Synodalilty Continues: Helps Build a Church that listens

After the mass at 11am on October 4 in the Chapel of the Incarnate Word, the Incarnate Word Sisters San Antonio's Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation sponsored a Synodal Listening on October 4 12:30pm where the Sisters and lay people gathered together.  We were blessed to have Dr. Virginia Mata, the Archdiocese of San Antonio's Director for Social Justice, who led the gathering in prayer and informed the participants of the work of the archdiocese in being sustainable and working with all the parishes and encouraging everyone to enroll on the Laudato Si' Action Platform.  

The prayer was followed by a talk by Ms. Pamela Ball from 12:30pm to talk about the Headwaters.  It is the ministry for the Care of Creation of the Congregation of Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.  Synodal Listening started after some awareness on the state of the various natural calamities that are impacting the world including how the Texans have already been impacted by the flooding as well as the cry of the poor and migrants in the Texas borders. Several groups religious sisters and lay people gathered in small groups to listen to each other and reflected their own experience of the ecological crisis and how they would like to respond as a church.  Thanks to the table facilitators Sister Teresa Maya, Sister Marichui Bringas, Sister Michele O'Brien, Sister Elizabeth Riebschlaeger, Mr. Arthur Dawes, Dr. Virginia Mata and Dr. Karen Siegl, who made the listening and conversation flowing.

The festive gathering ended passed 2:30 pm with interests from people hoping to take action whether in near term or with collaboration with different church structures and leaders.  The fruits evolved in respect to everybody's experience of the ecological crisis and their ministries.

Synodal Listening is an opportunity to create a space towards a church that respects our responsibility to each other especially looking after the needs of the vulnerable.  As people of God, we have been entrusted to participate in how our church is responding to the signs of our time.  By listening to what is happening within the community, state, country and the world, we are able to hear what each person is experiencing.  Some can be extraordinary, some are challenging, and some are humbling. 

This is also an invitation to the ministries and leaders to host a Synodal Listening/Conversation and challenge yourself in going to the parishes, to talk to the pastor, go out where the people are, and invite the vulnerable to be part of the conversation.  

There is still a chance to participate in Synodal Listening/Conversation. Laudato Si' Movement is one of the many Catholic organizations that advocates for this year's Synodal Listening. The deadline for final submissions for reports is December 31st of this year.

More information can be found here: https://catholicpilgrimsofhope.org/cry-of-the-earth-cry..

Need help in facilitating a Synodal Listening? Contact texas@lsmchapter.org

More on Synod here

Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church here.

Oct 15 4-6pm Imagine a Day without Water at San Pedro Springs by Garden Volunteers of San Antonio, Texas

You are invited to share, attend and bring others to "Imagine a Day without Water at San Pedro Springs".

"Imagine a Day without Water" for students

Gardening Volunteers of South Texas and San Pedro Branch Library will observe the global annual "Imagine a Day without Water" on October 15

4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

poetry, prose and music imagining "a day without water" on outdoor patio behind library

All local elementary through university students are invited to share their original works.

6:00 p.m. San Pedro Springs walk led by Gregg Eckhardt, beginning at library patio.

Event is open to public free of admission.

In event of inclement weather, event will be held in a nearby indoor location.

calendar links:

https://www.gardenstylesanantonio.com/event/imagine-a-day-without-water/

https://www.tpr.org/community-calendar/event/imagine-a-day-without-water-at-san-pedro-springs-27-08-2026-09-14-45

October 13 5-7:30pm: Imagine a Day without Water (Free Dinner)

Imagine a Day without Water for people of any age Tuesday, October 13, 2026 5 - 7:30 p.m.

Gardening Volunteers of South Texas and the Beatitudes Prayer Walk Green Team of Northern Hills United Methodist Church will provide an interactive "Imagine a Day without Water" for all interested community members.

Beginning at 5:00, activities focused in the Value of Water will be available in the lobby as participants arrive. Attendees are invited to participate in a Community Meal with formal program and chicken dinner with video and guided reflection on Value of Water from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dinner is provided free of charge by Northern Hills United Methodist Church.

Venue: Urban Ministry Center at 4306 Naco Pass. The Ministry Center is on south side of the looping circle in a separate building. They now have their food pantry across the street near WellMed and Methodist Healthcare facilities that use renovated mall buildings. The Ministry Hub is in a former warehouse. 

The VIA Naco Pass Mobility Hub, which is just a lot of designated shelters for several bus routes, is in front of Ministry Center.

--
Gardening Volunteers of South Texas
https://www.gardeningvolunteers.org

View the current episode of "Go Gardening"
gardeningvolunteers.org/gogardening

Love over Hatred: October 10 World Day Against Death Penalty

 

"The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption." #NoDeathPenalty

- Pope Leo XIV

Prayer to End Death Penalty from United States Conference of Bishops:

Merciful Father, we ask your blessing on all we do to build a culture of life. Hear our prayers for those impacted by the death penalty.

We pray for all people, that their lives and dignity as children of a loving God may be respected and protected in all stages and circumstances.

We pray for victims of violence and their families, that they may experience our love and support and find comfort in your compassion and in the promise of eternal life.

We pray for those on death row, that their lives may be spared, that the innocent may be freed and that the guilty may come to acknowledge their faults and seek reconciliation with you.

We pray for the families of those who are facing execution, that they may be comforted by your love and compassion.

We pray for civic leaders, that they may commit themselves to respecting every human life and ending the use of the death penalty in our land.

Compassionate Father, give us wisdom and hearts filled with your love. Guide us as we work to end the use of the death penalty and to build a society that truly chooses life in all situations.

We ask this Father through your Son Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Amen

Connect with Catholic Mobilizing Network to Support the Ministry of Love, Compassion, Restorative Justice and build a society based on love instead of hatred.

Read here for more information on the Catholic Mobilizing Network Prayer, Advocacy, and Action..

Compassion and Peace in the Abrahamic Traditions: A Panel of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Voices

As part of the Campaign Nonviolence Call To Action Days, these panelists united with over 2,200 groups around the world revealing that nonviolence is more effective and less expensive than violence. https://paceebene.org/action-days  The human species has survived because people choose to compassionately care for others, to let the suffering of others make a claim on us. www.CharterForCompassion.org 

A deep level of respect and understanding emerged as each panelist shared. They were joined by young people, Alejandro Desuque Yafel, Sinai Krigel-Armstrong, and Anna Mayorga, committed to co-creating a better world who are going to be part of the World Summit of Nobel PeaceLaureates in Rome the first week of December. (You can support these young leaders at that link.) 

People who were strangers a few months ago now feel that they have common hopes and dreams. Wisdom from the Bible, from Abraham Heschel, from the Quran, from Martin Luther King, Jr. and Fetullah Gulen was shared.  The importance of women in developing a more compassionate, just, and peaceful world was emphasized.  Jewish Women Wage Peace and Palestinian Women of the Sun together promote "The Mother's Call" an urgent cry that no child should be raised to kill or be killed.  Please join them by signing https://mothers-call.org/ 

Abraham Heschel writes of letting the suffering of others make a claim on us.  That builds our compassion.  Islam promotes the wisdom of Moses, of Jesus, and of Mohamed. We need each other.

 About the panelists:

Sue Parsons says, “I was raised Christian by New England (Maine) parents of Puritan heritage. I chose progressive Judaism 35 years ago. My degrees are in Russian language and literature, Second Language Acquisition, and library science. My teaching career in academia lasted twenty years followed by librarianship for twenty years. I just retired. I speak English, Russian, and some Swedish. I lived in Sweden in 1976/77 and the USSR 1981-82. I have three grown children, four grandsons, and a 16 year-old cockapoo.

Tamar Krigel-Armstrong originally from Israel is active in the US Supporters of Women Wage Peace. She promotes dialogue in the northern California area. 

Iman Beytullah Colak, is of Kurdish origin and a citizen of Turkey, Argentina and USA. Working and volunteering last 25 years in different capacities for the peace and interfaith relations. I am married and have two boys. I studied Islamic theology in Izmir. I speak Kurdish, Turkish, Arabic, Spanish and English.

Sister Martha Ann Kirk is an educator at the University of the Incarnate Word and also the Coordinator of the Compassionate Colleges and Universities Initiative of www.CharterForCompassion.org.   She is seeking young leaders 18 to 35 to be considering for participating in the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome the first week of December.  Now is the time to apply  https://uiw.givepulse.com/event/898401-Nobel-Peace-Laureate-Summit-Dec.-1-4-in-Rome

This panel is part of an ongoing conversation linked with the Charter for Compassion, the Mother's Call with Women Wage Peace and Women of the Sun, the Hizmet movement, the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative --- all positively acting for a less violent, more unified, loving world.  

We encourage young leaders to participate in the "Best Social Change" competition supported by the Nobel Laureates Secretariat and the Vatican.  Proposals are due Oct. 15.  The ten best proposals will be shared in the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates and one will be chosen for a $10,000 prize to help implement it.  

This flier links on the competition links to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScEmwRQjOkuuhN6OBqvLlT82b7o8K5rRdYls9H3PfOto3bsSw/viewform?pli=1

For more information contact: Sister Martha Ann Kirk, Th.D., Coordinator of the Compassionate Colleges and Universities Initiative,  Charter for Compassion   kirk@uiwtx.edu   Cell: 210-883-5934