JESA REPORT on ECOLOGY - Society of Jesus Presentation - JESA.pdf · Western Zone JESA meet on 24-25th Feb., 2012 at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. 33 Jesuits participated. The theme

JESA REPORT on ECOLOGY

ROME 14-18 MAY 2012

About JESA

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Jesuits in Social Action (JESA)

Is a South Asian Secretariat formally initiated in 1973 to assist the Provincials to translate the

Faith- Justice Mandate of GC 32 into action in all the ministries and in particular in social action

ministry of the Society of Jesus.

Its present office is at Indian Social Institute, New Delhi and coordinates with 20 provinces across South Asia.

About JESA

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Afghanistan: 3 houses 11 Jesuits (under JCSA) Bangladesh: 1 house 15 Jesuits (under Cal) Bhutan: 0 house 0 Jesuits (under Dar) India: 304 houses 3851 Jesuits (17 Prov, 1 Region) Nepal: 4 houses 61 Jesuits (Nepal Region) Pakistan: 1 house 3 Jesuits (under Sri Lanka) Sri Lanka: 14 houses 86 Jesuits (Sri Lanka) Total: 327 houses 4027 Jesuits in South Asia

The Countries of South Asia

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Prepared by J. Stanny (Sannybhai) JESA Secretary

Based on discussions and meetings with Provincials, PCF and 20 CSAs

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In Response to the

Questionnaire

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There is a lot of good will around to make oneself and others aware to act in the best possible way.

Provinces like Calcutta, Goa, Kerala, Hazaribagh, MP and

Ranchi have drawn action plans based on the theme.

Letters written by some provincials have received a mixed reaction.

Some use this document for spiritual reading while

other have appointed a task force on ‘Ecology’ in response to Fr. General’s letter.

In Response to the

Questionnaire

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Some Concrete Actions

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Western Zone JESA meet on 24-25th Feb., 2012 at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. 33 Jesuits participated. The

theme was “Ecology” in the context of “Healing the broken world” document. Some concrete steps have

been decided both at province level and zonal level to create awareness and to be conscious of the use of

resources in our daily lives. Eco retreat has been planned for west zone Jesuits and collaborators. Fr.

Robert of Patna will be the resource persons.


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Ecology workshop was held at Taru Mitra, Patna from 10-12th March. 43 Jesuits participated. It has also come

out with a Statement. Taru Mitra was started in the nineties. It has become an inspiration for many students

in schools and a few colleges in some parts of India for eco friendly activities. It has its branches in Goa, Gujarat

and Kerala.


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Social Centre, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra was the pioneering centre to act against ecological degradation

by starting “Watershed Programmes”. Many Jesuits from various provinces have learnt from there and are trying

out something in that line in their own ways.


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Gujarat Jesuits have started some activities in protecting Ecology.

Xavier Institute of Development, Jabalpur, MP on

alternative development.

Maharashtra Prabodhan Seva Mandal, Bombay on watershed and dairy farm.

St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta on use of solar energy and

offering course on Ecology.


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Position of Jesuits

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We seem to have become aware of the seriousness of the problem and are willing to do something about it

externally. But still a holistic approach to Ecology is missing. Efforts are made to change the life style but it

will take time for a real change as there is a lot of subtle resistance to this idea! Maybe ‘Consumerism’ has made

us insensitive!

Position of Jesuits

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In most of these provinces, the survival of the tribals related to displacement, migration, mining,

unemployment, communalism, war and rehabilitation, rights of tea garden workers, floods, etc. seem to be

more urgent issues! This could be one of the reasons why this document did not find its due place! But most of the Jesuits are very much in favour of ‘growing trees’ as one of the measures to save and enrich “Our Mother

Earth”. Some Jesuits even laugh at the idea of ‘Ecology’ and

those involved in it.

Position of Jesuits

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Some Jesuits even laugh at the idea of ‘Ecology’ and those involved in it.

Some would even ask: “Whose need is it to protect Ecology? What have the First world countries done positively except advising the third world countries

about it and exploiting the natural resources of the third world countries on several pretexts?”

