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Sound of Many Waters: UK Catholic eco-action
Between September 2007 and October 2008 Catholics in the UK are holding a year long event to celebrate and recognise the importance of the environment.
It is called The Sound of Many Waters and has been inspired by Mary Colwell a Clifton Cathedral parishioner, BBC Natural History producer and ecological campaigner. It is supported by a range of organisations including WWF, Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and the Apostleship of the Sea.
Join us in a wonderful year-long exploration of our need to care for our environment. The Clifton celebrations draw on Catholic teachings, insights and networks – and are open to everyone.
Together, the organisers hope, we can help restore the world, and fill it with the sound of many waters, flowing together.
NEWS
***** November 2008. ARC's Catholic consultant Mary Colwell talks about her work helping the Catholic Church Engage, Inspire and Understand about the Natural World. The Catholic church has an influence beyond even the 1.1 billion people who name themselves as its followers. Link here for Mary's presentation.
***** August 2008. Clifton Diocese in Bristol UK has now issued draft documents on the effective church in the 21st century - including draft guidelines for schools. "Seeking the Face of Christ" can be downloaded from here. The document includes the following observation, which is particularly relevant for the work that ARC is doing with the parish's primary, secondary and sixth form schools and colleges, in terms of creating an environmental network:
"Young people do not attend services in their parishes in the way
they used to in previous generations. There are many, often complex, reasons for
this, but one consequence is that it can be difficult for parishes to reach out to young
people and offer them the vision and hope of the Gospel. In contrast, Catholic schools within our Diocese educate approximately 22,000
young people. Through our schools we also have an opportunity to reach out to
parents, many of whom would otherwise have no contact with the Church. Our
schools are not an "add on" but integral to the life of the Church and, reciprocally,
schools should see themselves as a part of the Church community working in
partnership with the parishes wherever possible.
NEWS - JULY 2008
A "Faith Walk" has been added to the Sound of Many Waters Programme, incorporating a synagoge and mosque as well as Clifton Cathedral.
The walk, on Sunday July 20, 2008, will start at Clifton Cathedral at 2pm, then participants will walk over the bridge to the house of Bishop Declan Lang, Bishop of Justice and the Environment. There will be representatives from Park Row SynagogueTotterdam Mosque. Speakers from all three houses of prayer will briefly discuss issues of religion and the environment, bringing in spatial insights and interconnections from the building itself.
The goal for the day is twofold. First to increase awareness
of the different religious expressions in the city, and second to bind our religious sensibilities to a sense of environmental awareness.
NEWS: IN OCTOBER 2007 THE PODCAST FOR SOUND OF MANY WATERS WON THE MEDIA CATEGORY AT THE JERUSALEM AWARDS AGAINST 10 OTHERS. IT WAS OPEN TO ALL AUDIO CONTENT PRODUCED FOR THE INTERNET. “I'M DELIGHTED WE WON, IT'S A GREAT HONOUR. LET'S HOPE IT SPURS US ON TO GREAT THINGS IN THE FUTURE!” SAID MARY COLWELL WHO PRODUCED THE PODCAST. A LINK CAN BE FOUND ON THE SOUND OF MANY WATERS WEBSITE.
Links
Link to the Sound of Many Waters website.
Link here for the brochure details.
Link here to download the brochure.
Link to the Catholic Earthcare website.
Link here for a BBC news story about The Sound of Many Waters.
Link here for an edited version of: THE CALL OF CREATION: GOD'S INVITATION AND THE HUMAN RESPONSE which was first published in 2002 by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, adding its voice to the many calling for urgent action to protect our earthly home from further destruction.
Link here to read Catholic Schools Eco Newsletters.
Link here to download ARC's leaflet focussing on Catholic Schools and the environment.
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24 June 2008 :
Catholic Schools Eco Newsletter No.4
How one school celebrated earthday with a full timetable "crash" with every lesson dedicated to the earth, including prayer flags, natural dyes, stream cleanup, willow art. The pupils wanted it to be "Earth Day Every Day." |
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UK Catholics: The Call to Creation
"It is not wrong to want to live better. What is wrong is a style of life... directed towards having rather than being." A Catholic response to the environmental crisis. |
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October 1, 2007:
Year of Catholic Eco-Action launched in the UK
A year-long exploration by UK Catholics of our need to care for our environment was launched on Saturday evening (29 September) in Clifton Cathedral, Bristol. |
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