24 April 2024
 Earth Day explains the significance and history of this annual celebration every April 22nd, initiated in the United States in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson to heighten environmental awareness, following inspiration from the environmental degradation observed in the 1960s. It highlights that despite Earth Day's role in fostering improvements such as the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and subsequent environmental legislation, many challenges like climate change and plastic pollution persist. The video features voices like Katia Bannister, a climate activist who criticizes the performative aspect of Earth Day, suggesting it often results in superficial engagement rather than substantive, ongoing action. It also addresses the concept of 'greenwashing,' where companies appear eco-friendly without making genuine changes. The piece calls for a more revolutionary approach to environmental activism, reminiscent of the passion and urgency that characterized the early days of Earth Day, urging for continuous, daily efforts rather than limiting actions to just one day a year. |
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23 April 2024
 The news story 'Why has UN climate chief set the world a two-year deadline?' centers on a stark warning from UN Climate Chief Simon Steel, who asserts that humanity has just two years to implement substantial changes to prevent irreversible damage to our planet. This urgent message comes at a time when the world is experiencing unprecedented natural disasters and record-breaking temperatures, emphasizing the critical nature of immediate and effective climate action. Steel highlights that overcoming political hurdles is as crucial as tackling the scientific challenges, with a specific call to action for wealthier nations, which are responsible for the majority of global CO2 emissions. |
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29 January 2024
 The documentary 'Climate Change - Averting Catastrophe' explores the impacts and challenges of climate change across various global regions, including the melting permafrost in Siberia, the retreating glaciers in the Alps, and the drying of Lake Chad in Africa. It highlights the urgency of addressing climate change through various efforts like renewable energy expansion, reforestation, and innovative solutions like synthetic palm oil and high-altitude wind power. The documentary underscores the importance of global cooperation and rapid action to mitigate the environmental and human costs of climate change. |
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01 January 2024
 In his presentation 'What the Fossil Fuel Industry Doesn't Want You To Know,' Al Gore discusses the urgent climate crisis and the significant obstacles in addressing it, particularly focusing on the fossil fuel industry. He highlights how this industry has consistently opposed climate legislation at various levels, using fraud and falsehoods to mislead the public and maintain control. Gore criticizes the industry for its lack of sincere commitment to reducing emissions, pointing out the conflicts of interest in key climate policy-making forums. He calls for a stronger global response to overcome these obstacles and accelerate progress towards sustainable energy solutions. |
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31 December 2023
 In his presentation 'How to Make Climate Radical Action the New Normal,' Al Gore emphasizes the urgent need to address the climate crisis, which he identifies as a critical conflict between human civilization and Earth's ecological systems. He highlights the devastating impact of greenhouse gases, equating their heat-trapping effect to multiple atomic bombs exploding daily, and points to extreme weather events and rising temperatures as undeniable evidence of climate change. Gore underscores the disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities and stresses the importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources, like solar and wind, to combat the crisis. He advocates for a transformative approach towards sustainability and renewable resources, urging for a reformed capitalism that considers environmental impacts and calling for global collective action to achieve net-zero emissions and prevent further ecological damage. |
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21 December 2023
 In the midst of an unusual El Niño that has replaced Australia's typical pre-Christmas heat with unexpected rain, the ongoing destruction of natural habitats for urban development starkly contrasts with the festive consumerism of the season. Reflecting on the teachings of Protestant theologian Sally McFague, who views the Earth as the 'womb of God,' the blog calls for a Christmas awakening to the sacredness of creation. It suggests that honoring the Incarnation—God becoming flesh—should extend to a profound environmental stewardship, recognizing Christ in all aspects of creation and embracing our responsibility to preserve and revere the natural world as an act of divine worship. |
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12 December 2023
 In the interview at COP28, Bill Gates discusses the challenges and approaches to solving climate change, with a focus on the inequity of its impact, which hits the poorest the hardest, particularly those dependent on agriculture. Gates emphasizes the urgency for global cooperation in reaching zero emissions by 2050 and the significance of innovation in clean energy and agriculture to outpace the effects of climate change. He highlights investments in drought-resistant crops and sustainable technologies, underscoring the importance of adaptation and mitigation, especially for subsistence farmers in developing countries who are disproportionately affected by climate change. Gates also reflects on the potential of wealthy individuals to contribute significantly to these efforts, advocating for their involvement in driving innovation and supporting global health and climate initiatives. Despite the daunting task ahead, Gates expresses optimism due to human ingenuity and the potential for improvement in the human condition, even as he acknowledges that keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees C is unlikely. |
