The ECI Climate Justice Candle visited ‘Lys Marie’, Good Shepherd Sisters in South Belfast from 23-26 November 2018. Sr Marguerite from this community sent ECI this report:
Kenneth Orr from St John’s Newtownbreda Presbyterian Church in Belfast delivered and installed the ECI Climate Justice Candle in our Oratory, in an atmosphere of welcome, joy and unity.
We then had a special Evening Prayer, praising and thanking God for all creation, with hymns, psalms, scripture, prayer for the Earth and a Christian Prayer for all Creation from Laudato Si. It was a great honour for us to host the candle for the weekend.
We were happy to have Kenneth with us, who later spoke briefly about the Climate Justice Candle.
Over the weekend the presence of the Candle in our midst reminded us and kept us in tune with the many gifts of creation – so many we take for granted! We were also awakened to pray for those – leaders, politicians, clergy, educators etc who need to be more open and aware of climate change, pollution of oceans, loss of wildlife etc and work for a more just, peaceful and sustainable planet. Hopefully this encounter will enable us to be even more alive to our responsibilities to care for Mother Earth and continue our small efforts to make the world a better place to live in, especially for the poor, where all can have a share of the rich resources of Earth, needed to be shared by all.
With gratitude to so many who are part of Eco-Congregation Ireland, we bid farewell to the Climate Justice Candle as Joe Furphy took it on the next step of its journey around Northern Ireland.
