JPIC Engagement Report

From January to May 2025, the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) ministry engaged in a series of collaborative initiatives aimed at advancing the values of ecological justice, human dignity, and integral community participation. Guided by the principles of Laudato Si’ and in alignment with the seven goals of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP), our efforts spanned education, advocacy, public witness, and sustainability. We worked alongside partners in faith, education, and civic engagement to respond to the urgent cries of the Earth and the poor, especially those most affected by war, climate displacement, and systemic neglect. This report offers an overview of our key projects and events during the first trimester of 2025, reflecting the JPIC commitment to fostering hope, healing, and ecological conversion across our communities.

Silent Garden: Healing through Nature

JPIC has partnered with Towne Twin, a housing initiative for under-resourced residents in San Antonio, to support the creation of the Silent Garden. This contemplative space is designed to offer restorative experiences through connection with nature, reflecting the belief that ecological beauty is integral to human healing. The garden is expected to be completed by mid-2025 and will serve as a symbol of the transformative power of community and creation.

“The Garden is taking shape as a place for residents, staff, and visitors to enjoy fresh air, quiet reflection, and a sense of community.” - Marylou Rodriguez, CCVI.

Hatred as a Contagious Disease: A Compassionate San Antonio Collaboration

In February, JPIC partnered with Compassionate San Antonio to host the Hatred as a Contagious Disease event series (February 17–19). The events invited participants to explore hatred through the lens of pathology; examining how it manifests and spreads similarly to a disease, drawing on analogies from medical diagnostics. In addition to community dialogues, the initiative supported educational opportunities for Middle Eastern women through a scholarship fund for university study. A central element of the event was a communal reflection on I Shall Not Hate, the powerful memoir of Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, whose advocacy for justice and peace emerged despite the tragic loss of his three daughters in the 2009 Israel–Gaza conflict. The theme "I Shall Not Hate" served as a call to radical compassion and to love one’s neighbor, aligning with the Laudato Si’ Action Platform’s (LSAP) emphasis on human dignity, equality, and solidarity with migrants and refugees affected by war and climate displacement.

Digital Art Collaboration: Youth Voices on Nature

In January, JPIC collaborated with the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) Public Health students to digitize artwork from UIW Brainpower schools under the theme of “Nature.” This digital artbook, titled Artistic Bridges: Connecting Worlds Through Young Eyes, is now available alongside similar projects by children around the globe, fostering international solidarity through creative expression and ecological awareness. See here

Solidarity and Advocacy through Public Witness

As part of its commitment to advocacy and presence, JPIC joined several statewide and regional initiatives during the first half of 2025. These included:

• Texas Impact Conference (Austin, January 26)

• Texas Catholic Bishops Conference (Austin, April 1)

• GreenFaith’s March for the Future (March 9)

• Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation with Fr. John Suenram (May 24)

Through these gatherings, JPIC demonstrated solidarity with communities vulnerable to environmental degradation, economic injustice, and systemic exclusion, particularly youth, Indigenous peoples, and historically impacted populations.

Laudato Si’ Stations of the Cross: Lenten Reflections in Context

During Lent, JPIC facilitated a Laudato Si’ Stations of the Cross for Sisters and lay participants, inviting reflection, ethical discernment, and action. The meditations addressed the intersection of social, economic, and ecological challenges in the U.S., with particular emphasis on their manifestations in Texas.

Sustainability in Action: UIW Brainpower School Projects

The UIW Brainpower Connection Schools have advanced their sustainability initiatives, continuing the momentum from the prior year. Working through teachers and student leadership, each school developed and implemented tailored climate action projects. These include:

• Rainwater harvesting system (elementary school)

• Outdoor learning space (preschool)

• Recycling infrastructure (St. Anthony Catholic School)

• Low-flow water fixtures (St. Anthony High School)

• Garden restoration (Blessed Sacrament Catholic School)

As of May 2025, four of the five projects have been completed, with the final one expected to conclude by the end of the month. A comprehensive report on these initiatives is available here: Sustainability Project Report.

Reflection and Awareness: Permian Basin Immersion Retreat

In late March, JPIC collaborated with Citizens Caring for the Future (CCF), the Laudato Si’ Movement, Franciscan Sisters, Sisters of Mercy, Oilfield Witness, and New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light to host an Immersion Retreat in the Permian Basin (March 27–30). The retreat offered a space for prayer, critical reflection, and ecological discernment, grounded in the lived experience of environmental exploitation in oil-producing regions. A multimedia resource (featuring reflections, analysis, and photographs) is being developed and will be published by the end of May to raise awareness of the ecological and moral implications of extractive economies.

Climate Narratives: Storytelling for Change

In collaboration with the Climate Reality Project (San Antonio), JPIC is currently developing a narrative framework to document and share the UIW Brainpower schools’ sustainability work. This collaborative story will highlight Earth Day tree-gifting ceremonies and broader carbon capture efforts, serving as an educational tool and advocacy resource for the UIW Brainpower Schools Conference scheduled for August 2025. The objective is to inspire more schools to engage in sustainability projects and to demonstrate that all communities can play a role in ecological transformation.

Looking Ahead: 

• UIW Brainpower Schools Conference (August)
  Theme: Greening of Schools (in collaboration with Climate Reality and JPIC)

• Year 2 of Sustainability Projects
  Additional support for new school-based climate action projects.

• Gardening Class Initiative
  A new program for UIW Brainpower students with incentives to encourage active participation and learning.

• Laudato Si’ Action Platform Review
  A review process aimed at reinvigorating LSAP commitments among Sisters, Associates, and partner ministries, ensuring continued alignment with JPIC values and the call to integral ecology.