The intervention of sister Mirna and the testimony of sister Maria Franca on behalf of the community.
There is an urgency …
It was with joy that I accepted the invitation to participate in the meeting of sister Mirna – from the Integral Ecology Laboratory – who, on 30 November last, met with my community of Regina Coeli for a reflection on the theme: “Laudato si’ and our responsibility as religious, Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide, in taking care of our common home”.
On reflection, as Sr. Mirna said, Laudato si’ is a revolutionary Encyclical because it challenges us to the depths and urges us to identify some meaningful strategies to involve ourselves in this commitment that is inescapable for every person on earth and especially for us religious women.
The thematic axes are all of fundamental importance, since, living in an always ‘networked’ society, nothing must be foreign to us and nothing must leave us indifferent, because, since we are all brothers, no one can remain inert in the face of global issues.
What most attracted my curiosity was the competence and above all the approach to the topic that was presented:
- as a challenge for all humanity in terms of faith and operational choices
- as open and courageous language that engages everyone to commit to a more sustainable and inclusive future.
The thematic axes are all of fundamental importance, since, living in an always ‘networked’ society, nothing must be foreign to us and nothing must leave us indifferent, because, since we are all brothers, no one can remain inert in the face of global issues.
Of course, in the first instance, each one of us comes to think: “What can I do in the face of paradoxical and rather heavy situations?”
Sister Mirna, in her speech, with respectful attitude, invited us to embark on a process of ecological conversion, starting from the fundamental dimensions of our consecrated life: spiritual, community, apostolic and charismatic life in their most appropriate aspects to provide meaningful responses to this worrying historical moment.
A Chinese proverb says: “If you want the world to be clean, start sweeping the pavement of your house”.
It seems to me that this proverb offers us decisive pointers to rope in those who have begun the process of ecological conversion, and I like to point out what sister Mirna emphasised:
- to live a personal consistency, choosing to have little–Mother Thouret’s simple necessities–to look at the world with God’s eyes and to respect its beauty where we live and work;
- to act with a collective, community dynamic that leads us to assume our responsibilities together and commit ourselves gratuitously so as not to continue defacing the harmony of the universe, in need of respectful care;
- to educate ourselves to network in order to learn about the good that is being done, collaborate, and identify the most appropriate actions to take, without putting off until tomorrow what we can do, today, to take care of our ‘common home’.
I would like to conclude this short report by thanking sister Mirna for what she has told us, and to wish me and my community to become, through the intercession of Jeanne Antide, ever more aware of the urgency of making our contribution to a world situation that I would dare to call catastrophic.
Sister Franca M.
Naples, Regina Coeli
