Threads and Colors

Here is a trailer of a documentary being produced by ICTY’S about art in poor Peruvian villages (in Spanish). The title translation is: “Threads and Colors: The Value of Every Stitch”.

 

Is it possible to be happy with this life?

 

The question: “Is it possible to be happy with this life?” is a line from a video produced by Gnarly Bay productions. I don’t know much about Gnarly Bay, except that they produce excellent narrative and visual material. The answer to the question seems to be: yes, it is possible, in NATURE  fundamentally, through adventure and with others. Fundamentally I think this video is an interesting counter point for comparison with another approach which asks a similar question and has a slightly different answer: Into the Wild and the life of Chris McCandless.

While both express adventure and nature as possible answers to the question of happiness, Gnarly Bay has an additional aspect that is the key distinction between the two: community. (And a lot less drama too.)  I just wonder if the communitarian aspect reflects somewhat of a cultural change since the 90′s which McCandless to some degree represents.  Is the current college generation searching for happiness in nature, but in community now? Or maybe I should say it this way: Is the current college generation searching? for happiness? in nature?, but in community now? A lot of assumptions and questions, I welcome your input.

Silence and the “eco-system” of communications

There is an excellent opinion article in the New York Times about “The Joy of Quiet”. There Pico Iyer explains how the trend for the future is to seek silence, not communication. We are overloaded already, and will be paying not for cell minutes or extra bandwidth, but rather for places that ban internet, phones and TV’s. Below some of his examples of the new trend for finding silence in our modern world, of which perhaps the best are his friends “Internet Sabbaths” on weekends:

“In barely one generation we’ve moved from exulting in the time-saving devices that have so expanded our lives to trying to get away from them — often in order to make more time. The more ways we have to connect, the more many of us seem desperate to unplug. Like teenagers, we appear to have gone from knowing nothing about the world to knowing too much all but overnight.

Internet rescue camps in South Korea and China try to save kids addicted to the screen.

Writer friends of mine pay good money to get the Freedom software that enables them to disable (for up to eight hours) the very Internet connections that seemed so emancipating not long ago. Even Intel (of all companies) experimented in 2007 with conferring four uninterrupted hours of quiet time every Tuesday morning on 300 engineers and managers. (The average office worker today, researchers have found, enjoys no more than three minutes at a time at his or her desk without interruption.) During this period the workers were not allowed to use the phone or send e-mail, but simply had the chance to clear their heads and to hear themselves think. A majority of Intel’s trial group recommended that the policy be extended to others.”

It is precisely on this theme, of silence, that Pope Benedict XVI developed his speech for the world Communications Day: “When Messages and Information Are Plentiful, Silence Becomes Essential”. Silence is an essential component for good communication, especially in a world with so many questions. But the Pope sees silence related intimatelyto speech, and the reciprocal balance between the two. In fact he uses the metaphor of ecology, in fact a human ecology, to illustrate their relationship. For the Pope silence lets us sort through the overflow of information and serves as an exercise for the most important communication of all, the one with God, who also speaks through silence. Below the key passages:

 ”It is often in silence, for example, that we observe the most authentic communication taking place between people who are in love: gestures, facial expressions and body language are signs by which they reveal themselves to each other. Joy, anxiety, and suffering can all be communicated in silence – indeed it provides them with a particularly powerful mode of expression. Silence, then, gives rise to even more active communication, requiring sensitivity and a capacity to listen that often makes manifest the true measure and nature of the relationships involved. When messages and information are plentiful, silence becomes essential if we are to distinguish what is important from what is insignificant or secondary. Deeper reflection helps us to discover the links between events that at first sight seem unconnected, to make evaluations, to analyze messages; this makes it possible to share thoughtful and relevant opinions, giving rise to an authentic body of shared knowledge. For this to happen, it is necessary to develop an appropriate environment, a kind of ‘eco-system’ that maintains a just equilibrium between silence, words, images and sounds…

Attention should be paid to the various types of websites, applications and social networks which can help people today to find time for reflection and authentic questioning, as well as making space for silence and occasions for prayer, meditation or sharing of the word of God. In concise phrases, often no longer than a verse from the Bible, profound thoughts can be communicated, as long as those taking part in the conversation do not neglect to cultivate their own inner lives. It is hardly surprising that different religious traditions consider solitude and silence as privileged states which help people to rediscover themselves and that Truth which gives meaning to all things. The God of biblical revelation speaks also without words: “As the Cross of Christ demonstrates, God also speaks by his silence. The silence of God, the experience of the distance of the almighty Father, is a decisive stage in the earthly journey of the Son of God, the incarnate Word …. God’s silence prolongs his earlier words. In these moments of darkness, he speaks through the mystery of his silence” (Verbum Domini, 21). The eloquence of God’s love, lived to the point of the supreme gift, speaks in the silence of the Cross…

If God speaks to us even in silence, we in turn discover in silence the possibility of speaking with God and about God. “We need that silence which becomes contemplation, which introduces us into God’s silence and brings us to the point where the Word, the redeeming Word, is born” (Homily, Eucharistic Celebration with Members of the International Theological Commission, 6 October 2006). In speaking of God’s grandeur, our language will always prove inadequate and must make space for silent contemplation.”  

US Emissions Off the Mark

Roger Pielke Jr. has a great post and graph (above) comparing US actual emissions in comparison with the emission targets proposed by the Obama administration at Copenhagen. For a long time Pielke Jr. has been advocating for a change in approach to climate change precisely because of the results illustrated above: ideal targets can’t be met. The graph makes the point, its just not gonna happen; at least this way. The carbon count in terms of nuclear power plants drives home the idea of how difficult it is to cut carbon emissions based on this hopeful voluntaristic approach.

Nature, Morality and the USA

Three days ago Pope Benedict XVI met with US Bishops in their ad limina visit to the Holy See, and addressed the challenges he foresees  in the US front. One of the central themes was the attack on morality, and he said the following:

With her long tradition of respect for the right relationship between faith and reason, the Church has a critical role to play in countering cultural currents which, on the basis of an extreme individualism, seek to promote notions of freedom detached from moral truth. Our tradition does not speak from blind faith, but from a rational perspective which links our commitment to building an authentically just, humane and prosperous society to our ultimate assurance that the cosmos is possessed of an inner logic accessible to human reasoning. The Church’s defense of a moral reasoning based on the natural law is grounded on her conviction that this law is not a threat to our freedom, but rather a “language” which enables us to understand ourselves and the truth of our being, and so to shape a more just and humane world. She thus proposes her moral teaching as a message not of constraint but of liberation, and as the basis for building a secure future.

When talking about the environment Pope Benedict XVI often speaks of the relationship of nature’s ecology to a human ecology. Here he does, the reverse, and on talking about human issues, refers to the laws of nature and natural law. These themes are familiar and I will highlight a few key concepts:

1. Freedom: The Pope has long had reflections on freedom and its place vis-a-vis misunderstandings. In the American context this is especially pertinent, and in this same speech he said the most valuable American freedom is “the freedom of religion”.

2. Reasonability of the Catholic faith: In Germany this was one of the main points, explaining the ability of faith to dialogue with non-believers due to this element. Faith and reason are central to the Pope’s magisterium.

3. The language of creation: In several occasions the Pope reminds us time and again of the inner logic of Creation, and that God is Logos himself, creative reason.  See his famous Regensburg address.

Science and Faith Foundation

Pope Benedict XVI has launched a new foundation at the Vatican called ‘The Science and Faith Foundation’, which aims to build a philosophical bridge between faith and science. Some may be familiar with the book Creation and Evolution, with a conference by Pope Benedict XVI in which he speaks of the need for natural philosophy to engage questions of evolution and science. This is a theme close to the Pope heart. CNA has a great article summarized below and in full here:

The Science and Faith Foundation will be headquartered at the Holy See under the leadership of Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

The new foundation builds on the work of the STOQ project – Science, Theology and the Ontological Quest – which was created by Pope John Paul II in 2003. For the past 9 years it has promoted a dialogue between theology, philosophy and the sciences working in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Culture and Rome’s pontifical universities.

Their stated aim is to explore “the possibility of being believers at the dawn of the Third Millennium without renouncing scientific progress.” Together they have initiated study programs and research projects as well as highlighting the fruit of their work through such vehicles as publications and conferences.

Pope Prays for the Environment

The Vatican has recently announced the Pope’s prayer intentions for 2013. As Catholic Culture explains here,

The practice of proposing specific monthly prayer intentions to the faithful arose in response to the formation of the Apostleship of Prayer during the nineteenth century. Members of the apostolate, founded in 1844, make a daily offering of themselves, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, for the intentions of the Holy Father.

In the March intention for 2013, the following prayer is found: That respect for nature may grow with the awareness that all creation is God’s work entrusted to human responsibility.

For a full list of the 2013 intentions see the Vatican News service page here. The new and popular Vatican News portal also has an article on the environment here, referring to the Pope’s environmental statements at his address to Diplomats and reminds us of the UN’s ”International Year of Sustainable Energy for All”.

 

The Energy Challenge of 2012

The UN has declared 2012 as ’International Year of Sustainable Energy for All’, which officially kicked off yesterday:

Senior United Nations (UN) officials on Monday called on governments, the private sector and civil society to help expand energy access, improve efficiency and increase the use of renewables. As the ‘International Year of Sustainable Energy for All’ kicked off on Monday, the UN noted that globally, one in five people still lack access to modern electricity, and more than twice that number – three billion people – rely on wood, coal, charcoal, or animal waste for cooking and heating. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking at the opening of the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, underlined that sustainable energy for all is within reach. “We are here to build a new energy future,” he said. “A future that harnesses the power of technology and innovation in the service of people and the planet.” There is a website for this initiative here, and an Op Ed by the UN Secretary General here.

How this will be achieved remains a challenge, but the issue of helping the environment by helping people seems to be the right direction for many. And sure to spark controversy on the environmental front, as you can see in the video below.

This video has been the source of some controversy in Canada, where the debate ensues about the oil sands exploitation. As has been mentioned before, a true environmental agenda needs to consider human needs realistically, of which energy is at the forefront of issues. This balancing act is mentioned by Patrick Moore in an interview here, a balance that according to Moore radical environmental groups don’t seem to want to accept. For his interview, click on the link below:

Reformed Environmentalist

 

Vatican’s Animal Blessings

CNA has a fun article on a special day at the Vatican where animals take center stage.

The ceremony takes place every year on the Feast of St. Anthony the Abbot and was led this year by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica.

“The tradition of blessing animals is linked to the fact that St. Anthony the Abbot was a saint that had a special relationship with nature, with creation and therefore also with animals,” said Cardinal Comastri at the Jan. 17 ceremony.

He explained that the tradition came about “spontaneously in the agricultural world,” although it is impossible to say when.

“It was born within the context of the Christian faith that always called the world not ‘nature’ but ‘creation,’ because it is the work of God, it is a gift from God. Creation is made by God, so we must respect it.”

Today’s event began with farmers going to Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by the blessing of their animals in a makeshift livestock showgrounds, just outside of St. Peter’s Square. Cows, horses, sheep, goats, geese and hens were all present, as well as more domesticated beasts, such as cats and dogs, brought along by their Roman pet owners.

 

 

Pope Benedict XVI on Education and Climate Change

Recently Pope Benedict XVI gave his annual address to the Holy See diplomats. The common thread of the speech focused on the youth, the importance of education, and the state of world affairs. The Pope highlighted the importance of the family, religious freedom, world peace, and at the end dedicated a section on the environment, below:

Finally I would stress that education, correctly understood, cannot fail to foster respect for creation. We cannot disregard the grave natural calamities which in 2011 affected various regions of South-East Asia, or ecological disasters like that of the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. Environmental protection and the connection between fighting poverty and fighting climate change are important areas for the promotion of integral human development. For this reason, I hope that, pursuant to the XVII session of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change recently concluded in Durban, the international community will prepare for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (“Rio + 20″) as an authentic “family of nations” and thus with a great sense of solidarity and responsibility towards present and future generations.

The Pope hit on some key issues which will be played out in the upcoming Rio + 20 sustainable development conference sponsored by the UN. The explicit themes of the conference and green economies and governance. I have talked to several experts recently who will be in Rio for the UN conference, and the focus truly seems to be shifting towards a focus on human dignity and poverty. The covert issue is of course climate change and recent failures in meeting popular expectations for action are leading to a greater focus on energy access and adaptation – the climate change expression of solidarity and preferential option for the poor. Seems like the Holy Father is on the right track.

Beyond the environmental focus, CNA has a good summary of the speech and some interesting remarks by diplomats who attended the address: