Eco-Spirituality

Eco-spirituality ties together our Catholic faith and our concern for the Earth. We recognize the cosmos (all of creation, not just what we can see) as a place of God’s continuing self-revelation and creation.

God’s engagement with the whole fabric of the Earth and cosmos is a continuous creation and evolution which we are called to appreciate and celebrate by caring for the Earth.

The Big Picture

Ecology studies everything that dwells with us in our cosmic/earth home.  Eco-spirituality studies our relationship to God as it develops in the context of our relationships with the cosmos in its totality.

The challenge is to find God within the cosmos as a dynamic, interdependent process centering on the risen Christ and growing to perfection in love.  As Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, we see our role as creating a compassionate world where all may flourish into the future.

General Information

At our last chapter in 2013 The Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart risked new relationships that they felt God was calling them to and promised to:

• Cultivate relational integrity in all our interactions- with the Earth and nature as well as other humans.
• Foster cosmic consciousness –to learn about and teach others about the Universe Story and the new cosmology. Click here to learn more

Rooted in the oneness of our love for God and our love for God’s creation (our emphasis), we, the LCWR, commit ourselves to use our spiritual, social and education resources and our public credibility to promote the national transition from fossil fuel energy sources to renewable energy sources as quickly as possible.

This resolution from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) passed at their August 2014 Assembly supporting the use of renewable energy sources is a reflection of our care for creation. The Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart were among the Congregations passing this resolution.

“In the beginning, God created heaven and earth… and saw that it was good.”  Genesis 1

 The Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart View

• We are in awe of the intricacies, power and beauty of creation and celebrate it in our prayer and rituals.
• Our endorsement of The Earth Charter at our Chapter in 2003, it has been a guide for our activism on behalf of creation and the environment.
• Our choices toward a simpler lifestyle; examining our energy consumption as it affects climate change; eating healthy, locally grown foods; and advocating for environmental sustainability in legislation are all in response to the Earth Charter principles.
• To grow in understanding of the new Cosmology and how it shapes the spiritual expression of our faith, the ecology and spirituality group of the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart sponsored a retreat day with Jan Novatka on “The Great Communion.”
• The Earth Committee members of the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart are advocates for the use of renewable energy: solar, wind, and hydro- power, and the banning of fracking in the states in which we live.

A Prayer for our Earth: Pope Francis

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

Click on the following links for more information 

Pope Francis’ encyclical on Ecology: Laudato si’  “This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her.”

Quotes from Pope Francis on Care of Creation

Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching, #7

The Earth Charter

EcoSpirituality Resources

We recommend books by:

Michael Dowd

Father Thomas Berry

Sallie McFague

Judy Canato

Elizabeth Johnson

Illia Deleo