform is promoting conversations on the deaconate https://discerningdeacons.org/  Would the best thing be or dismantle any type of ordination within the Catholic Church since they seem to lead to power over rather than gospel relationships of mutuality and service.  “I no longer call you servants but friends,” echoes from John’s gospel. Discerning Deacons invites people to consider how the church might be healed.

"Deep in our hearts" we minister as people have died, as we did in the 1800's

A Dia de los muertos altar in the family home of Sr. Katty in Lima, Peru.  "Wawa"  a Quechua style bread made by her father.  

 In the middle of the 1800's when a tenth of the population of San Antonio had died, the first Incarnate Word Sisters began to minister consoling people, helping to heal wounded hearts and bodies.  During the global pandemic for Dia de los muertos, 2020, we gathered to console each other.  Read about this in Global Sisters Report “May the Communion of Saints bring us comfort!” Global Sisters Report, February 21, 2021, https://www.globalsistersreport.org/news/coronavirus/column/may-communion-saints-bring-us-comfort   Listen to students in Mexico City speak of their experiences building relationships in the Incarnate Word family in three countries and four institutions. “Incarnate Word Cross Cultural Contact and Compassion” https://youtu.be/izdLWuYxne8

In the city of San Antonio, we continue the ministry of consolation at "Deep in Our Hearts." 

Seated:  Mayor Ron Nirenberg,  Judge Nelson Wolf, Councilwoman Adriana Garcia Rocha

Deep in our hearts are the 3,500 people who have died since the outbreak of the pandemic in San Antonio.  All are invited to visit the memorial at E. Market and S. Alamo St. and to remember.  Relatives are invited to write the names of a loved one who died on a heart and to attach a laminated pictured if they wish.   https://www.sacrd.org/DeepInOurHearts/

Sister Martha Ann Kirk, who is active in the “City of Compassion” movement and education and Councilwoman Adriana Garcia Rocha

UIW double alumni Council Woman Adriana Garcia Rocha poignantly spoke remembering the seven members of her family and the two members of her church family who have died of COVID.  She noted the vulnerable populations of San Antonio and how important it is that all think of ourselves as one family in our city uniting for equity as we go into the future.  She brought the best skills of a UIW Communications Art major to touch the hearts and minds of Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Judge Nelson Wolf, and the crowd of citizens, many of whom had lost family members and friends.  Former Incarnate Word Justice and Peace graduate student and organizer of the event Rev. Ann Helmke began reminding us that we stand on land belonging to native peoples. The beat of a native drum  calls  us to listen to our heart beat, our hurting hearts, as we grieve those lost.  

Mayor Nirenberg spoke of youth and the future.  As the memorial opens our hearts, may this lead us to encouraging the young and creating hope.  

Learn more of seeking to promote compassion during the pandemic, "Tears Are Washing Our Eyes that we may see." https://kirk-39798.medium.com/tears-are-washing-our-eyes-that-we-may-see-teaching-in-san-antonio-tx-a-city-of-compassion-f1ccf1f19890 

Responding to a Critical Need, Alternative Energy Development.

 

Consider how Gregory Arroyo, Jr., contributes to this effort.  How are each of us called to use our talents or our voices in light of this critical need?  A virtual conversation was held April 6, 2021, with Mr. Arroyo who is the Chief Commercial Officer and Corporate Counsel for Eleris Energy Global, LLC, a company focused on clean energy projects in South and Southeast Asia, as well as President and founder of Texas based Limerick Consulting, LLC,  serving the electric power industry.  Mr. Arroyo’s creative thinking and sense of vocation has led him to development work with wind and solar energy in areas such as Bangladesh which has been one of the most economically  disadvantaged countries in the world. Learn of Mr. Arroyo’s assistance in bringing alternative energy  to Mexico, Central America, Peru, southeast Asia, and more. 

After Mr. Arroyo had spoken UIW student leaders commented and engaged in conversation: Miranda Van Doren of SUSTAIN, Daniel Potter, UIW Solar House Project Manager, Liza Castillo, Interior Design and Environmental Science. Then others joined including Dr. Karen Engate, UIW Environmental Science and her students. Mr. Arroyo was invited by Sister Martha Ann Kirk who shares the same south Texas hometown where for many people economic security is tied to the fossil fuel industry.  At this time in global history, economic conversion is critical.  She raises the question, “If so much job security continues to be tied to fossil fuel which is pushing climate change is humanity enslaved in a downward spiral?”   Co-sponsored by the University of the Incarnate Word Earth Month Committee, Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability; H-E-B School of Business & Administration; Incarnate Word Sisters Justice, Peace, Creation Committee; San Antonio Pax Christi;  SUSTAIN;  H-E-B School of Business & Administration;   Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Physics. 

 

Sueños de una mujer Afgana

Araceli Uranga, CCVI nos comparte estas imágenes.  Cada imagen está llena de sueños, luchas y esperanzas. Creemos que orar con ellas puede hacernos mucho bien. Extendamos la solidaridad.

"Llegaron estas imágenes. Son obras de una artista afgana que se llama Shamsia Hassani, si las compartimos, será como darle voz a ella  y a todas las mujeres afganas que están viviendo el infierno."