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10 December 2023
 In his speech, Pope Francis passionately addresses the urgent and interconnected issues of environmental degradation and societal division. He underscores his absence but emphasizes his spiritual presence and the pressing need for collective action on climate change, which he deems an offense against God and a structural sin. He criticizes the unsustainable consumerism driving ecological damage and calls for humility in recognizing human limitations. Francis laments the prioritization of national interests over the global common good, obstructing meaningful international cooperation. He refutes the notion that poverty and high birth rates are to blame for environmental issues, pointing instead to the disproportionate ecological debt owed by wealthy nations to poorer countries. |
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03 December 2023
 Scott Tinker's presentation, titled 'An Honest and Sensible Conversation about Global Energy' focuses on the complexities of energy access, security, and its impact on global development, particularly in less affluent regions. He emphasizes the critical role of energy in fostering human flourishing and economic growth. Tinker begins by discussing the interplay between faith, science, and doubt, highlighting the importance of skepticism in scientific inquiry. He then delves into the global issues of energy, economy, and climate change, arguing that these are interconnected and cannot be addressed in isolation. |
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22 November 2023
 The TED talk 'The Benefits of Nature for Mental Health' emphasizes the multifaceted benefits of interacting with nature, particularly its positive impact on mental and physical health. The speaker begins by sharing a personal anecdote about gardening, using this as a segue into a broader discussion about the holistic benefits of nature. It's highlighted that 970 million people worldwide struggle with mental illness, with many others experiencing symptoms that disrupt daily life. |
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19 November 2023
 The YouTube clip 'Are Christians Concerned with Climate Change?' discusses the intersection of faith and climate science, particularly focusing on the views of Christians regarding climate change. Dr. Jessica Moorman, an Evangelical Christian and paleoclimatologist, shares her journey into climate science motivated by her faith. She studies past climates using geological records to understand current climate changes, attributing the planet's warming and extreme weather events to human activities like burning fossil fuels. |
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11 November 2023
 In 2015, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’ (The Letter); an encyclical letter about the environmental crisis to every single person in the world. A few years later, four voices that have gone unheard in global conversations have been invited to an unprecedented dialogue with the Pope. Hailing from Senegal, the Amazon, India, and Hawai’i, they bring perspective and solutions from the poor, the indigenous, the youth, and wildlife into a conversation with Pope Francis himself. This documentary follows their journey to Rome and the extraordinary experiences that took place there, and is packed with powerfully moving personal stories alongside the latest information about the planetary crisis and the toll it’s taking on nature and people.
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09 November 2023
 Today's youth have inherited a big, unprecedented climate problem to solve -- and the eco-anxiety to go with it. Gen-Zer and activist Clover Hogan knows the struggle firsthand, but she also understands the path to climate action starts with the one thing you can control: your mindset. She explains why challenging the stories that keep you feeling powerless can help you take the first step to protecting the planet for generations to come. |
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04 October 2023
 In this unique feature documentary, titled David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, the celebrated naturalist reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime and the devastating changes he has seen. Coming to Netflix October 4 2020, the film addresses some of the biggest challenges facing life on our planet, providing a snapshot of global nature loss in a single lifetime. With it comes a powerful message of hope for future generations as Attenborough reveals the solutions to help save our planet from disaster. |
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04 October 2023
 Song by Ellie Goulding & Steven Price. Is it really over?The echoes just seem to get longer. How did we get here?There was so much love in us. And all I have left is my faith. I can change. |
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04 October 2023
 At the heart of Pope Francis’ document on the Environ ment, Laudatio Si, is Saint Francis of Assisi. Saint Francis is one of the first Christians concerned with the environ ment. Born in 1181. Saint Francis modelled a new way of living that radically shook the foundations of the church of the time. Saint Francis moved away from the upper rich merchant class which was emerging in European culture of the 12th century or “Majors”, and embraced a life with the lower class or “Minors”. |
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28 September 2023