Position of Jesuits

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Position of Jesuits

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Some rights activists would even ask, “Is Ecology a ploy of the rich/castiests/Corporates- Liberalization,

Privatization and Globalization (LPG)-to take away the properties of the poor?” So there is a great deal of

confusion with regard to ‘Ecology’. People are divided, even Jesuits are divided on this regard and so a unified

approach is a problem.

Position of Jesuits

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We still need to take ownership of the spiritual resources available with us from “Spiritual Exercises”, “Healing the broken World”, from the Scriptures and

traditions of all religions to promote it personally and as a body.

Discernment in Jesuit communities

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It is difficult to pinpoint. Individual Jesuits living in communities have made discernments and decided to live up to their convictions even if the community opposes. Examples

(1) Fr. Robert, Patna, (2) Fr. Mathew Solar, Patna, (3) Late Fr. Mathew, Madurai, (4) Late Fr. Manickam, Madurai, (5) Fr.

Ignacimuthu, Madurai, (6) Fr. Lancy D’Cruz, Gujarat, (7) Fr. Jolly, Gujarat, (8) Fr. Arula, Gujarat, (9) Fr. James

Mascharanicus, Fr. Blaze and Fr. Brian, Bombay, [some years back], (10) Late Fr. Herman Bacher, Pune, (11) Fr. Joe

Chenakala, Goa, (12) Fr. Simon, Goa, (13) Fr. Pratab Naik, Goa, (14) Fr. Jose Mathew, Kerala, (15) Fr. Saju Bastian, Hazaribag, (16) Fr. Bob Billings, Hazaribag, and (17) Fr. X. Savarimuthu,

Calcutta.


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We have also examples of some other Jesuits who propagate this idea and also have adopted a life style and use of things in accordance with the document. One such example is choosing

public transport to travel.


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Do apostolic Institutions have systematic planning?

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Some planning is done but not enough. In fact, we are learning from others (NGOs and committed lay people of different

religions). The nature is forcing us. The respective Governments are coming out with certain policies in order to

implement specially in educational institutions and social service centers. The objective is to ‘promote sustainable

development through regeneration of natural resources by mobilization and judicious use of natural resources especially

water, forest and land.


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Some examples: (1) For tree plantations every year most of the parishes, social

centres and educational institutions plan and inform the Forest Department ahead of monsoon for allocating

certain number of saplings of various kinds. They also make the people and the students aware of saving

‘Ecology’, saving Nature and judicious ways of using natural resources.

(2) Water harvesting by digging ponds, open wells and trenches, preparing nurseries have become part and parcel

of any ‘Integrated Watershed Programme’ in the rural areas.


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Some examples: (3) While new buildings are put up, it has become mandatory

to make arrangements to collect rain water and to recharge wells or bore wells.

(4) Keeping some space for growing trees in educational institutions is also becoming a habit and kitchen garden has also become a hobby in some of our parishes. But all these depend on the availability of space in the compound as the

price of lands have shot up very much and finding empty spaces is becoming a rare site!


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Some examples: (5) Lack of electricity and its high cost have also forced us to go

for alternative systems like using CLP or LED bulbs, ‘solar lights’, ‘solar water’, ‘solar electricity’. Our Institutions are

coming forward to install such facilities.

(6) Some social centres have started trainings for organic/natural farming, Installation of Bio gas plants in the

villages, Bio-technology courses consisting of the making composting, vermin-culture, mushroom culture etc.


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Some examples: (7) ‘WATER’ is becoming a very big issue in India and

awareness is being created towards ‘saving water’.

(8) Some educational institutions have adopted the policy ‘No to plastic and polythene bags’ within their compounds.


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Some examples: (9) Some social centres along with some NGOs, People’s

Movements and Grassroot groups tried to fight against the evils of SEZ, Nuclear plants and mines in some provinces like

Goa, Madurai, Ranchi, Dumka-Raiganj, Hazaribag. But they have been forced to ‘be silent’ due to some repressive policies

of the concerned governments. Many Social centres along with civil movements have been supporting people’s struggles

for land, forest, water and resources.


