Inspired by St. Francis, young adults look to emulate his bond with nature

[hrmjustin]

Renee K. Gadoua

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (RNS) On a recent Saturday, members of the local Franciscan Earth Corps stocked shelves and cleaned storage rooms at a food pantry. In early March, the group will screen “Triple Divide,” a documentary about hydrofracking. Later this spring, they’ll put up bluebird boxes at a retreat center.

And once a month, they’ll gather to talk about Franciscan spirituality.

The Syracuse group is among 10 Franciscan Earth Corps chapters started last year. At least six more groups are organizing as part of a push by the Franciscan Action Network, a social justice group that aims to transform the world in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.

The national, ecumenical program encourages young adults, aged 18 to 35, to connect social and environmental justice activities with Franciscan teachings that stress the interconnectedness of creation.

http://www.religionnews.com/2014/02/24/inspired-st-francis-youth-look-emulate-bond-nature/

[longship]

1. Interesting.

Are the millennium crowd going to be hippies? Live in communes?

No telling where that will go. One can only hope that they don't all turn into libertarians in their later lives, like many of the former hippies have apparently done.


R&K

[trotsky]

2. Hard to live in a commune, "back to nature" style...

and still be able to have good wireless service for and electricity to charge one's mobile devices!

[cbayer]

3. There is also an interesting trend among some evangelical groups

that are focusing on environmental concerns.

Some have taken the position that the earth's well being has been placed in the hands of humans and that we have a responsibility to care for it.

That is a very positive move, imo.

[Goblinmonger]

4. The cynical part of me looks at it this way:

The RCC, 160 years behind Thoreau. Seems like a pretty solid time line for their reaction to changes in secular society. Actually, this one seems quicker than usual.