Friar Jaazeal Jakosalem, an Augustinian Recollect, participated in the historic world conference Rising Hope for Climate Justice, held in Castel Gandolfo from October 1-3. From his commitment as director of ARCORES International, he shared ecological projects inspired by the Recollect charism and presented to the Church a spiritual proposal: to return to the heart to care for creation.
Castel Gandolfo hosts a summit of ecological hope
The conference
“Raising Hope for Climate Justice”
held from October 1 to 3 at
Castel Gandolfo
brought together environmental leaders, indigenous peoples, religious communities and members of the Church on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the encyclical
tenth anniversary of the encyclical Laudato Si’.
. It was also the culmination of the Time
of Creation
It was also the culmination of the Time of Creation, close to the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
In this historic event,
Jaazeal Jakosalem, an Augustinian Recollect friar from the Philippines, participated in this historic event.
Augustinian Recollect from the Philippines, participated as the
director of ARCORES International and general councilor of the Order
of the Order, bringing the concrete and spiritual commitment of the Augustinian Recollects for integral ecology.
“We have presented two initiatives that express our ecological spirituality in action,” Fr.
Jaazeal explained in statements to agustinosrecoletos.com.
Recollect projects with a green heart
Among the projects presented, the following stood out
Solar Dream
a clean and sustainable energy initiative that
installs solar panels in vulnerable homes in Sierra Leone
in Sierra Leone, the Philippines and Bocas del Toro (Panama). In addition to providing energy to communities without access to electricity, the project trains the beneficiaries themselves in their installation and maintenance.
Another project on display was
Doodles for Creation
an educational proposal in the Philippines and Sierra Leone that, through playful activities and drawings on
activities and drawings about nature, teaches children the importance of caring for the environment.
The project teaches children the importance of caring for the environment. “It’s simple, but it raises awareness at a very young age,” said Friar Jaazeal.
He also shared with the participants the book La ecología en san Agustín (Ecology in Saint Augustine ) by
Enrique Eguiarte
as an Augustinian
Augustinian theological contribution
to the care of creation. More information about the book here
A gift to the Pope from the Recollect family
Representing ARCORES and the Philippine delegation -including the bishop and Caritas president, Cardinal José Lázaro Advíncula Fuerte-, the Cardinal offered to the Pope
a copy of the Laudato Si’ Cross, designed by Fr.
Cross, designed by Friar Jaazeal, as a symbol of the faith
symbol of the faith that embraces creation.
.
One of the most moving moments was when Pope Leo XIV blessed a piece of iceberg from Greenland.
Pope Leo XIV blessed a piece of iceberg from Greenland, a symbol of the cry of the earth and human suffering.
symbol of the cry of the earth and of human suffering. In his speech, the Pope recalled the words of St. Augustine: “Return to your heart“ (Conf. 4,12,18), as a spiritual methodology to face the climate crisis.
“Only by returning to the heart can a true ecological conversion take place.”
the Pontiff strongly affirmed.
Back to the heart: spirituality as an ecological response
Pope Leo XIV’s message was not only an environmental analysis, but a profound call for spiritual transformation.
spiritual transformation
ecological conversion is inseparable from conversion of the heart.
“The heart is where the most authentic decisions are made.”
, he said,
“It’s the place where external reality really hits home.
Both Dr. Lorna Gold
Dr. Lorna Gold
(Laudato Si’ Movement) as well as
Cardinal Jaime Spengler
reinforced this idea: without ecological conversion, there is no future.
“Let us be seeds of the new future”
concluded the cardinal.
The Recollect voice at the global table
Jaazeal Jakosalem represented the voice of an Order committed to the Gospel and to the Earth.
of an Order committed to the Gospel and to the Earth
in continuity with the encyclical Laudato Si’ and Augustinian spirituality.
The spirit of Castel Gandolfo resonates as a mandate: act with hope,
care with compassion and convert the heart to protect creation.
.