The Call to Ecological Conversion at Bonnybrook

Margo Delaney sent ECI this latest update:

The theme of this year’s national tree week was “More Forests for a Greener Future.” While we didn’t manage to plant a forest, the planting of trees in the church and school grounds will surely contribute to “a greener future” in Bonnybrook.

Fourth class St Joseph’s Parish School planting trees in the church grounds
Special class in St Joseph’s School planting trees

This year again, Our Acts of Love for Lent challenge each of us to commit to concrete actions, however small, that protect our threatened earth. Week 1 highlighted things we can do to save energy; Week 2 focused on Food and how to prevent waste; Week 3 made us aware of the precious gift of water and how to avoid waste in our homes; Week 4, the focus is on the precious gift of water and how we can prevent waste in our homes. Next, we will focus our the use of plastics. Members of Care for the Earth ministry Group have signed the pledge to end plastics. Below is an example of one act that could greatly lessen plastic pollution. Fr Joe reads out the Act of Love at the beginning of the liturgy each day and then places a laminated copy of it on our eco aware tree, while an A3 copy is placed on the church notice board.

Our weekly newsletter carries a quotation from Pope Fransis’s Laudato Si’, reminding us of the wonderful gift of creation and calling us to “protect our common home”.

In the light of the destruction of Ukraine and the immense suffering of the Ukranian people, the gift of creation and the wonder of nature’s rebirth touches us with God’s healing presence and reminds us that “The Holy Ghost o’er the bent world broods/With warm breast and, ah! bright wings” .  (GM Hopkins)