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Some examples: (10) Some more awareness programmes like zero tolerance to

food wastage, wastage of water, cutting of trees and use of plastics and encouraging use of natural resources in judicious

ways. (11) Celebration of ‘World Environment Day’, ‘Forest Day’ in Educational Institutions and Social centres are

becoming popular. Some competitions are conducted on this day to create more awareness among many more people.


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GIAN on various issues like Governance of Natural and Mineral Resources (GNMR), Displacement and

Migration, Education and Human Rights has been going on for quite sometime. Fr. Solomon of Dumka-Raiganj,

Fr. Melvil of Khohima, Fr. Xavier Savarimuthu of Calcutta, Fr. George of ISI, Bangalore and Fr. Trevor Miranda of

Bombay are the members of the Assistancy for various issues.


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Do Jesuits and their Institutions take part in civil movements defending ecology?

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There is a great realization dawned on us Jesuits that ‘we alone’ can’t do much. So there is more willingness

to collaborate with likeminded institutions, NGOs, grassroots groups, People’s Organizations, People’s

Movements- Civil Movements and GOs.


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When seminars/protest rallies in support of such a cause, public meetings are organized by civil movements, Jesuits,

their collaborators, students and people are encouraged to participate actively and support such movements even

economically in many cases. Awareness building programs are conducted through competitions like quiz, drawings and street

plays, songs, films, handbills, trainings etc. The social action centres and youth commission are active in such programmes. They help in educational institutions and parishes with regard to this. Sometimes these are conducted in collaboration with

NGOs and GOs also.


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Some examples: (i) campaigning for the enactment of laws like {a} Forest Rights Acr, {b}

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (for eco friendly development of village), {c} Panchayat Extension for Scheduled

Areas (for balanced village development in Tribal Areas) and many others. {d} Opposing Nuclear plants, big dams that cause devastating

displacement and migration by Jesuits along with others is another example. Fr. Anthony Dias, Bombay has published a book titled,

“Displacement induced Development”, Fr. Walter Fernandes of Kohima Region has published series of books on “Displacement and Migration in

various States. There are also many more publications from various social and research Institutes like Centre for Culture and Development by Fr.

Lancy Lobo, Gujarat. Xavier Institute of Management, (Bhuvaneshawar) organized an International Seminar on, ‘Displacement and Rehabilitation’.

Rev. Fr. Michael T Raj, the Provincial has allowed 20 JESA members to participate in it free of cost. They did make an impact in it.


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Do they work specifically with students- at primary, high school or university-?

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Yes. It is done formally and informally. In some places it is part of the curriculum whereas in some other places it is optional. Many social

centres also are involved with those who attend educational institutions and also those who don’t. In fact, the social centres cover

a large number of populations of women, men, elders, children, youth, and leaders etc. who get awareness trainings. The students are taken for exposure trips, sessions are organized at institutions where guest

speakers-activists or NGOs like Nature club working on this issue or government officers- address them in order to motivate them and also

to show them the practical aspect of this.


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Taru Mitra has been working with school students and also some college students and in many parts of India, Jesuit educationists have

taken it upon themselves to work towards this. Sample examples: In Goa, (1) Loyola High School, Margaon and (2) St.

Paul High School, Belgaum organized seminars and invited neighbourhood students to participate. Many other schools and

colleges in the Assistancy are involved in this. In some places cycle rallies are held to create awareness among students by students. A

subject titled “Environmental Education” has been made compulsory in some colleges (Calcutta, Madurai etc.). In some educational

institutions as well as social action centres, ‘Eco garden’, ‘Herbal garden’, ‘Environmental clubs’, ‘Reforestation programmes’ have been started. Celebrating the feast of St. Francis of Assisi as the patron Saint of Ecology is becoming more popular. There are many such practices in

the South Asian Assistancy.


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Is there at the province level any initiative of protection of communities threatened

by the deterioration of ecology?

