ROAR (Religious Organizations on and Around the River (Hudson)-Part Two

Today I continue presenting the 2nd of three parts of the ROAR here in the Hudson Valley. I hope that members of ROAR can come to my workshops, and most especially that I can learn from the ROAR groups here so that Mt. St. Alphonsus, with its wonderful 400 acres, can also contribute to making our earth more sustainable.

PART TWO

Preamble

ROAR members are grateful for the call by ARC – UNEP to develop a 7 Year Plan. The past and present efforts and future plans of ROAR incorporate many of the elements that are identified in the Guidelines. We see the call to develop a 7 Year Plan as an opportunity for ROAR to respond with greater clarity of vision, renewed vigor, and in mutual support and encouragement with the larger community that is formed through the development of these 7 Year plans.
Since 1996 major initiatives have been:
• Formal and informal education among ROAR members on: history and use of land owned by ROAR member congregations and deepening our understanding of land use and ways to conserve and preserve land
• Networking and sharing information with ROAR member congregations on environmental assessments, preservation efforts and other steps being done to assure sustainability
• Development of ROAR Land Ethic Statement
• Advocating for / educating and assisting ROAR member congregations and other groups to develop their own land ethic statement and land use policy
• November 8 – 10, 2000 Conference, “Bridging Faith and Environment” convened religious leaders (clergy and lay) from different faith denominations to reflect together on the spiritual and ethical vision needed to address the ecological issues of our times, especially those of the Hudson River bioregion. Dr. Larry Rasmussen, author of Earth Community, Earth Ethics, was presenter.
• Advocating Con Edison for the removal of PCBs (by networking and in collaboration with many organizations)
• Education / advocacy on Indian Point issues (by networking and in collaboration with many organizations)
• November 16, 2005 Conference on “Land Preservation: How & Why” at Garrison Institute where religious leaders and staffs of several environmental groups met to address preservation of land, overcoming obstacles and developing strategies for going forward
• Worked closely with Garrison Institute’s Initiative on the Hudson River Project: participated in the Hudson River Conversations; helped develop for Earth Day 2007, Our Shared Nature: A Transformational Ecology Compact for the Hudson; and, several ROAR members were on Hudson River Project Steering Committee
• Published “Grounded in the Gift of Our Lands: A Resource Book for Making Land Use Decisions” (October 2007)
• November 7, 2007 Conference “Listening to Earth and Making Earth-friendly Decisions Regarding Land Use” facilitated by Sisters Margaret Galiardi, OP and Pat Siemen, OP. Invitations were sent to those in religious leadership, parish ministries, land stewardship and concerned about a sustainable future. Conference introduced Resource Book and offered theological reflections and practical applications around land use issues experienced by participants.
• Collaborated and partnered with local and national organizations to address environmental issues around water, waste management, land use, etc.
• Coordinated viewings of “Renewal” with local environmental groups and places of faith
• ROAR member congregations offer retreats, workshops, education and advocacy initiatives in areas of eco-spirituality and environmental justice

ROAR (Religious Organizations Along the River (Part 1)

I recently found out about ROAR. I have been here one year. I have created so far two workshops on loving and protecting the environment. But here is a group of religious groups who since 1996 have been trying not just to protect and care for our Hudson River environment. But as you will see they are committed to changing the way they live and use things so that, not just our Hudson River, but all of the earth stay healthy for the benefit of all whom God has allowed to live here. I am going to present the ROAR statement and their goals in three parts.

ROAR’s 7-Year Plan for ARC-UNDP

(part 1)

(The Alliance of Religious and Conservation with support from United Nations Development Programme)

Who is ROAR?
ROAR (Religious Organizations Along the River), initiated in 1996, is a network of religious Congregations and organizations with property in the Hudson Valley of New York State. Our mission statement follows:

As members of religious communities, conscious of our communion with the land we own in the Hudson River Bioregion, we believe:
• that we share kinship with all creation;
• that human beings and the natural world must go into the future as a single sacred community or both will perish
• and that the ecologically sound care of our lands is a God-given mission.

Impelled by these beliefs and recognizing a time imperative, we come together to:
• support one another in using our lands with an attitude of respect for the beauty and integrity of earth;
• collaborate with each other and learn together;
• address the interrelated issues of poverty, justice, and ecology in this bioregion.

Drawing from our community traditions and experience, as well as from the new cosmology, we will channel our mutual efforts into education, motivation and advocacy. Grounded in the movements of contemplation and action, we will seek to collaborate with others who share common concerns and values. (May 20, 1998) ---to be continued tomorrow

PAULINE'S POEM ON THE HUDSON RIVER

A RIVER THAT FLOWS BOTH WAYS

Ever since I can remember
I have been called.."The river that flows both ways".
This has proved to be quite confusing.
Which way do I turn--North or South?

No, I do not chart the course that I will follow.
That is completely out of my control.
Sun, moon, wind, storms and technology
determine the course I will follow.

Over the course of the years I have
learnt to "go with the flow".
I do not resist what comes my way.
It isn't within my nature to do so.

It is within my nature, however,
to keep my cool no matter what happens.
Only once did I come near to losing it.
You would too if PCB's had come your way!

Overall I lead a full life.
I laugh with those who laugh,
cry with those who cry,
mourn with those who mourn.

My talent, however, is to
offer gentle comfort to those
whose life becomes my own in death.
These I lock in my embrace forever.

Pauline Fornier

LOVING AND PROTECTING CREATION (a workshop on the Environment)

I have a workshop on the Environment that I gave once last month. It deals with the formation of the universe and our earth with all the newest and best scientific information we have on that as well as some most astounding visuals from the Hubbel Space Telescope...But I don't just stop there. I try to show how people who say that they are Christians and followers of Christ are called to protect and love and care for.... THIS WORLD. Because I most firmly believe that , God is not going to throw away or trash this world, but to "transform it to the image of Christ his Son.." So I believe God demands and expects that we CARE FOR, LOVE AND PROTECT ALL THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN US. When I call my workshop Loving and Caring for Creation, I, of course, "give away" the fact that ....I most certainly believe in a Creator. BUT...and this is a very big 'BUT' I believe that God allowed millions and millions of years to pass as our evolving world was being created. I not only "believe" in evolution, but I hope and pray and try to work hard that...we human beings cotinue to evolve. Because from what science and studies on the environment have "tried to" teach us and from what the WORD OF GOD, especially the attitudes and actions of Christ have also "tried to" teach us...we have one heck of a lot of evolving to do. It took us how many years to understand that slavery was wrong? How many more years will it take us to realize that wars and injustice and greed are also wrong.

One of the biggest intuitions that has led me during my years in Latin America and the South Bronx to this Hudson River home to want to be concerned about the environment was that I have seen so many "exclusions" that pain God and us: of different colors and races, of different countries and political systems, of persons of different sexual orientations, of workers, of the poor and need.....THAT I have come to see that "the planet and its life systems have also been excluded from our love and concern. And so I hope that my workshop does something to remedy that:

LOVING AND PROTECTING CREATION

(a workshop on the Universe, Earth and Environment)

WHERE: Mt. St. Alphonsus

WHEN: Dec 12

FROM: 10 am till 4 pm

Cost: $35 (includes good lunch)

AFTERNOON WALK TO SHAUPENEAK RIDGE

Years ago we had our own name for the mountain ridge that is actually called "Shaupeneak Ridge". We used to call the two ridges, "Sleeping Boy" and "Sleeping Girl". In those days we seminarians had very little contact with the local people. And so, even though we knew that the Lake up there was called Lake Louise we invented Sleeping Boy and Sleeping Girl. Up on Shaupeneak Ridge there was an abundance of laurel which we used to gather and weave into garlands and wreathes for our Christmas decorations down here at what was our Mt. St. Alphonsus Seminary. From many years back, right from our beginnings here in 1907 the Gullians, and Armenian family had a beautiful home with a breathtaking view of the Hudson River Valley. "Mom" Gullian, as we called her raised sheep on her property and I think the family made and repaired rugs. Her daughter, Beatrice ("Bea") whose picture is below, can fill me on on this....
At any rate you can see the beautiful view that I had from the ridge of the belltowers of the Mount from the ridge.

Bea Moor on Shaupeneak Ridge

THE MOUNT SEEN FROM SHAUPENEAK RIDGE

RUSTY JOHNSON'S HARRIS HAWK, "BRISA DEL CIELO"

Rusty Johnson (to whose website I have a link below) lives on a house here at The Mount. Rusty is a well known animal handler and falconer. He is an Esopus boy, raised right here in Ulster Park with a great love for animals and wildlife. (Rusty has appeared on the David Letterman Show, done film work with Ron Howard as an animal handler and gives regular lectures on wildlife and hawks at the Mohonk Mountain House near New Paltz, NY). At present Rusty is training "Brisa del Cielo" (Heavenly Breeze in English) on our property with the idea of giving Hawk Walks here. Here is a video with the "Life History" of "Brisas del Cielo" with original music composed by Rusty.
http://www.ecologychannel.com/tv/brisa.html

CLOSE LOOK AT RED TAILED HAWK ON HOOK MOUNTAIN.

