Kolkata: The Archdiocese of Calcutta has honored the Loreto congregation for planting nearly 140,000 trees and adopting solar power for all their educational institutions. Sister Sabrina Edwards, provincial of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or Loreto Sisters, on December 14 received the award for her congregation’s green efforts at the All Faith Climate Conference held at Seva Kendra, the archdiocese’s social service wing.
The conference on “Caring for Our Family: An Inter-and Intra-Religion Task” was attended by representatives of all major religions in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state. Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta and Seva Kendra director Father Franklin Menezes hosted the meet
Sister Edwards recalled that the national meeting of her congregation’s Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation of Loreto schools decided in September 2016 to take up environmental issues in a serious way in India.
For this, the meet made two commitments “to spearhead climate change: one was to plant 100,000 trees by 2020 and second to make the Loreto network of schools across India carbon neutral,” Sister Edwards told Matters India on December 16.
The province leaders encouraged the principals to install solar panels and students to start planting saplings along with their teachers “on a war-footing,” she narrated.
By the time the provincial received the archdiocesan award, she added, the congregation had gone much beyond their target and planted 138,975 trees and made all their 12 schools, one college as well as their provincial headquarters “fully solar-powered.” Father Menezes said his center decided to honor some significant persons and institutions who have taken special efforts to create a better home on this earth. “Climate change is affecting the habitats of several species, which must either adapt or migrate to areas with more favorable conditions. Even small changes in average temperatures can have a significant effect upon ecosystems,” the priest noted.
He said the inspiration came from Pope Francis’ encyclical letter, “Laudato Si” that deals with this major concern that has grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods. Father Menezes said the SKC took “a bold initiative to bring the leaders of different faith communities” to address “this serious issue.”
The meet encouraged leaders to share views on the topic keeping in mind the tenets of each religion. “It’s our common duty to save the planet from gradual destruction and seek ways for religions to play a significant role in bringing down the temperature and create a balanced ecosystem. The conference was an attempt to promote local responses to this global problem,” Father Menezes explained.
In his welcome address, Archbishop D’Souza spoke about individual and common responsibilities in creating a better home to live. “It’s our priority today that each of us deal with this concern of climate change,” he said and quoted from the encyclical to invite all to become a part of the integrated approach in creating a culture of care and protection of the earth. Father Subhash Anand, a scholar in Indian philosophy, in his keynote address gave a philosophical analysis and interpretation to the earth, using the symbol of the womb.
“The climate problem we are facing needs to be placed in as wide a context as possible, not merely to engage the attention of all and ensure their cooperation, but primarily to understand the problem correctly. This will mean that all religious people work together,” he asserted. Among those present were Bishop Lumen Monteiro of Agartala and chairperson of Caritas India who motivated the youth and “those with youthful hearts” to chalk out an action plan for climate change.
The participants formed three groups representing the prophetical (Christianity, Islam, and Bahaism), the Indian written (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism) and the Indian oral traditions (primal religions). In a vision statement, the participants shared their concern over the rise of greenhouse gases that adversely affects all forms of life.
“As this is a problem facing all of us, we have to work together to avert the greatest climate disaster we are heading for. Our response must be guided by a sense of urgency, moral responsibility and accountability for all. We are the first to feel so acutely the problem. We well may be the last who can do something about it,” the statement noted.
It urged all religions to unite to promote austerity and simplicity of life to help heal a broken world. “If religions are to collaborate our struggle for healthy climate, then there has to be a shift from unfounded beliefs to enlightened faith, from enslaving law to discerning freedom, from empty rituals to humanizing values, from superficial cult to deepening contemplation,” the statement asserted. MattersIndia