 I Am Greta is a documentary that provides an intimate and compelling look into the life and activism of Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish environmental activist who gained global recognition for her efforts to address climate change. The film follows Greta's journey from her solo school strike for climate action outside the Swedish parliament to her emergence as a prominent figure in the global climate movement. It offers viewers a behind-the-scenes perspective, capturing her passion, determination, and the personal challenges she faces as she becomes a voice for the younger generation concerned about the planet's future. |
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23 August 2023
 The YouTube Original Film 'The Pope, The Environmental Crisis and Front Line Leaders' explores the global environmental crisis through the perspectives of individuals from different backgrounds and regions. |
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14 July 2023
 The documentary 'Climate Change' explores the alarming impact of global warming on the Earth's climate and the urgent need for action. The film follows extreme mountaineers Danny Arnold and his friend as they embark on a thrilling mountaineering adventure, scaling the melting glaciers. However, their awe-inspiring experiences are juxtaposed with the growing concern among scientists that such adventures may soon become impossible due to climate change. The documentary highlights the devastating effects of climate change around the world, including torrential rain, floods, droughts, and the melting permafrost. |
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21 May 2023
 According to an ABC News report, researchers are once again raising concerns about the state of the climate and warning that temperatures are expected to reach record levels in the next five years. The World Meteorological Organization states that there is a two-thirds chance the global average temperature will surpass the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time between now and 2027. This breach of the limit signifies the rapid acceleration of climate change and the increasingly severe impacts it will have. The continued high-level emissions from human activities and the emergence of an El Niño weather pattern in the Pacific contribute to the rising risk. The report emphasizes that even temporary breaches of the 1.5-degree threshold have significant environmental consequences, including more extreme weather events and devastating impacts. Scientists are calling for urgent action to reduce emissions and prevent further damage. The article concludes by stressing the importance of not becoming desensitized to these alarming warnings and highlights Australia's vulnerability to climate-related disasters. It urges the government, businesses, and policymakers to respond swiftly and take responsibility for reducing emissions and addressing the issue. |
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07 May 2023
 This week world leaders, pushing for more coordinated and strenuous action on climate change, no doubt hoping to capitalise on the lesson of coronavirus while it's still fresh - that doing too little, too late has dire consequences. So far, most nations - including Australia - have acted with insufficient urgency, meaning that the task ahead is now both mitigation and adaptation. |
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12 March 2023
 Today our mission must radically change. That mission is traumatic, ongoing, and accelerating. In less than 200 years. Just a blink in geological time we humans have burnt so much coal, gas and oil, and destroyed so many forests, that our planets climate has become unstable. Sea levels are rising, oceans are heating, acidifying, and filling with plastic. Large populations of animals have vanished, and many species are going extinct. People world wide are struggling with extreme heat waves, droughts, floods and storms. Countless people are going hungry and being forcibly displaced because of climate shocks. |
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11 March 2023
 An amazing documentary that envisions how our world could be in 2040 if we took the environment seriously. Don't do this for yourself. Do this for our children and grandchildren. |
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23 January 2023
 Our challenge is to accompany people from the margins into a journey towards the fullness of life and love. We are meant to be in the coalface, in the messiness of it all and at the same time in fidelity to the Gospel… Like Christ in his ministry among the sick and the lost, we are called to meet God in the most unlikely people and places. We, too, must be in that frontier space. |
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16 January 2023
 An inspiration speech concerning Laudatio Si, the current environmental crises and the actions which need to be taken. This was delivered to the Marist Family of Brothers, Fathers, Sisters and Laity using Zoom in February 2021. This journey is be taken together. We as people are integrally connected to the world who is suffering. We need leaders to emerge. Together we must become more aware so that we might respond as a community both locally in connection to our brothers and sisters across the world. |
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11 December 2022
 A 2021 documentary film about the environmental impact of fishing directed by and starring Ali Tabrizi, a British filmmaker. The film is produced by Kip Anderson, director of animal consumption documentaries Cowspiracy and What the Health. |
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29 November 2022
 Marist Sisters in Australia taking Action to Care for the Earth. Have a a close look at the concrete actions what the Marist Sisters are doing to Care for the Earth. |
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22 November 2022
