Sr Lucy in her garden
Our older sisters in Germany show us the way towards Integral Ecology
The Cologne-Klettenberg community continues to take small steps in our journey towards integral ecology: wasting neither water nor energy, for example, using the elevator with several people whenever possible, avoiding plastic waste, choosing meat-free menus, planting flowers that are useful for bees, collecting cigarette butts to protect the groundwater etc.
As Jesus taught us, we believe in the power of small things.
Although almost all of us are in our 80s and 90s, we can still take a few steps in the congregation’s journey towards Integral Ecology.
Behind our house lies a small garden where we admire flowers and fruit trees all year round.
Those of us with balconies create our own tiny gardens and we give preference to flowers that attract bees and other insects. Plates filled with water or seeds delight the birds and when they come right up to our windows and let themselves be observed, it’s our turn to feel the pleasure.
Squirrels come too, and even climb onto a first-floor balcony! When they bury nuts in our flowerpots, we’re not so happy, but we can help them, like the birds and insects, survive in this big-city environment.
Some Sisters grow plants that are useful to us: parsley, civet and other herbs that are good for our health. Recently, a Sister shared with her group some small tomatoes grown on her balcony.
The Bible shows us that we’re on the right track: the oldest of the Creation stories tells how God put human beings in a beautiful garden to tend it. Unfortunately, they seem to be destroying it instead.
We want to save it because we believe “everything was created in Jesus, by Him and for Him”.
This year, our community outing was another of those small steps, as we chose to visit Cologne’s botanical garden called ‘Flora’ and to get there we consciously dispensed with the minibus and took public transport, even though many of us walk with the aid of a walker.
The Flora offered us the last flowers of summer and the first of autumn and we were able to admire some magnificent trees, many of them from other continents. For several hours we were immersed in an environment that reminded us intensely of the beauty, generosity and variety of Creation, and we gave thanks to the God who loves the world.
The Flora restaurant, where we ate our lunch, is a self-service restaurant with an ecological focus. The dishes you pick up at the counter are made with local, seasonal produce, served in old jam jars or paper. The cutlery is solid and reusable. There is no plastic to throw away!
Next year, God willing, we’ll happily return to the same place.
Sharings by Srs. Gisela Harth, Lucia Spittel and Leonie Hake
