Awareness of the
Interconnectedness of Creation
Our Congregation fosters a contemplative stance toward the Earth.
We hear the Cry of the Earth as a call to protect our common home for the wellbeing of all, as we equitably address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and ecological sustainability.
We promote awareness of the sacredness and interdependence of all God’s creation. We value making time to study, reflect, and act on issues that are harming Earth today: consumerism, global warming, pollution, and more.
Fall in Love with Creation
May you fall in love with the natural beauty of Earth today and every day.
The Prairie Habitat and St. Francis Sculpture Garden are sacred spaces welcoming visitors to immerse themselves in God’s Creation right here at Marywood.
The Prairie Habitat changes with the seasons. In summer, it is covered with vibrant blossoms galore. In its autumn phase is the flowering of assorted asters, goldenrods, sneezeweed and other later bloomers. It’s a busy time for finches and pollinators.
Saint Francis Sculpture Garden draws walkers from our neighorhood and beyond. Walk quietly with St Francis of Assisi and God — accompanied by the sounds and sights of the creek, leaves in the trees, bird play and song.
Care of Our Common Home Laudato Si Action Platform Commitment
Pope Francis’ papal encyclical on the environment released June 18, 2015 was a call to the world about the interconnection of all creation.
In November 2021, the Church called upon Catholics and all people to join a seven-year initiative, Laudato Si Action Platform, to focus on redefining and rebuilding our relationship with each other and our common home.
The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids responded with our pledge. https://www.grdominicans.org/pledge-to-pursue-laudato-si-action-platform/
Nurturing Ecosystems, Reforesting Marywood
In 2023, we initiated a project to plant 100 trees on the Marywood Campus grounds to expand the tree canopy in our City and neighborhood by 2027. This re-foresting project is part of our Laudato Si Action Platform. The Response to the Cry of the Earth is a call to protect our common home for the wellbeing of all, as we equitably address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and ecological sustainability.
Water Protection
Care of Earth is just one example of how collaboration is essential to transforming the way we relate with the Earth and her resources. Locally, Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids join other Michigan Catholic Sisters in support of water protection funding.
Water is a precious gift from God to all of creation and, as Pope Francis has written, “a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights” (Laudato Si’, 30). We urge our elected leaders in Lansing to do all they can to safeguard and protect our state’s cherished waterways and drinking water.
Eliminate Nuclear Weapons
As people of faith, we believe that the possession, development and threat to use nuclear weapons is immoral. There are no safe hands for these weapons. The accidental or deliberate detonation of a nuclear weapon would cause severe, long-lasting and far-reaching harm on all aspects of our lives and our environment throughout the world. Further, these technologies are part of structures and systems that bring about great suffering and destruction.
As a Congregation we have taken public positions against nuclear weapons and several of our Sisters have undertaken profound public witness against these violent and inhumane weapons. Their use causes the annihilation of humanity and Earth; the vast resources wasted on their production steals from people who are poor.
“The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, in 2007, passed a Corporate Stance for the abolition of nuclear weapons. At the time when the United Nations was considering the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, letters were sent to Ambassador Haley, President Trump, and Representative Rand Paul urging them to endorse the treaty. On July 24, 2020, we signed on to a letter sponsored by Setsuko Thurlow, a hibakusha (a survivor) from Hiroshima, sent to the leaders of 197 countries asking them to ratify and promote the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Today, we endorse the following statement. Our ministry of peace continues.” ~ Promoter of Justice Sr. Brigid Clingman.
Joint Interfaith Statement on the Entry into Force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons | 22 January 2021
A Response to the Cry of the Earth in Grand Rapids
In 2023, we initiated a project to plant 100 trees on the Marywood Campus grounds to expand the tree canopy in our City and neighborhood by 2027. This re-foresting project is part of our congregation’s Laudato Si Action Plan.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
O, God of the Universe,
expand our hearts in Thanksgiving
for loving us into being
and for sharing your love in total gift of self poured out in Jesus Christ.
Thank you for the beauty of all creation
in nature and for our sisters and brothers
around the world
from every nation, color, and creed.
Teach us to pour out our lives for others
in Eucharistic thanksgiving
for a better world of justice, equality, and peace.
May all creation experience fulllness of life
in our common Earth home now and into the future.
We pray this with deep gratitude in Jesus name.
Amen.
~ Tereska Wozniak OP
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