 At COP 27, countries come together to take action towards achieving the world’s collective climate goals as agreed under the Paris Agreement and the Convention. Building on the outcomes and momentum of COP 26 in Glasgow last year, nations are expected to demonstrate at COP 27 that they are in a new era of implementation by turning their commitments under The Paris Agreement into action. The conference will take place from 6-18 November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Heads of State and Government will attend the Sharm el-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit on 7 and 8 November. A high-level segment primarily attended by Ministers will take place from 15-18 November. |
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30 October 2022
 Australian Religious Response to Climate Change or ARCC is a member-based organisation of people from around Australia who are committed to taking action on climate change. Our members represent a variety of religious traditions. We believe that as people dedicated to the common good, inspired by our beliefs and energized by our spirituality, people of all faiths can and should be at the forefront of creating a safe climate. While celebrating the uniqueness of our different traditions, we stand together in working for an ecologically and socially sustainable future. |
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30 October 2022
 A film about a nation on the front line of climate change: the central Pacific nation of Kiribati is one of the countries in the world most vulnerable to rising sea levels. |
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30 October 2022
 We’re making a garden;We’re working the ground. In land that’s bombed and torn, Your love soaks through the soil;New life can yet be born. |
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16 October 2022
 Creator God, who carved the canyonswith a painless breath. Who sends the rains on unmanned fields. and tucks the sun to rest. The dawn is clothed with brilliance andadorned in full array. Reflections of the Fatherʼs loveput wildly on display. |
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13 October 2022
 If the fields are parched. And the trees are felled. Will the rocks cry aloud on their own. If the birds are starved. And the beasts are killed. Will the bones in the dust lift a song. |
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07 October 2022
 The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the poorest countries on Earth. But it holds the world’s richest deposits of cobalt. Now the race is on to mine the metal essential to making electric car batteries. People in this region are digging and dying for. It is dangerous work. The massive industrial mines are a law until themselves. People are dying for lack of safety. Corruption and violence and rampant. Small scale miners who work on the fringes of the mine risk arrest and even death. Many are children. This is the cost of our green energy revolution. |
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21 June 2022
 Barely a day goes by without some dire warning about the state of the environment. But we also hear that if we act now we may be able to avoid the worst consequences of man-made climate change. The vast majority of the world’s population hold to a faith tradition. So what role can religion play in bringing about the kind of change that is needed? Religion appeals not only to science but to deeply held beliefs and values. Religion can talk the language of hope as opposed to fear and can tap into vast networks and mobilise communities. So what difference can religions make, what kind of things are already happening and are they doing enough to tackle a problem that will connect all people regardless of faith and belief? |
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22 April 2022
 April 22. EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970, EARTHDAY.ORG is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in over 192 countries. |
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22 April 2022
 Sir David Frederick Attenborough is an English broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and author. He is best known for writing and presenting, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, the nine natural history documentary series forming the Life |
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29 March 2022
 Integral Ecology is about pursuing the good for our common home. In this video we explore the meaning of integral ecology, and we will be introduced to the 'Economy of Francesco', one of the most explicit calls made by Pope Francis on acting from an integral economy perspective. |
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29 March 2022
 Our seventh Convocation session leaps into action, as we explore transformative ways in which living an ecological vocation has changed communities, education systems, families and ourselves. Join us for an inspirational journey of how action from within has inspired others. |
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01 March 2022
 There is a cost to everything we do. But the biggest cost is doing nothing. This climate emergency is a race. The climate crisis is caused by us and the solutions must come from us. It will require fundamental transformations in all aspects of society. How we grow food, use land, fuel our transport. The COVID pandemic has impacted human well being. It has caused indirect effects on species and the environment. COVID is a consequence of the depletion of nature. Therefore there is a need and proactive in fighting climate change. We are called to become stewards of God's creation. How are we called to take action? |
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19 January 2022
 Father Luigi Savoldelli sm, sent this news, at the end of last year, from District's Laudato Si Project in Cameroon. |