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The provinces that are working with Adivasi/Tribals/Indigenous peoples and traditional nomadic shepherds communities are very

much engaged in this. Because of deterioration of ecology, the survival, identity, unity, culture, rights of the above mentioned peoples

have become a very big issue. So the Social centres mainly are having various programmes in order to protect, preserve their rights, culture,

identity and their natural resources that are lands, water, forest and minerals.

Is there at the province level any initiative of protection of communities threatened by the

deterioration of ecology?

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Besides this, where big dams or nuclear plants are planned and development induced displacements are taking place; some of the

social centres are active. This has brought the social centres in collision with the concerned governments. Prompted by the multinational

companies (LGP), the governments are going ahead in implementing certain projects and enacting certain laws/policies that are very

detrimental to the marginalized communities like Tribals, Dalits and others. Such awareness programmes are today termed very

conveniently by vested interests as ‘anti national’, ‘terrorist activities’ or ‘ploy of Minorities to convert’, etc. Besides, such Jesuits, centres,

NGOs and activists are under constant watch by governments and companies. They live under constant threats, insecurity and

uncertainties.



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Certain activities: (1) awareness and capacity building trainings, (2) income generating

programmes, (3) Self Help Groups are formed in order to inculcate the habit of savings and self employments, (4) Developmental schemes, (5) trainings like social analysis, awareness of their rights as citizens,

the duties of the governments and (6) leadership trainings are conducted to equip them to face the challenges.



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Is there any institution searching for alternative models of development? Which are

those institutions and what are they doing?

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[i] Xavier Institute of Development, Jabalpur, MP does research on Alternative development and also offers courses on the same,

[ii] Mahrashtra Prabodhan Seva Mandal, Bombay on alternative development like watershed, dairy farm, Savings, Mushroom

cultivation, Organic farming, vermin culture, [iii] Xavier Institute of Social Research, Bombay teaches a course on

‘Development-Displacement-Rehabilitation’ which challenges the students to critique development models,

[iv] SAS and SWADES, Goa have organized specially women groups for alternative farming, bio gas, organic farming etc. that promote

conservation of land, forest and water and judicious use of the same,



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]v] Xavier Tarumitra, Ahmedabad, Gujarat alternative medicines and use of herbs,

[vi] Sadhna Bhavan (Jesuit Novitiate), Sughad, Gujarat, [vii] Sangath, Gujarat - Vermin culture,

[viii] Solar Alternatives and Associated Programmes, Patna – solar lights, electricity, panels,

[ix] TUDI, Kerala – bio farming, herbal garden and medicine through cooperative society,

[x] ADDI, Kerala – alternative health care using Indigenous people’s knowledge,

[xi] Sustainable Agriculture, Harta, Jamshedpur – alternative model farm,

[xii] St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta – use of solar energy for computers,



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[xiii] AROUSE, Gumla, Ranchi – building small check dams as alternative for big dams,

[xiv] Taru Mitra, Patna – Eco-bio diversity, alternative farming, herbal garden,

[xv] Stanislaus Community College (Novitiate), Sitagarah, Hazaribag – social forestry,

[xvi] Social Centre, Pune – Alternative farming, judicious use of natural resources.

[xvii] Xavier Centre for Migrant workers, Vadodara, Gujarat- Eco garden and alternative farming.

NB: There is a great hope that more such Institutions will come up!



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Is reconciliation with creation part of the spirituality and the spiritual retreats offered?

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Yes, it is. There is a growing interest in such spirituality and efforts are made to develop such spirituality contextually.

