A hopeful vision for God’s creation

The Columban Mission Centre and Columban community in Essendon, along with friends in works of Peace, Ecology and Justice in Melbourne, celebrated the Season of Creation with a prayer service followed by morning tea in a spirit of Columban hospitality on Wednesday, 13^th September.

The prayer service focused on the theme, ‘Let justice and peace flow,’ a call to embrace the global common good and Gospel nonviolence, essential to nurturing the well-being of all God’s creation. The words of the Prophets invite our reflection at this time. “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24.) “Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43: 19.)

In a video produced by the Miriam-Rose Foundation and used with permission, we listened to Dr. Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann speak of the spiritual practice of deep listening, Dadirri. Dr. Miriam-Rose is a Nauiyu Elder from the Daly River in the Northern Territory and recipient of the 2021 Senior Australian of the Year Award. “To listen deeply is to connect…to the sound, the sound of deep calling to deep.” Through the practice of deep listening, Dr. Miriam-Rose says, it is natural for her people to feel close to the Creator. Dr. Miriam-Rose says the practice of Dadirri, deep listening is a gift offered for all Australians to embrace.

As faith-filled communities nourished by practices of prayerful listening and discernment during the Season of Creation, we are strengthened to share a hopeful vision for creation and rejoice in possibilities for a fairer world together.

Sr Caroline Vaitkunas RSM
Peace, Ecology and Justice Office
Columban Mission Centre, Essendon

Related links

• Read more from the current Columban eBulletin.