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15 December 2021
 What kind of a world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up? We need only to take a frank look at the facts to see our common home is falling into series disrepair. These problems are closely linked to a throw away culture. |
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10 December 2021
 It is now 6 years since Pope Francis published his encyclical 'Laudatio Si' or Our Care for our Common Home. At the time it attracted world wide attention for its focus on ecology, climate, economics, and how this all impact on the poor and marginalised people. |
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17 November 2021
 Rev. James Bhagwan, general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, addresses the High level Segment of COP26 on behalf of the Interfaith Liaison Committee. |
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14 November 2021
 With a million species at risk of extinction, Sir David Attenborough explores how this crisis of biodiversity has consequences for us all, threatening food and water security, undermining our ability to control our climate and even putting us at greater risk of pandemic diseases. |
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13 November 2021
 It said that a joint message signed by faith leaders and scientists at the Vatican on Oct. 4 recognized the importance of the topic.It also noted that the pope had stressed “the ecological debt and the solidarity that industrialized countries owe to the poor” in Laudato si’ |
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11 November 2021
 My main goal was to spread more awareness about the issue of the ‘Environmental Crisis.’ I wanted to highlight the irreversible impacts made on fauna and flora, reflecting on a specific disaster that happened last year in Australia with the extreme bushfires. |
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07 November 2021
 On Saturday November 6, 25 lay and Religious Marists joined together online to discuss “How are we called to be stewards of God’s creation”? Pope Francis spoke about the Laudatio Si Action Platform. That all people are called to an ecological conversion. Pope Francis calls all of us to be more connected to creation through how we live our lives. This is very urgent because it is the poorest of the poor who are most effected. Those that do not have a voice. |
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06 November 2021
 Marist Laity Australia would like to invite you to join us on Saturday November 6 at 7 pm (EAST Eastern Australian Time) to reflect on 'How are we called to be stewards of creation'?
This event will coincide with the COP26 gathering in Scotland. It has become urgent that we as people must play our part as well to care for the earth. How are we called to change? What real and practical things can we do? What is the impact to our regional neighbours? Like Kiribati. |
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31 October 2021
 Francis of Assisi was born in 1181 or 1182 AD to one of the richest families in the town of Assisi Italy. As a young adult he was a bit of a party animal hosting parties for friends and wanting to be the centre of attention. But around the age of 20 he wanted to be a noble Knight, so he rode off to war against a neighbouring town of Perugia. But, was soon captured and jailed for 1 year. This dark moment had a profound effect on his life. A ransom was paid by his father and Francis was returned to Assisi. |
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31 October 2021
 Many Indigenous leaders concerned with the federal government's determination to forge ahead with new gas fields. And they don't accept assurances from the government and industry that emissions can be dealt with using carbon capture and storage technology. |
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21 October 2021
 Key global climate talks will be be hosted by the UK in Glasgow in November 2021. Campaigners for action on global warming say the summit will need to agree tough and radical reductions in carbon emissions if they are to limit the worst effects climate change. So what are the main challenges facing those trying to forge a new agreement at the talks? |
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30 September 2021
 The time for talk is over. Code red for humanity after a decade of toxic Australian Environmental policy. There is not enough government policy or incentives for businesses to invest. The policy vacuum is slowing down the change. Australian needs to put the political points scoring aside and evolve. |
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23 September 2021
 'The river owns me. I don't own the river.' ✊🏽👏🏽Marlikka Perdrisat is a staunch Nyikina Warrwa and Wangkumara Barkindji woman fighting to protect her Country and the Mardoowarra.Join host Lille Madden, Arrente, Bundjalung, Kalkadoon conservation activist, as she yarns to Marlikka about the mighty being, the Mardoowarra River, and understanding the respect that Country deserves.Healing Country shares the grassroots initiatives, actions and change that young people are creating for their communities, culture, and Country.For more ABC Indigenous: |
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18 September 2021
 Listen to four key presenters talk about the current Climate Crisis for Pacific people - Vincent Long, Rev Mata Havea Hillau – Uniting Church, Rev James Bhagwan and Archbishop Peter Chong – From Fiji |
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17 September 2021
 Join Archbishop of Suva Peter Chong, Bishop of Parramatta Vincent Long, Pacific Conference of Churches General Secretary Rev. James Bhagwan and Rev. Mata Havea Hiliau Moderator Elect, Uniting Church NSW/ACT, for a conversation facilitated by Sister Jan Barnett rsj.Registrations are essential - please click below on RSVP. The Zoom link for the webinar will be sent to your email address after you register. |
