We, in De Nobili
College, Pune, along with DNC Tarumitra( nowSrishtimitra)
team, are exploring ways to live our intimate link with Mother Earth. “Clean
and Green is DNC’s Dream” is our motto for this year (2016-2017) and we try to
realize it in every activity.
Reconciliation of
Spirit with Nature: We celebrated the Eucharist on an altar set before Pope
Francis Herbal Garden on the anniversary of the encyclical, ‘Laudato Si’. The
theme for one day of the novena of St. Ignatius was ‘Ignatius and Ecology’. We
began with the liturgy in the bosom of Mother Earth and ended with the evening
prayer- a deep experience of finding God in all things. We prayed for Creation
with the orthodox tradition and Pope Francis on 01 September, the “Creation
Day”. We now realize that our spirituality is a spirituality of soil and mud.
Reconciliation of
Labour with Nature: Christ is not just a cosmic person but a cosmic tree (John
15). We all planted saplings on Vanmahotsav Day in August, with a great
downpour blessing us! We realized that soiling our hands was a way of
reconciling our labour with Creation. We nurture ‘our’ trees like a new born in
a family, with regular audit of their growth. Pope Francis Herbal Garden, with
sixty plus varieties of rare medicinal plants, is a monumental effort of the
team. Going organic in agriculture is gathering momentum, under the leadership
of our Minister, Fr. Jacob K.
Reconciliation of
Lifestyle with Nature: How shall we leave the earth to those coming after us?
Think of all the waster we generate each day! We now segregate the waste at the
source. Our rooms and corridors have two dust bins, for bio-degradable and
non-biodegradable waste; the latter is disposed off as per norms, while biodegradable
and kitchen waste are transformed into Vermicompost, a wealth for our organic
farming. All the waste water in the campus is recycled in a three-stage
ecological purification process with the help of some rare plants.
Reconciliation of World
to Nature: The DNC Tarumitra( nowSrishtimitra) members have set up eco clubs in
Pune schools. Children’s enthusiasm is an inspiration and a boost for us. We
suggest to them a yearly planner of eco activities. We promote ‘Nature Walk’
for students in our campus. They learn to serve Mother Earth. Eco noticeboards
at DNC remind us to involve more in eco action than eco talk.
Sch. Nikhil
George, SJ (KER)
Source:
George, Nikhil.
“Reconciliation with Creation at DNC, Pune.” JIVAN: News and Views of
Jesuits in India (January 2017): 31.
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