Honouring Earth and Earth’s Community

Picture: Fort Myers

There is much to get despondent about when it comes to the environmental issues we are facing, but humanity is also waking up to the importance of looking after and honouring Earth, our Common Home, as Pope Francis calls it in his encyclical. Earth Day, marked on the 22 April, is one such occasion and we invite you to use this opportunity to look at how you can make a change, lessen your impact, celebrate Creation and reconnect to the Earth Keeper movement.

Earth Day began in the 1970’s in America and has since grown into a global movement. Today it is marked in many ways; through promoting awareness of the environmental issues that we are facing, committing to making changes that will make a positive impact on the environment, showing appreciation for our surroundings, taking part in an environmental action like planting trees or collecting rubbish or advocating for change at a larger level.

As Earth Keepers, cherishing Creation and speaking out against its destruction is nothing new, however having a day in which we reflect on and reconnect to being Earth Keepers – looking at our past Earth Keeper journey and looking ahead at what further actions we want to take as an Earth Keepers – is important.

For those of you in Cape Town, SAFCEI will be holding an Earth Day event in Kalk Bay to celebrate the wonder that is Creation and rekindle our love for it. (Details will follow soon).

However, whatever action you may plan or join in with your community, family, or place of worship, we invite you to take the time to reflect this Earth Day on some of the values, taken from the Earth Charter, that as members of SAFCEI we strive towards, and to help build the Earth Keeper movement.

1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.
   1. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings.
   2. Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity.
2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love.
   1. Accept that with the right to own, manage, and use natural resources comes the duty to prevent environmental harm and to protect the rights of people.
   2. Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good.
3. Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful.
   1. Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms and provide everyone an opportunity to realize his or her full potential.
   2. Promote social and economic justice, enabling all to achieve a secure and meaningful livelihood that is ecologically responsible.
4. Secure Earth’s bounty and beauty for present and future generations.
   1. Recognize that the freedom of action of each generation is qualified by the needs of future generations.
   2. Transmit to future generations values, traditions, and institutions that support the long-term flourishing of Earth’s human and ecological communities.

Earth Keeper actions you can take:

• Support the Earth Keeper movement by visiting our Earth Keeper website to see what Earth Keeper events are happening
• Donate your skills or time to SAFCEI – contact us to find out how you can support our Earth Keeper work
• Donate to our Earth Keeper projects, whether it is the nuclear campaign or Eco-congregations, we welcome all contributions
• Join the Green Monday movement
• Spread the word; talk to your family, colleagues and community about the environmental issues facing us and what we can do about them in our personal capacity.