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“We commit ourselves to reverse those personal and
communal choices which exploit the earth and impoverish peoples.”
(1997
General Chapter of the School Sisters of Notre Dame)
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Throughout the history
of the congregation, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, have joined their
voices around the world to call one another and the human community to live
more justly. During the last two decades, however, they have come to a
deeper realization that commitment to the integrity of creation must be at
the heart of the work for justice and peace in the world today. |
What is meant when it
is said that there is a commitment to the “integrity of creation?”
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School
Sisters of Notre Dame recognize that human beings are a part of and are
intimately interrelated with every other dimension of creation. The belief
that the human community and the earth community need to live in right
relationship with one another and that the human community cannot use or
abuse the rest of creation is fundamental to this commitment. |
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Because of an
ecological consciousness of the integrity of all of creation, the School
Sisters of Notre Dame believe that the Christian mandate “to love our
neighbor” extends not only to other human beings but also to every facet of
creation. The human community is called to live in life-giving and mutually
life-enhancing relationship with all of creation.” For the human and earth
communities to live in a world of life-giving reciprocity demands the demise
of dualistic, hierarchical, and patriarchal patterns of oppression rooted in
sexism, racism, classism, ageism, militarism, violence, greed and
exploitation. |
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At the core of the
belief in the integrity of all of creation is the Christian conviction that
all of creation is sacred, because God is the creator of life. Similarly,
SSNDs believe that all forms of life are integrally interrelated and
interconnected with one another and with God. As Christian women of faith
and hope, they proclaim that ― |
 | Creation is a source of the revelation of
God; |
| The exploitation of the whole Earth community
is a moral crisis; |
| Ecological justice demands sustainable
living; |
| The integrity of creation is foundational to
justice and peace; |
| SSND international Congregation can be a
positive, global influence for just and sustainable living for the whole
Earth community; |
| SSND charism calls the sisters to contribute
to the healing of a wounded and broken planet through a renewed commitment
to radical and prophetic living. |
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In order to
acknowledge and respect the integrity of creation, the 21st General Chapter
of the Congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame took a dramatic step
and adopted the following resolution:
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We the members of the 21st General
Chapter, call on the SHALOM network to design and carry out a process of
study and theological reflection on the values and principles of the
Earth Charter. This process will include a reflection on our experience
regarding the integrity of creation, as well as reflections on Sacred
Scripture, our Catholic faith tradition, and our congregational
documents. The purpose of the process is to assist the Congregation to
respond with renewed action for the sake of justice for the integrity of
creation.
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By adopting this 2002
Chapter Resolution on the Earth Charter, the School Sisters of Notre Dame joined countless others around the world in the efforts to effect ecological
consciousness and global justice. The General Chapter called its sisters to
a way of being in the world that is rooted more deeply in thinking, acting,
and living in right relationship with all forms of life. It was a call to
conversion from any ways that show lack of respect and reverence for all of
creation at this time. The call to conversion must be both personal and
communal and it must be rooted in contemplation as a way of life that will
lead to attitudinal, relational, and structural change in one’s life. |
"Christian conversion requires new thinking and new
living,
a continual change of mind and heart as individuals and as community."
(You Are
Sent, Constitution and General Directory of the School Sisters of Notre
Dame, GD 51)
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| Find out what the
Social Teaching of the
Church says about the integrity of creation and what other Christian
denominations and other faith traditions have said about the topic. A good
place to start:
World Council of Churches |
| Find out if your local Bishops Conference has
made any kind of a statement regarding the integrity of creation |
| Read something on
Ecology and Religion.
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| Form a group and reflect together on the gift
of water. Use as a guide,
Water for Life: In
Defense of our Sister Water a small booklet available in many
languages. |
| Take time with nature. Watch a flower, an
insect, a bird or stare at a cow for five minutes. |
| If possible, begin a compost pile and watch
potato skins, orange peelings, coffee
 grounds
be transformed into something new. Be fascinated by the worms as they turn
the garbage into a “new creation.” |
| Have a conversation with yourself about how
you can “simplify” your life. |
| Buy a bicycle and use it!
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To learn more about the integrity of creation and ecological
justice see the following:
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 The
Earth Charter is a
declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and
peaceful global society in the 21st century.
The United Nations Environmental Programme
provides leadership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing,
and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without
compromising that of future generations
The United Nations
Division for Sustainable Development provides leadership and is an
authoritative source of expertise within the UN system on sustainable
development. It promotes sustainable development in its work with UN
Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) which was created in 1992 to
monitor and report on implementation of the UN conferences and summits on
the environment and development.
Umweltportal
der Europäischen Kommission provides up-to-date information on the state
of our environment, policy initiatives and legislative issues. (English,
German and some other European languages)
World Watch Institute provides
independent research for an environmentally sustainable and socially just
society.
Many religious congregations have web sites with ecological news. The
Holy Cross
International Justice Office provides information on relevant issues of the
environment
The
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia provide an “ecological audit” on
their web site.
Friends of the Earth International
is a federation of autonomous environmental organizations from all over the
world. (English, Spanish, French)
Find out the meaning of Ecological
Debt (Spanish)
Subscribe to
Reuter’s
Daily Environmental News
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Copyright ©
2005 by SSND
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Last updated:09 June 2008
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