San Antonio Sustainability Workshop

On June 21, 2016 over 50 sisters, associates, collaborators, and UIW students gathered together at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX for the Congregational JPIC Office’s Sustainability Workshop.  Presenters at the workshop included Monica Cruz from the Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and JPIC Committee Member, Daniel Potter from the Sustainability Office at UIW, Dr. Ricardo Gonzalez from the Ettling Center, Lisa Uribe from Women’s Global Connection, Sr. Chris Stavinoha and Audra Cardona from Incarnate Word High School, Rene Escobedo and Rosi Cortez from St. Anthony’s High School, Corinne Francis from CHRISTUS Health, Pamela Ball and Howard Homan from Headwaters, Sr. Jean Durel from the Elders Care for Creation committee and GLT, and Jennifer Reyes Lay from the JPIC Office. 

The morning was spent learning and sharing about the amazing work going on in our ministries and congregation related to Sustainability.  There are many great collaborations already happening across ministries, and contacts made at the workshop will hopefully lead to even more!  Participants also spent time in prayer and reflection, discerning and voting for a collective sustainable action to be taken by the Congregation, and remember the many men and women around the world who have dedicated their lives to environmental justice and caring for our common home.  There was also an option tour offered in the afternoon in which about a dozen people participated, getting to see firsthand the wonderful community gardens on campus and also the solar house. 

We ended the morning singing together “The World is About to Turn,” with hope that as we continue to live Laudato Si and care for our common home the world really is at a point of turning for the good of all creation.  Thank you so much to all who presented, attended, participated, and left committed to doing their part to live more sustainably!   

 

    

 

    

 

 


 

     

 

St. Louis Sisters and JPIC Office learn about Sustainability!

 On Saturday, June 4th, Incarnate Word Sisters from St. Louis, MO gathered with staff from the Congregational JPIC Office to learn about sustainability and reflect on sustainable actions that they can take in their own lives as well as throughout the Congregation.  This was part of the Congregation's larger celebration of the one year anniversary of Laudato Si, commemorated by hosting workshops on sustainability throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Peru.

The St. Louis group attended the Green Homes Fair at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, which was filled with many different vendors and organizations sharing their knowledge and skills related to the various ways we can live more sustainably.  Some of the topics covered included renewable energy technologies, green building and home improvement, nature scaping resources, energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, recycling, composting, gardening, weatherization, energy audits, eco-friendly household cleaning products, and sustainable living ideas.   It was a beautiful day to walk around the botanical gardens, surrounded by the beauty of God's creation, and be inspired by the many ways we can care for our common home!

After spending a few hours at the Gardens, the group met at the Incarnate Word Foundation to reflect on what they saw and learned and share ideas about future actions.  There was a lot of interest in having energy audits of the sisters' homes and buildings conducted to see how we can take steps to make these living and work spaces more energy efficient.  We also learned about a local Green Schools Challenge to help area schools form a Green Team and devise and implement a sustainable project at their school.  One sister who attended is also interested in building her own rain barrel and offered to build one for other sisters who might be interested as well!

At the end of the day each of the participants shared one way that Laudato Si has inspired them to take action to live more sustainably.  The Catholic Climate Movement has a social media campaign right now encouraging everyone to share how Laudato Si has inspired them to take action, and we encourge you to participate as well!  Download this flyer and take a picture of yourself with your answer to how Laudato Si has inspired you with the hashtag #CreationCare and #LaudatoSiWeek.  Each of us doing our part to live Laudato Si and care for creation makes a difference!

Join with us for Laudato Si Week!

In June the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word join with those around the world celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Laudato Si.  We are grateful for all of the gifts and insights we have received since its publication, encouraging us to reflect, study, and act within our own communities and ministries.  As a follow up to our series of Community Conversations on Laudato Si, in the month of June we will be hosting a series of workshops on Sustainability, to help us implement the Incarnational Spirituality of caring for our common home.  

Workshops will be held in:

• St. Louis, MO: June 4th
• Lima, Peru: June 12th
• Mexico City: June 15th
• Guadalajara, MX: June 17th
• Monterrey, MX: June 21th
• San Antonio, TX: June 21st
• Chimbote, Peru: June 24th 

Our goals for these workshops are:

• Ensure that ecological sustainability is an integral part of our planning, decision making, and lived practices of the Congregation.
• Encourage changes to life styles that are more respectful of the earth.
• Resist the culture of consumerism and offer development models that respect the rights of every community of creatures on this earth.  
• Commit ourselves to a vision of sustainability 

For more information or to register for a workshop in the city closest to you, please write to us at jpic.office@amormeus.org.  We look forward to your participation!