The Jesuits in Cambodia have initiated a carbon offset programme in conjunction with the modest seedling nursery set up in Banteay Prieb, the Jesuit-run vocational school for people with disabilities, in late 2012. Primarily intended for Jesuits within the country, volunteers and visiting friends, the carbon offset programme provides an opportunity for air travellers to counterbalance the carbon emissions from their flights to or from Cambodia.
Being a Christian involves obedience. It’s easier to obey a superior we like unless he makes the likeable somewhat difficult. Jesuits, with our special vow, think this affable Pope is easy to follow when he asks us to be revolutionaries; but, when we put “eco-” in front, is it easy? Personally, I share with Francis being a Jesuit, chemist, activist, and Facebook friend; however, he encourages me to do more: extraordinary dedication, intensive focus, and community/team cooperation. We are called to heal our wounded Earth at this time of anthropogenic climate change.
The Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific has published an environmental report that presents a brief overview of key environmental concerns, advocacy initiatives, events, policies and discoveries in Asia Pacific. Titled “Environment Outlook 2013”, the report is based on the responses of Jesuits and collaborators in reconciling with creation, as seen in visits and levels of engagement with Jesuit provinces, institutes and schools in this part of the world in the last months.
Sogang University undergraduate Sol Jee Ahn was at MAGIS and World Youth Day 2013 with a group of 27 pilgrims from Korea. She shares with us how MAGIS helped her feel closer to God and loved as a child of God.
In late June, Singapore suffered from the worst ever haze in its history. The haze came from forest fires in Sumatra, across the Malacca Strait. A row broke out between some government officials in Singapore and Indonesia.
This issue of Promotio Iustitiae (PI 111, 2013/2) aims to help us find in Ignatian spirituality, and in Christian theology more generally, the inspiration we need to develop new and better ways of relating to the natural world so that we are able to love, respect, and protect its integrity more effectively. Five perspectives that explore the spiritual roots of our commitment to the environment are presented. This exploration will hopefully stimulate us to become more decisively involved in the human task of “reconciliation with creation.”
A new resource book is available for those interested in learning more about the ecological dimension of the Jesuit mission. Produced by the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific and Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC) in the Philippines, Reconciling with Creation contains documents that will help people reflect on and engage in Reconciliation with Creation.
In a piece of land measuring 5m x 11m, we began building late last year a simple structure of wooden posts and a nylon mesh roof for the purpose of growing seedlings of hardwood trees native to Cambodia. Located within Banteay Prieb, the Jesuit-run vocational school for people with disabilities, the tree nursery is a collaborative effort of the agriculture students of the centre and their teacher Mr Mam Sony.
Since 2011, we have held during Water Week the annual Lane Cove River Catchment Day, a combined project of the schools of the Lane Cove river catchment team where whole group and small group activities are held based around local catchment issues. The Lane Cove river catchment is 95.4 square kilometres and contains 12,600 megalitres of water.