LSRI Featured in Publication of ‘The Parish as Oasis: An introduction to Practical Environmental Care’

Edward de Quay comments on the publication of ‘The Parish as Oasis.’

A few years ago I came across a National Geographic article telling the story of ‘church forests’ in Ethiopia. I was captivated by the idea that these churches, poking out from pockets of forest on satellite imagery, were rebelliously holding out against the deforested and dry surrounding landscapes. These churches are literal oases and havens of biodiversity amid otherwise dry agricultural landscapes. This is a great metaphor for how a parish might see itself, and one that is used to great effect in this book.

This is a practical and hopeful book from the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice. Dr Kevin Hargaden (Director and Social Theologian) and Dr Ciara Murphy (Environmental Justice Advocate) don’t shy away from the fact that the Church and the world are in turbulent times, but neither do they dwell on it. They prefer instead to look at the opportunities that are brought about by change, and for a church ‘at the margins’ rather than close to corridors of power.

The focus is very much on the Irish experience, but I was delighted to find two pages featuring the work of Salford Diocese, The Laudato Si’ Research Institute and St Mary’s University, with our ‘Guardians of Creation’ Project. The framing of this book as a guide to environmental care is very helpful. Rather than a to-do list, the authors instead opt to describe a series of ‘experiments,’ such as the Guardians of Creation project. There are endless ways for a parish to connect to the ecological crisis and be part of the solution in the local community, so the book tells the story of ones they have found helpful, in the hope of inspiring, rather than micro-managing, a response. 

For me, this is one of the few books I’ve read on our social and environmental crisis which left me more hopeful than before. It is a heartening collection of stories from the personal experience of the authors, and very much recommended for parish and personal use.

The Parish as Oasis is available from Messenger Publications in Ireland