Publications
|
The Appalachian region is blessed with trees that clothe our hills and hollers, and they prod us to celebrate these givers of many blessings. This photo-reflection series celebrates plant life, and specifically trees in all their many expressions of seasonal mood changes and variations. This is shown here by 72 tree-related activities in alphabetical order of human interactions along with a selection of choice photos. Click here to read more and access book.
Resonance: Promoting Harmony When Confronting Climate Change seeks to challenge this global problem from a spiritual perspective. A solely secular approach involving technical experts is insufficient to bring about a renewable energy economy. Rather, a spiritual outlook invites all people of good will to work together. This overlooked approach leads those who believe in the future to discover Divine Harmony as the primary focus and model for change. The mark of the Triune God is present in the entire universe, vibrating and inspiring all activity. To achieve success we explore various types of resonance, from physical, chemical, biological and social, through art, music, compassionate caregiving and international negotiation. More importantly, resonance has a divine character worthy of reflection, the Source of all resonance and harmony. Through prayer, compassionate suffering and action, believers have vital roles to play. For all to collaborate they must be motivated by a critical mass of believers – you and I. Hope breathes eternal, but we must act now. Format:
Healing Earth: Nine Reasons for Revolution invites readers to become global activists in order to collaborate in addressing the impending climate change crisis. Starting with an individual discernment of one's place in this world, all are urged to undergo an internal revolution, a change of consciousness, a resolution to create a new socio-economic system that stands counter to our current consumer culture and its associated addictions. This cannot be done at an individual level alone, but rather through a radical sharing of our common resources. In many ways personal insights found in the book parallel the development of Pope Francis' Laudato Si' reflections on the environment: the global nature of the emerging crisis; the places where climate change adversely affects the poor; the need for collaboration by all people of good will; and the urgency to promote a renewable energy economy. Climate change deniers must be confronted and their influence exposed and challenged in order to preserve the viability of our planet. We can save our Earth, but it takes united effort. Format:
Water tells its own story, and we are immersed in it. Our Appalachian region is blessed with plentiful water in rivers, creeks, and springs, in showers, rainfall, snow, ice, mist, and clouds. We greet water individually when we drink, bathe, shower, float, swim, and do a variety of essential and other activities. Water invites sociability when we perform water sports together or offer work for others who tap ground water, store cistern water, channel streams, pipe it, and conserve it in our homes. Appalachian Water Reflections invites us to reflect on our many water experiences. Let?s be mindful of the need to preserve and protect the fragile quality of our water for it is a gift without which we would surely die. Water embellishes our lives, defines and beautifies our landscape, conditions us to act, lifts our spirits, and reveals to us a merciful Creator and an upcoming messianic age. Through a combination of photo and text we reflect on our region?s valuable lifeblood. We must drink or we die of thirst; we must respect the commons of which water is part and not become selfish and wasteful. We are to go and grow with the flow, maturing by not taking water for granted. Water points us to a sense of neighborliness, for we learn to share its quality and availability with all living beings. Truly, water has much to tell us, teach us, and guide us -- if we only take time to reflect. May these photos and texts help all of us on our life voyage.
This is the evolution in my own attitudes on guns from that of youth in rural gun-carrying country to eight decades later also in quite red gun-loving Kentucky. Many changes occurred over those decades in which guns intruded numerous times, each with a narrative and an appropriate reflection from gun handling, ownership, maintenance, national attitudes such as bullying, control measures, and finally to stress from Environmental Gun Threats (EGT). This last reflection is a breakthrough akin to what happened in the 1970s when citizens became aware that tobacco smoke affected those around smokers (the ETS phenomenon); smoking became a social and environmental issue. Today in a nation with as many weapons as people, guns threaten the mental health of people now bullied into silence, a new consideration in the ongoing gun control debate. Current discussions make GUNS a work in progress that can be found and downloaded on
Text by Al Fritsch, SJ
By Albert J. Fritsch, SJ
By Robert T. Sears, SJ & Albert J. Fritsch, SJ
Photographs by Warren Brunner &
Now available at Acclaim Press -
click here.
By Al Fritsch, SJ -
By Al Fritsch, SJ -
|
More "Special Issues"We are now launching our "Special Issues" series on this website. Our basic title is open to at least three interpretations: the series is produced by greens who are graying; the subjects require some additional gray matter to assimilate; and the green or environmental issues are not always black and white, but do contain some gray areas. We include controversial subjects in order to stimulate comments from our readers -- the uncovered gray areas we have not yet thought about (a possible fourth interpretation). We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Additional Publications
ECOTOURISM IN APPALACHIA: MARKETING THE MOUNTAINSby Al Fritsch and Kristin Johannsen[click here to order]
Videos
The Call of the MagnificatA DVD by Seescapes in highdef video featuring meditations adapted from The Little Blue Book by Fr. Al Fritsch, S.J.[click here for details!]
Healing Earth — Our Common BlessingA DVD by Seescapes in highdef video featuring 7 meditations inspired by the writings of Al Fritsch, S.J.[click here for details!]
The Year of the ButterflyFeaturing the photographs of Sally Ramsdell[click here for details!]
|
Use FreeTranslation.com
to translate this page:
Haz clic aquí para traducir:
Comments should be directed to:
