CliMarian is a very current term in the dictionary for sustainability.
If every time you make a decision, you consider its impact on climate change: you can call yourself a climarian.
As Marians, we can deduce from this definition that Divine Providence invites us to move towards sustainability.
Sustainability based on the Covenant of Love
Schoenstatt wants to help us discover all the richness of Our Lady. We want to love in an integral manner, like the Blessed Mother, and respond to the present society based on our Covenant of Love with Her.
The Covenant of Love consists of taking adequate time to observe and integrate the world around me as something supernatural. We are currently living in a crucial time for humankind. By August 2024, we humans will have exhausted all the resources that the earth could give us for the whole year 2024. Every year, we deplete the earth’s resources faster and faster.
Can you imagine a family that, by mid-year, has exhausted all of its financial resources for the whole year? At this time, we humans are at a deficit with the earth, our Mother House.
A new term in the Church
“Climarian” is a new term we will gradually hear about in everyday language. At least by those who try to raise awareness and combat the progress of climate change from an individual perspective.
St. Basil says: “The Lord does not use eyes to contemplate the beauty of his work, but we need eyes to admire it. Beauty is the basis of the creative work”.
The world should be a constant reminder of this encounter with the Divine. As we waste resources, we lose the notion that nature and creatures are reminders of God’s presence. Creation is made to evoke this. Created things are an exchange: Human-Nature-Communion with that which is Sacred. The human being becomes a person to the extent that he/she is in relation to the totality. And if he/she has a relationship with things, then he/she must also have an intimate relationship with the Absolute.
An opportunity to create a better tomorrow
Our Pope Francis told us in September 2024:
“What world do we want to leave to our children and young people? Our selfishness, our indifference, and our irresponsibility threaten the future of our young people. This is why I renew my plea: let us take care of our Mother Earth, let us overcome the temptation of selfishness that makes us predators of resources, let us cultivate respect for the gifts of the Earth and of creation, let us initiate a lifestyle and a society that are at last sustainable: we have the opportunity to prepare a better tomorrow for all. From God’s hands, we have received a garden; we cannot leave a desert for our children”.
As Schoenstatters, the Mother of God is counting on us to secure the future of the generations to come in the Covenant of Love. As the Pope said, “We have the opportunity to prepare a better tomorrow for all.”
This October, we invite Schoenstatters around the world to put into practice some ways of caring for the future by being a CliMARIAN.
A special invitation
HOW TO BE A CLIMARIAN FROM HEAD TO TOE?
We invite professionals in design, engineering, architecture, landscaping, and construction to come together and reflect on achieving sustainability and humankind’s future.
Rosana Silva from the Institute of Our Lady of Schoenstatt in Lisbon will organize the group. Initially, it will focus on Portuguese and Spanish speakers.
To participate, please contact us through our Instagram account: @gavilan_green.spaces
Or by email: gavilan.foreverstore@gmail.com
Challenges for October
Every month, we propose challenges to LIVE EXTRAORDINARILY WELL, WHICH IS ORDINARY.
Climarian is more than an adjective; it represents a lifestyle. Within that lifestyle, every action of the day is designed to have as little impact on the planet as possible. The list of small individual details with which you can wage war on climate change is endless. Here are some suggestions.
– ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THE 3RS OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Reduce, and think about whether it is really necessary. Reuse: You could certainly extend the life of many things you’ve already sent to the dumpster. Recycle: Maybe you can give that trash another chance as a resource.
– PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY
Choose the least polluting means of transportation whenever you can. The healthiest option is to walk or cycle everywhere. Otherwise, public transportation. If you prefer to go the way you like, opt for a multimodal mode of transport, such as scooters or shared electric bicycles.
For trips shorter than 3 hours, always take the train (bus) instead of the plane. To raise awareness of the importance of sustainable mobility, the Amsterdam—Brussels journey by plane generates between 26 and 56 kilos of CO₂, while by train, the emissions are between 1.7 and 2 kilos.
Next month, we will bring you more practical suggestions for sustainable living.
