By Diandra Garcia-Heredia, Advocacy & Program Coordinator, Office of Peace Justice and Integrity of Creation
On a serene afternoon at St. Patrick Villa on September 24, surrounded by sweeping greenery and the vibrant sounds of nature, I joined a group of about a dozen dedicated Sisters as they engaged in a heartfelt activity for the Season of Creation inside their community room. This event was not only a celebration of this year’s theme (Hope & Act With Creation) but also an opportunity to pray/reflect on the poignant themes highlighted in a Declaration of Interdependence.
We started by introducing the Stop Illegal Arms to Haiti Coalition by having the Sisters sign letters to our public officials. I soon learned there was a connection at the Villa to our Haitian brothers and sisters. Just about three miles away from the Villa in Spring Valley, NY is the second-largest per capita Haitian population in the United States. Our participation in the Stop Illegal Arms to Haiti campaign was an act of hope in which we request that our country provide more regulation on gun trafficking at the border, as 70% of the Haiti murder crisis and political unrest stems from the U.S. to Haiti alone.
So far a resounding 70+ total Sisters of Charity of New York and Associates have participated in signing and sending over 180 letters to President Biden and their U.S. Congressional leaders.
Season of Creation Prayer Ritual
Children from Strawtown Studio’s Day camp created a Declaration of Interdependence that was displayed on a poster that included pictures of the children creating it. A child named Theo provided an audio reading of the Declaration, which the Sisters really appreciated listening to. Hearing “the sound of the child’s voice”, even with his occasional word slips, made it even more sincere, one Sister acknowledged.
Embracing Interdependence
The sentiments captured from the Declaration of Interdependence were phrases such as “fireflies” who need the dark to find each other and tall grasses to hide in during the day plus “animals singing”— serving as a gentle reminder of the interconnectedness we share not only with each other but with every living being on this planet. The Sisters highlighted the phrase of “beholding each other”, recognizing the shared essence that binds us together to cultivate creativity and carry each other forward.
The Sisters at St. Patrick’s Villa were prompted to provide their own wisdom in relation to creation and their role as caretakers. “Pause more often”; “Respect”; “Concern”; “Consciousness of our deep relationship with all of creation” were some of the new ideas that came to mind on how we could participate in this Declaration of Interdependence.
The last phrase that stood out from the children’s Declaration was the “C’s of Relationship”. These characterize our existence, which sparked engaging discussion—Combative, Competitive, Cooperative, Collaborative, and Celestial. There was an array of interpretations about the meanings of each. What would you consider them to be as it relates to the Season of Creation?
Among some of their creative signature symbols to sign off (inspired by Indigenous people) were a spiral line to represent “going deeper”; a koala bear on a tree branch; a tender peanut (inside joke), and a cat with one paw out feeding a bird. These uniquely reflected the Sisters’ individual identities and/or goals.
Included on the Season of Creation poster (please see photo below) are all these phrases & signature symbols, representing the St. Patrick’s Villa, Kittay & the Convent Sisters’ reflections of this wonderful Declaration of Interdependence.
Intentions included were the following: “Lord, make this more real in my life”; “Prayer for Peace, specifically for all troubled hearts”; “Awareness of our Planet’s plight”.
Overall, the response was an urgent call to “hope and act” in collective consciousness embodied by the “youthfulness” of the children, which does not go unnoticed at the Villa.