1) All Creation Reveals the Glory of God: This 36-page photo-reflection book is designed to encourage meditation on our relationship to creation, and the nourishment offered by its beauty and simplicity. It features stunning photographs taken mostly at the novitiate of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) in Godfrey IL. It also includes quotes from Catholic tradition as well as from well-known ecologists. To purchase, contact the OMI Justice-Peace-Integrity of Creation for $10, plus $2 to cover shipping: 202-529-4505. Or send payment to La Vista Ecological Learning Center, 4300 Levis Lane, Godfrey IL, 62035.
2) Good News People: This new program from JustFaith Ministries is an engaging small group, parish-based program inviting people to new ways of understanding their faith, themselves and the needs of the world around them. The intent is to familiarize participants with the Biblical witness of Jesus, awaken the call to discipleship that resounds within each participant and explore the richness of the Catholic faith in the ultimate hope of inspiring new passion for and engagement in the Church’s mission. GoodNewsPeople is a 14-session program (seven sessions in the fall and seven sessions in the spring) designed for small groups (10 groups of 10 participants).
3) Resources Magazine: Published by Resources for the Future (RFF), a nonprofit organization that conducts independent research on environmental, energy, natural resource and environmental health issues. The magazine highlights feature stories by RFF experts on a variety of environmental, energy, and natural resource issues, and news about ongoing research and public outreach efforts; it is available to individuals and institutions for free. To request a print subscription, please complete the online form or contact RFF at 202-328-5000. A subscription for the Resources app is available for $0.99 per year; it allows users to access the latest research, analysis, and insight on the environment and the economy, as well as special digital features.
4) The New Materialism - How our relationship with the material world can change for the better: In this 36-page PDF pamphlet, Andrew Simms and Ruth Potts write about "the new materialism" which has been quietly developing for decades. Instead of a "throwaway" society, we know we should move to one in which value is created with more of a "closed-loop" of material use in which we repair, reduce, reuse, and recycle. The New Materialism can advance the transition to an economy that supports, rather than undermines, meaningful and healthy lives for all.
5) Melting ice, mending creation: A Catholic approach to climate change: The 2013 Feast of St. Francis (Oct. 4) program from the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change will highlight the statement of the Pontifical Academy of Science’s (PAS) Working Group, Fate of Mountain Glaciers in the Anthropocene,. and includes an educational kit with discussion guide (in parish, college, and youth editions) along with promotional resources. The program’s goals are to understand more fully the reality of climate change; be inspired by Catholic teaching about climate change and the call to respond; deepen awareness that this call is to BOTH care of God’s gift of Creation AND care of those most impacted by environmental neglect, including climate change—namely, people who are poor and vulnerable; engage both personally and as a community in concrete ways that respond to the Catholic call to care for Creation; and build leadership for future efforts to integrate Catholic values of environmental stewardship and outreach to people who are poor. Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, P.O. Box 60205, Washington, D.C. 20039; (301)920-1442; info@catholicsandclimatechange.org.
6) Delegation to Honduras: The Marin Interfaith Task Force on the Americas (MITF) is organizing an election monitoring and human rights accompaniment delegation to Honduras in November. Two options: Nov. 17-26, $850 (countryside + elections) or Nov. 22-26, $450 (elections only). Contact MITF for more information: 415-924-3227, mitf@igc.org.