tvc.dsj.org | October 8, 2019
COMMUNITY
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Protecting the Biodiversity of Our Common Home
By Sister Donna Maria Moses, OP
Since the publication of Laudato Sí,
the papal encyclical on caring for our
common home, many parishes in the
Diocese of San José have formed green
teams and environmental justice com-
mittees to reflect on the ideas expressed
in the document. Parish committees
have developed action plans indepen-
dently to counteract pollution, climate
change, drought, loss of biodiversity
and global inequality. This spring, the
Diocese of San José convened Stewards
of Our Common Home, a committee to
coordinate actions across the Diocese,
and inspire the faithful to become more
engaged in caring for creation.
This past June, the California Con-
ference of Catholic Bishops issued the
pastoral statement, “God Calls All of
Us to Care for Our Common Home,”
describing the special features of
California environment and critical
environmental concern close to home.
One of these concerns is the loss of
native habitats and biodiversity. Ac-
cording to the California Biodiversity
Initiative: A Roadmap for Protecting the
State’s Natural Heritage, quoted in the
bishops’ statement, “California is home
to more species of plants and animals
and highest number of species found
nowhere else. This richness spans
the entire state from the coast to the
mountains…and throughout the val-
leys and deserts.” The need to protect
the unique biodiversity of our region
has prompted an increased interest in
finding creative ways to conserving
lands that otherwise would be paved
over and developed for commercial or
residential use.
Several land conservation projects
are underway in Santa Clara Valley
and the Santa Cruz Mountain re-
gions. Religious congregations in the
diocese are working with conserva-
tion groups to protect the biodiverse
meadows, forests and gardens from
development in the future. Last year,
the Dominican Sisters of Mission San
José conserved 190 acres of meadows
and redwood forest in the Santa Cruz
Mountains with the Land Trust of
Register Now for the California Catholic
Ministry Conference (CaCMC)
The Santa Clara Faith Formation
Conference is now the California Catho-
lic Ministry Conference (CaCMC).
Why the name change? Our long-
time Bay Area Conference is now
more than a Catechetical Conference.
Attendees are coming from all across
California. This year the conference
will be held December 5-7 at the San
José Convention Center.
Regular registration ends on No-
vember 18; don’t miss out.
The Conference, in addition to Cat-
echetical Formation, is also focusing
on Social Justice, liturgy and leader-
ship development. Region XI Liturgy
Directors are leading a liturgical track,
and liturgical publishers and artists
are joining us for liturgical formation.
Clergy formation is now a key part of
the Conference this year, focusing on
preaching and presiding with Clergy
formators across Region XI. In 2018, an
additional day was added, Thursday,
for day-long workshops sponsored by
our partners in ministry. In 2019, two
additional day-long workshops are
added for a total of six.
Check out t he new website at
www.CaCMC.net for all the latest on
over 120 workshops, 80 speakers, spon-
sors and prayer opportunities. Email
[email protected] for more information.
This Advent time will be an excellent
opportunity to network with over
3,000 attendees from the Bay Area.
And Christmas in the Park will be just
steps from the hotels and convention
center. On-site registration will on be
available for cash, check or credit card.
Conference brochures are available at
parishes, schools and online.
We look forward to seeing you at
#CaCMC!
Photo courtesy of the United States Confer-
ence of Catholic Bishops.
Santa Cruz County. With the Uni-
versity of California at Santa Cruz,
the Dominican Sisters initiated the
“Puma Project,” to provide “specially
protected native species” like the
California Mountain Lion, with a
safe way to get across Highway 17
and prevent animal-related traffic
accidents. Land conservation projects
come in all sizes from hundreds of
acres in rural areas, to smaller plots
within city boundaries. This fall, the
Sisters of the Holy Family conserved
a 5-acre garden that is home to over
two hundred horticultural species
and historic native trees with the
Garden Conservancy in San Fran-
cisco.
Fu nds l i ke t he S emper v i ren s
Fund in Los Altos, provide resources
to permanently preserve redwood
forests, wildlife habitats, and wa-
tersheds that are important special
features of our common home. Major
projects currently underway in the
Diocese of San José are being coor-
dinated by the Silicon Valley Land
Conservancy and Santa Clara Valley
Open Space Authority. God calls us
all to care for our common home by
supporting local parish initiatives
to conserve an interconnected sys-
tem of wildlands and natural areas
throughout the valley, protect native
habitats and species from destructive
development, and work to restore
precious water resources.
For more i n for mat ion on t he
Stewards of Our Common Home,
please contact Marita Grudzen at
[email protected].