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13 September 2021
 The theologian and ecologist Thomas Berry says, 'We are talking only to ourselves. We are not talking to the rivers, we are not listening to the wind and stars. We have broken the great conversation. By breaking that conversation we have shattered the universe. Berry goes on to say, “The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.” |
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05 September 2021
 This is a great family film which depicts the Dr Seus story of the Lorax. It shows the consequences of environmental destruction. This speaks volumes to what we are facing today. You are encouraged to watch this film with your family or community and discuss how you can be better stewards of creation. The world needs this film. |
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10 August 2021
 The 2021 IPPC Regional Workshop provides an exceptional forum for regional and national plant protection organizations to share ideas, enhance cooperation and work together to strengthen plant health at the national, regional and global level. By reviewing draft International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures, discussing topics of phytosanitary concern, and moving from ideas to action countries and regions will contribute to advance plant health globally. |
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10 August 2021
 United Nations chief warns. The Earth could be just 10 years from heating by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius since industrialisation — a global warming threshold beyond which even more serious and frequent fires, droughts, floods and cyclones are expected to wreak havoc on humanity. |
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05 August 2021
 Launch of Social Justice Statement 2021-22: Cry of the Earth and Cry of the Poor. Join us for the national launch of the Social Justice Statement 2021-22: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor. This is the only statement where all the Bishops of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) release a joint reflection on a particular topic annually. This year it focuses on why it is so important that we as a community respond to the Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor. |
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25 July 2021
 All of us are called upon to play a part. We are all contributing to vast planetary Ark, like Noah’s Ark, to avoid the devastating destruction which has been imposed upon this present planetary process during the 20th century. This idea of Noah’s Ark gives us a basic idea of how things function in a time of comprehensive decision making. |
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11 July 2021
 Just over 13 kilometres off the coast of Townsville city, between the Great Barrier Reef and the mainland, lies an island paradise called Magnetic Island. |
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11 July 2021
 The Royal Dutch court has held that Royal Dutch Shell is liable for its contributions to climate change. The court found that its ongoing fossil fuel operations undermined basic guaranteed human rights and authorised the company by slashing its global carbon omissions by 45% by 2030. |
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07 July 2021
 The global climate crisis will require us to transform the way we act, says His Holiness Pope Francis. Delivering a visionary TED Talk from Vatican City, the spiritual leader proposes three courses of action to address the world's growing environmental problems and economic inequalities, illustrating how all of us can work together, across faiths and societies, to protect the Earth and promote the dignity of everyone. 'The future is built today,' he says. 'And it is not built in isolation, but rather in community and in harmony.' (English voiceover by Bruno Giussani. Watch this talk in Italian at go.ted.com/papafrancesco and Spanish at go.ted.com/papafrancisco) |
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28 June 2021
 29 June 2020, marks the 20th anniversary since the official launch of the Earth Charter. Therefore, Earth Charter International, in collaboration with various partner organizations, organized a series of webinars under the theme “Earth Charter 2020 Turning Conscience into Action for a Thriving Earth”. The event offered a space for presenters and participants to consider the relevance of the Earth Charter to current times, for instance, as an ethical compass for building the “new normal”.This is the recording of Webinar 1: Turning Conscience into Action for Global Collaboration Sunday, 28 June 2020 |
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27 June 2021
 We are stealing from the generations to come. The thief comes to steal and destroy. We are the thieves from the generations to come. The rich are getting richer. While the poor are becoming ever more poor. |
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18 June 2021
 In June 2016, days ahead of the first anniversary of Laudato Si', the Global Catholic Climate Movement made its first joint divestment announcement, consisting of four religious orders in the Pacific, one of the parts of the world most threatened by rising sea levels tied to global warming. Among them were the Marist Sisters in Australia. |
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13 June 2021
 The time has come. A fact's a fact. It belongs to them. Let's give it back. How can we dance. When our earth is turning. How do we sleep. While our beds are burning |
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05 June 2021
