Happy Earth Day!

I'm currently helping the Society of Conservation Biology, Religion and Conservation Biology Working group. We are compiling a set of notes to inform conservation biologists and religious figures on the role of faith in conserving our natural world. While preparing my research, I stumbled upon a website called Catholic Climate Covenant. It really seems to me that the Church is taking its green issues seriously! Pretty amazing how far we have come... but we still have a long long way to go!



If you are thinking of what to do for Earth Day, why not start by taking the St Francis pledge!

These are the aims and purposes of the St Francis pledge:

The St. Francis Pledge is a promise and a commitment by Catholic individuals, families, parishes, organizations and institutions to live our faith by protecting God’s Creation and advocating on behalf of people in poverty who face the harshest impacts of global climate change. To join the Covenant, you commit to act on each of the five elements of the St. Francis Pledge.

I/We Pledge to:

* PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God’s Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.
* LEARN about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of climate change.
* ASSESS how we-as individuals and in our families, parishes and other affiliations-contribute to climate change by our own energy use, consumption, waste, etc.
* ACT to change our choices and behaviors to reduce the ways we contribute to climate change.
* ADVOCATE for Catholic principles and priorities in climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact those who are poor and vulnerable.

CATHOLICS GO GREEN!

O, and if you happen to be on facebook, I invite you to join this group called Catholics Go Green! I will post information on the Church's teachings on ecology and the environment. :)

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On a personal side...

I was praying in the adoration room last night and I felt that God was cautioning me to not lose sight of what I am doing all this for. I fear I may be too caught up with my own personal agendas and take too much pride or seek popularity in what I do. That is definitely not what I want, and I seek God's graces to purify my intentions and lead me in this cause/ belief that I have. That all I do, may be for the glory of God.

:)

Climbing Mt. Kinabalu

Last week, a group of us from St Francis Xavier Church went on a Mt. Kinabalu climbing expedition in Sabah. Personally, I have scaled the mountain twice but only managed to reach the peak on the first try. I succumbed to altitude sickness on the second attempt and had to be content reaching the half-way point Sayat-Sayat. That was when I was 17 years old and was there with a group from the VJC Odac. I felt very disappointed and a little upset with myself, but I recalled looking at the mountain and telling myself that I will be back to conquer it again.




And conquer it I did.



Along the way, I did manage to see a wide variety of amazing mosses, plants, orchids, picther plants and also some animal life like birds, squirrels and a very quick tree shrew. Amazing! I was simply soaking up the beauty of creation all around me and even managed to capture the endemic Giant earthworm and Giant Leech of Mt Kinabalu on film!

I need to figure a way to use flicker so that all of you can access the pictures easily online. :)

Thank you Lord for the beauty of the mountain and for granting our team a safe and enjoyable trip to Mt. Kinabalu. I praise you for all creatures big and small that we have encountered and am awed by the wonder of your creation.