Mercy Integral Ecology Fellowship Program

This year two Kildare Ministries teachers, Bernadette Casey (Marian College) and Linda Dolling (Kildare College) and I participated in the Mercy Integral Ecology Project.  

 

This project was a deep immersion into the principles of Integral Ecology and opportunities for heart, mind and spiritual renewal more closely attuning us to hearing the One Cry of the earth and the poor. 

 

We, as fellows, formed a close group of like-minded pilgrims and built bonds with each other that will last a lifetime. Together, fellows from all around the country travelled to various sites around Australia to be immersed in creation and find ourselves in profound companionship with the environment.  

 

The immersion provided us with contemporary and high-quality scientific, theological and spiritual readings and resources, opportunities for prayer, meditation and discussion as well as conversation, and new skills in facilitating reflective groups that build meaningful relationships and kept the focus on effective outcomes. The quality of the reading material as well as the experience and skills of the various expert guest speakers provided a profound means of reorienting ourselves within ecological spirituality guiding our participation in ecological movements, education, and practical application of ecologically renewable behaviour and leadership. 

 

One of the key learnings from this Fellowship was the inability for us to merely separate or segment an integrally ecological consciousness into different places or niches of our lives. This fellowship allowed us an opportunity to grow more wholly into our part in God’s own infinitely generous expression in every aspect of our lives as part of creation, and to respond from our hearts to the One cry of the Earth and the Poor. 

 

I recommend this program highly and invite you to pass on this opportunity to those you know would benefit and flourish as a participant and aspiring ecological leader. 

 

Warm regards.  

Renee