Institutions and Jesuits that are doing this:

[a] Fr. Prashant, Retreat House, Bandra, Bombay – Interplay retreat, [b] Fr. Paul Vaz, Seva Niketan, Bombay, - Eco retreat,

[c] Fr. Lancy D’Cruz, Gujarat, – Eco retreat, [d] Fr. Saju Bastian, Hazaribag, - Eco retreat,


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[e] Fr. Wendel, Maharashtra Probodhan Seva Mandal, Karanjali, Bombay – Eco retreat,

[f] Jesuits of Kerala in Sameeksha, Kalady - eco-retreats and Atmamitra, Kalady - promoting eco-spirituality through camps for

children and exposure programmes, [g] Some Jesuits in Darjeeling province: Fr. Sundeep Beck, Fr Gabriel

Tirkey, Fr Sebastian Minj and Fr. Pramod Dabhi offer such retreats. [h] JHARNA, Ranchi, Fr. Sylvanus Kiro and his team at Spirituality

Centre. [i] Fr. Robert Athickel, Taru Mitra, Patna- Eco retreat, Eco garden.


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Is there any protocol in case of natural disasters?

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In the next meeting of the Conference in October, there will be an attempt at drawing up a Protocol relating to handling natural disasters incorporating the following principles enunciated by Fr. General in his

recent letter on Disasters:

Be Present Serve spiritually and practically

Collaborate Share information

Show as well as welcome international solidarity Be transparent

Think long term.


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But In India, the Central Government through the support of the State Governments has started ‘Disaster Management Cells’ in every District

and they go around giving trainings to people and preparing daring young men and women to assist in time of need. They take the service

of many NGOs, Jesuit Social centres and Educational Institutions and even parishes to spread this information.


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Has the Conference identified any Institution as a reference at the level of the Conference?

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Recently, a Model Development Office for South Asia was set up in the Province of Madhya Pradesh (MAP) with the assistance of Curia

Generalis.

Besides, every Province has its Province Development Director’s office. One of its jobs could be this. For the Conference there is a Secretary

who is called the Secretary for Development Directors Forum. It could be one of his jobs.

Has the Conference identified any Institution as a reference at the level of the Conference?

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Has the Conference identified any Institution as a reference at the level of

the Conference?

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The one in charge of Ecology in GIAN Fr. Xavier Savarimuthu, Calcutta will draw up a plan on the basis of which the geographic priority for

ecological focus will be determined in the next Conference. The Conference has been divided into four zones. There are provincials who are appointed as Chair for each zone. So they look into the needs

of these zones. There is a general need felt by all the zones to pay more attention to ecology due to global warming which has changed the weather patterns which affects our seasons, agriculture patterns

and more the poor.

The areas where the Adivasis/Tribals/Indigenous peoples are living and natural resources like water, forest, lands and minerals are still

available are the most sensitive areas. So this becomes a priority.

Has the Conference established any Geographic priority area in which it can focus

its advocacy for ecology?

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We hope that slowly policies and strategies will be evolved on how to link up with others in the field; on how to link up with the other issues

which the society has taken up – like migration/displacement, communalism/terrorism, community life, etc.

There still remains a lot to be done on this.

Has the Conference established any Geographic priority area in which it can focus

its advocacy for ecology?

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The subject of Ecology is a serious one. The Society of Jesus has realized this at the highest levels. But the importance of the subject,

awareness of environmental degradation and the seriousness of climate change has not reached or affected many of us Jesuits. Some

tokenism happens.

Conclusion

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We hope that slowly policies and strategies will be evolved on how to link up with others in the field; on how to link up with the other issues

which the society has taken up – like migration/displacement, communalism/terrorism, community life, etc.

There still remains a lot to be done on this.

Compared to the outside world, we are far behind. We are still talking about a change of Heart! When will this happen, and how? What

happens in the interim period?!

Conclusion

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Ecology and environmental protection is not the domain of ‘social action’ alone. It is intrinsically interdisciplinary because it is complex

and challenging. SJES should play a proactive and aggressive role when needed! Meaningful networking with likeminded Religious

Congregations, persons-activists, NGOs, GOs and leaders is very urgent to do something concretely. Otherwise nothing much can be expected,

except some lip service and tokenisms, ineffective but expensive seminars and conferences!

Conclusion

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Thank yoU

Documents

JESA REPORT on ECOLOGY - Society of Jesus Presentation - JESA.pdf · Western Zone JESA meet on 24-25th Feb., 2012 at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. 33 Jesuits participated. The theme