NMIPL and the Laudato Si Circle host a Zoom presentation by UNM Prof. Richard Wood

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A Zoom Presentation

As part of our local commemoration of Pope Francis’ encyclical letter on the environment, which was published  in June of 2015, NMIPL and the Laudato Si Circle hosted a Zoom presentation by UNM Prof. Richard Wood.  “We tend to think of the prophets as railing angrily against social injustice, and this they did. But the great Jewish scripture scholar Abraham Heschel, in his classic work titled The Prophets, writes that though they burn with anger at injustice, anger is not the prophets’ central emotional experience. Their experience is equally rooted in God’s delight and in their own delight in God, which complements and flows alongside their anger,” said Dr. Wood.  Here are the videoand the full text of the presentation.

Sister Joan Quoted in NCR Article

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In an article examining the progress of Laudato Si over the past five years, the the National Catholic Reporter quoted several church leaders here at home and overseas.  While some small changes have occurred as a result of the encyclical letter,  the overall verdict is that progress is stalled in part due to a lack of leadership.
“There has to be some deep-seeded shifts in the church for us to really grapple with this largest ethical and moral concern of our time. And the longer it takes us, the more we run into greater storms, greater need for emergency relief,” Sister Joan told the NCR. Read full article

How We Celebrated a Season of Creation

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We are blessed to be a large interfaith community of love in action in New Mexico. Every voice is important. As we are reminded as we enter into a Season of Creation,  we are all connected in our common home.  We joined the global community in a special month of  prayers, sermons, actions and gratitude and solidarity for caring for creation and communities and addressing climate realities.

We kicked off our campaign in New Mexico with a reflection from Emily Syal, young adult advisor to the NMIPL board.  Our second reflection came from Linda Sepulveda, who works at the Santa Maria de la Vid Norbertine Abbey and leads a community outreach program to engage young people in media literacy.  The third reflection in the series was offered by Larry Rasmussen, an author, earth ethicist and lecturer. He recorded this video on the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Our fourth and final reflection came from The Rev. Canon Cornelia Eaton, Canon to the Ordinary for Ministry & Program Director of Hozhó Wellness Center for Women for The Episcopal Church in Navajoland.

An Invitation to Repentance and Conversion

Blessings everyone,
Spiritual traditions teach that if one part of the body suffers the whole body suffers. Our traditions also invite us, in unique ways, into repentance and conversion. The Buddhist concept of repentance  is instructive in this moment as we face our part individually and systemically in racism.
Buddhism invites a sincere process of self-reflection, diligent self discipline, remorse and a radical change in future actions. Christian traditions invite a similar process called conversion and Jewish tradition speaks of teshevah.
As we soul search and engage on deep levels facing racism individually and systemically the invitations to transformation are filled with grace to do this hard and long work. And we must be creative in the journey and we must sing….https://amidonchoralmusic.com/product/im-gonna-lift-my-sister-up/.
Systems of racism and injustice underlie many of our struggles for justice, including climate justice. New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light supports the Movement for Black Lives and their demands for justice, as well as efforts to move out of a colonial past that causes injustice to our Indigenous brothers and sisters in New Mexico and beyond.
We invite our faith leaders, communities and all who are part of the NM IPL community around the state to pray, meditate, reflect, read, converse, learn, change, and act into a new way forward.
Peace and good,
Worker Bees: Sr. Joan Brown, Carlos Navaro, Clara Sims 
Board Members: Stephen Picha (Catholic); Tom Stark (Unitarian); Judy Smith (Jewish); Charlotte Smith (Bahai); Necip Orhan (Muslim); Ruth Striegel (UCC); Arcie Chapa (Catholic); Terry Sloan (Navajo, Hopi, Catholic); Todd Wynnward (Mennonite)
Advisors: Sr. Rose Marie Cecchini; Larry Rasmussen; and Rev. Anita Amstutz

Other Resources:

Statement fromIPL president and board of directors in response to the killing of George Floyd here.

Statements from IPL affiliates around the country.

Essayin Global Sisters Report (Sister Joan Brown)

Prayer Service sponsored by Archidiocese of Santa Fe, held on Wednesday evening June 3   Read Statement from Archbishop John Wester