This gives you a "hint" of how truly wonderful the view and the "experience" is at Hook Mountain right above Marydell Faith and Life Center. This is a link to a very neat video of a Red Tailed Hawk stopping on his/ or her way South during Fall migration.
http://www.battaly.com/hook/video/UpClose/

HOOK MOUNTAIN IN WEST NYACK, NY

THE 'FUN BARN' AT MARYDELL FAITH AND LIFE CENTER

West Nyack State Park on the Hudson River

Mgr. John Kane Hermitage in West Nyack-Marydell

RETREAT AT MARYDELL

Last week I made a retreat under Hook Mountain in West Nyack, NY. The place is called "Marydell Faith and Life Center". It is still a summer camp location and "used to be" an overnight camp run by the Sisters of Christian Doctrine. It is made up of lovely little cabins and cottages just under the palisade cliffs that tower above the Hudson River just above Tarrytown and just south of Ossining on the East bank of the river. The little hermitage where I stayed was the summer home of Mgr. John Kane, a diocesan priest who taught in High School for many years and was the Camp Chaplain in the summer. They tell me that he was an exceptionally simple, peaceful and good man. There are always, at all times of the year, many Turkey Vultures soaring or gliding over Hook Mountain which is an interesting vantage point during Spring and Fall migration of hawks and songbirds. The preceding posts today show you some of the great scenery of Marydell: 1. Hook Mountain 2. West Nyack State Park along the river 3. One of the cottages and 4. The Mgr. John Kane Hermitage.

MY 'CHRIST AND THE PLANET" WORSHOP YESTERDAY

whI have been in a very elated mood since yesterday. One of the biggest reasons was that I finally was able to get a nice group of 6 persons together to give the workshop on the environment on which I have worked hard for the last half year. Joan, Kevin, Francisco, Ann, Nick and Dan (my very own brother!!) spent the day from 10am till 4pm contemplating the truly wonderful immensity of this universe and our planet. We used videos, my PowerPoints which represent "lots" of work, music on ecology and the planet and some good shared reflections on how to REFLECT....CONNECT....RESPECT and.....PROTECT our gift of "Mother Earth. I plan to offer the workshop again. And....I also plan to have a complete weekend workshop during which you can stay with us three nights on our Hudson River 400 acre land of THE MOUNT, get to know, touch, identify the trees, plants, animals and habitats we have besides praying together and reflecting on those tasks I just mentioned above. I am most grateful to my brother Dan and to his friend from Puerto Rico, Tato, (Francisco) who helped me "put up the planets" and the other "visuals that i had created. Below I share a very simple YouTube video on the environment.
'>file://

RELIGION AND ECOLOGY

One of the sources I have read for my workshop on Ecology and the Environment:

CHRIST AND FALL MIGRATION

Saturday, Oct 4th

Time: 10am---3pm

Where:Mt. St Alphonsus Pastoral Center, Esopus, NY

Phone: 845-384-8052

is Mary Evelyn Tucker and her John Grim from Yale. They show how the different religious groups, for instance myself and other Roman Catholics are "coming alive in our love and desire to connect with the whole living environment"

Please enjoy this YouTube video which is "right down the alley" that I will walk with you this Saturday here at THE MOUNT.

file://

FACING "INCONVENIENT TRUTHS..OUR EARTH

I have been putting the "finishing touches" on my workshop on CHRIST AND FALL MIGRATION for this coming:

Saturday

Oct 24th

9am--4pm

Mt. St. Alphonsus Retreat

845-384-8000

I will be a good workshop that challenges me and you to have, as Thomas Berry always said: "a mutually enhancing with all people and life systems of our earth"

I have been selecting YouTube videos that reflect what I will share with you who come next Saturday. I like this one because it actually shows a tearful Jesus Christ looking upon what have been the "short term" and what will be the "long range effects" of global warming upon the earth: the suffering it has caused and WILL cause if not combatted bringing pain and sadness to God' s earth. (The sequences are from Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth".)

file://

'MERCY FOR ME"---Song of the Earth

As beautiful as you may find the pictures I put on here of Vermont in the autumn I continue to invite you to come to my CHRIST AND FALL MIGRATION one day workshop:

Saturday, Oct. 24th

from 9am till 4 pm

Mt. St. Alphonsus Retreat Center

Esopus, NY

845-384-8000

And enjoy this song about protecting the Earth, our home You can also find the written lyrics on Marvin Gaye's Lyric Page at:

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Mercy-Mercy-Me-The-Ecology-lyrics-Marvin-Gaye/93D3799177E4A89748256BD40012C55C

file://

A Nice Autumn Trip to Arlington VT--Mt. Equinox

Last week my friend Norman and I went to Mt. Equinox, VT which is near Bennington Vermont. We spent some time "above the mist", but later enjoyed Shaftsbury State Park and another beautiful lake which is a reservoir along Route 7a which is the scenic route. Out on the island there were a number of large comorants drying off their wings after fishing. And, although our Canada Geese were "masters and mistresses" of the reservoir, we also saw a few Great Blue Herons. (And I "think" I saw an immature American Bald Eagle glide over me just after I took the picture of me with the light that "fortuitously came through the trees behind me". Autumn, with its splash of greens, yellows, reds and browns is a great way to say "Goodbye" to summer and a reluctant "Hello!" to winter.

Moss Covered Rock in Shaftsbury State Park, VT