 Breaking Boundaries tells the story of the most important scientific discovery of our time - that humanity has pushed Earth beyond the boundaries that have kept Earth stable for 10,000 years, since the dawn of civilization. The 75-minute film takes the audience on a journey of discovery of planetary thresholds we must not exceed, not just for the stability of our planet, but for the future of humanity. It offers up the solutions we can and must put in place now if we are to protect Earth’s life support systems. |
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04 June 2021
 'On Pentecost Sunday our Superior General, Fr John Larsen, together with the General House community, planted a ginkgo tree, one of five present during the annual two-day meeting of Marist Superiors-General and councillors held this year at Manziana, a Marist Brothers Centre north of Rome, May 14-15. The Marist Project has long been understood as a tree of many branches to which all types of people can belong |
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10 April 2021
 The spotlights illegal fishing fleets use are so powerful, they can be detected from space. The EU, the world's champion of sustainability, takes home almost a quarter of the yellowfin tuna court in our Indian Ocean, a species that has been overfished for years and is on the brink of collapse. Iran's fishing fleet illegally plunders the water of Yemen and Somalia, where millions of children are on the brink of starvation. And our own Australian trawlers fished out 90% of the population of orange roughy, a deep-sea perch, before we realised that this fish grows incredibly slowly and lives for up to 200 years |
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06 April 2021
 Father Luigi Savoldelli sm, writes: I would like to begin my article by focusing on the experience that I have been living with African confreres and the people of Cameroon for some years now; our experience is grounded in the encyclical 'Laudato Si'' by Pope Francis. The Agricultural project that we began as Marist Fathers of Cameroon, working with a group of poor, local, people has its origins in meditating on this encyclical, and finding a way to develop and express its meaning. |
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17 February 2021
 Marists from all over the world and representing all branches of the Marist Family connected on Feb 11 with Fr Joshtrom Kureethadam for a webinar on Laudato Si's 7-year planning. Fr Joshtorm is Coordinator of the Sector of “Ecology and Creation” at the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. |
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15 February 2021
 On the weekend I was blessed to participate in the “Laudatio Si Action Platform” Zoom conversation with Father Joshtrom Kureethdam and Father Bernard McKenna and 90 other Marists lay people and religious. As I listened, in my heart I pondered “are these just words?” Sure, I agree with the philosophy and rationale behind climate science, but how does this change me? How does this change my own community? How does this change my family? |
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12 February 2021
 Bill Gates is focusing on Climate Change. We need to go green. Gates with the overwhelming number of scientists who are warning of a climate disaster. The good news is that Gates believes it is possible to avoid a catastrophic rise in temperatures. The bad news...he says in the next 30 years we need scientific breakthroughs, technical innovations and global cooperation on a scale the world has never seen. |
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13 January 2021
 Pope Francis in the face of a grave crisis says we lack the culture to address the global environmental crisis. We need an new ecological conversion. But, solutions will not be emerged from just one way of transforming the reality. Christians are faced with a crisis both socially and ecologically. Christians need to reconsider the architecture of our lives. Christians need to redefine our notions of happiness to get beyond our notion of happiness. Art, writing and music are ways of building up a new culture of care for each other and the environment. |
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11 January 2021
 As part of a series highlighting the work of young people in addressing the climate crisis, writer Patricia Lane interviews Matt Humphrey, an Anglican priest, writer and educator who mixes faith with environmental stewardship |
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11 January 2021
 Since the 1950's, orangutan numbers have halved. Young orangutans are being snatched from the wild for the illegal pet trade, and their mothers often killed to fuel the illegal wildlife trade. |
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10 January 2021
 The heart of our response as Marists to the crises in the natural world around us is a profound “ecological conversion”. Pope Francis writes: “what is needed is an ecological conversion whereby the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationships with the world around them”. (L.S. 217). “Ecological conversion” happens when we meet Christ both in Word and Sacrament and at the same time also in the cry of the poor and the cry of the land. |
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29 December 2020
 This grandmother tree connects me to Country. I cried when I saw her burned. I remember brushing my teeth over the green enamel sink. I would gaze out the window at a prominent grandmother and ponder her age. This grandmother had soft pink skin, smooth and dimpled, and incredible curves that burled in places. She stood at least 25 metres tall. |
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26 December 2020
 A picture of two little penguins cuddling as the lights of Melbourne's CBD twinkle in the background has won a top photography award. German photographer Tobias Baumgaertner's image, taken at St Kilda in 2019, took out the community prize for Oceanographic magazine's Ocean Photograph Awards. |
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