Earth Spirituality

EARTH SPIRITUALITY THROUGH LAND DEVELOPMENT


If the land could speak
It would speak for us.
It would speak of the land
That ties us together
Forged by years and years of
Working and yielding …
If the land could speak
It would speak of us
For the land is us.

Macli-ing Dulag


INTRODUCTION

Land remains a precious gift of God to humankind. It is a source of life to many people who depend on the fruits of the land for food and income. To the tillers of the soil land dignifies one’s being and insures communion between God and His people.

For centuries land has been a source of conflict and contradiction in the Philippines. The concentration of lands in the hands of a few and the struggle of many farm tillers to own lands for their subsistence and survival as people had ignited numerous militant protest actions from the ranks of the peasantry. The call to realize a genuine agrarian reform has always been in the agenda of various farmers’ organizations and movements. Even today, farmers continue to clamor for the implementation of a genuine land reform that can free them from the bondage of the soil.

Though land remains a source of life and dignity for others, land has also become a source of greed to others. Recent events prove that the destruction of the land’s resources, specifically trees, goes unabated. The massive and spontaneous flood that hit several municipalities in Aurora sub province is a glaring and disheartening proof of some people’s complete disregard to the protection of land’s resources.

The donated and acquired lands of Carmel have recently been a source of inspiration to the membership to seek new ways and means to promote or propagate the spirituality of the earth, to make the lands productive for the consumption of the local communities and to contribute to the financial requirements of initial formation. On the other hand, it was also realized that the lands of Carmel could help in the improvement of the economic productivity of people and organizations in the surrounding communities.

Thus, the need to develop and advance the aims and purposes of land development through earth spirituality has been conceptualized and is now being implemented.


VISION, MISSION AND GOALS

The vision is the concretization of an ecological community. It is an interacting and interdependent community of people, plants, trees and animals that make up a living and caring environment. It is an ecological community that focuses on land as the main and principal base of community resources. It is an ecological community characterized by continuous land development that is productive, sustainable, replicable and integral.

The mission is anchored on the preservation, development and enrichment of the lands of Carmel and surrounding communities. Ultimately, it compels the tillers and cultivators of the land to make it a source of life, dignity and work.

The goals are predicated on land productivity and development in order to make it a source of food and income for the Carmel family and people in the surrounding farming communities; on provision of support for land tenure improvement and pursuance of genuine agrarian reform for landless farmers through their federations and community organizations or cooperative; on preservation and advancement of indigenous farming practices in order to enhance farm productivity with lesser technical and capital inputs; on offering of Carmel lands as venue for prayer, reflection and contemplation for groups and individuals seeking silence and solitude.



MODEL AND GUIDE

In the pursuit of earth spirituality through land development the program is guided by particular models that promote and enhance the integrity of God’s creation: stewardship, kinship, sacrament and covenant.

· The stewardship model compels each one to embrace and unflesh the value of “caring, nurturing, sharing and harmony with nature and reverence for life”. People are caretakers of the earthy. Being caretakers they are responsible for every aspect of the earth including the caring and nurturing of its gifts. On the other hand , the value of sharing is tied to the concept of intragenerational equity and intergenerational equity. “Intragenerational equity is a way of using the resources of the earth with a sense of social sufficiency, while intergenerational equity is a way of using the resources of the earth so that future generations will have equal enjoyment of these same resources.”
· The kinship model views the creatures of the earth are one with each other. It also means “each part of nature - plants, trees, animals and humans - is part of the earth community. Hence, calling all creatures and parts of the universe a brother or a sister is the “fellowship approach” to creatures which is the essence of kinship. As stated in the book, “Seven lenses”, “humans can establish a cooperative and harmonious relationship with nature in the manner of a give and take rhythm. Nature takes care of our needs and we in turn take care of the resources of the earth.
· The sacrament model says that nature is a blessing or a gift from God. To quote “It is the manifestation of God in all created things. God’s grace and presence can be felt are experienced in nature. Respect and reverence for creation stems from the sacrament model, for the image of God is in all His creatures. The earth is God’s gift to His people and in turn the people must value this gift.
· The covenant model enjoins everyone to call for commitment in the form of implicit or even outward agreement with the Creator that all the earth’s people must take care of God’s creation. As explained in the book “Seven lenses”, this sacred pact with God is the deepest level of earth keeping. It is both a thanksgiving and a promise. People need to thank God for His goodness and promise to be worthy of His goodness by being keepers of His Garden.”


NATURE AND CHARACTER

Land development through earth spirituality is a ministry. As a ministry it invites one to demonstrate deep love and concern for the earth and for the created order, and to see the indivisibility of ecology and spirituality. It is heeding to the call of the Creator to “keep the garden”.

The lands of Carmel are concrete expressions of the integrity of God’s creation. As one belief says “the organic or community worldview sees people living in small cohesive communities and experiencing nature in terms of organic relationships, characterized by the interdependence of spiritual and material phenomena. People and nature enhance each other in a “give and take” relationship. Thus, the lands and fruits of Carmel must not be treated as commodities or sources of profit but as resources and partners in experiencing the fullness of life. This worldview, therefore, compels each one to appreciate, respect and live in harmony with creation.

Generally, the lands of Carmel will assume different or interrelated nature and characters. The scientific/educational center where a host of trees, plants and animals are grown and nurtured for scientific and educational purposes; training center where several farming methods and production of farm inputs can be studied and shared; meditation and reflection center where people of faith can communicate and discern God’s presence in the lives; demonstration farm center where variety of farming techniques are tested and developed for replication among farmers; ecotour center where different species of plants, animals, trees are introduced to students, professionals entrepreneurs and among parish and civic organizations.


MODEL OF CARMEL LANDS

The donated and acquired lands of Carmel will configure into different structural and operational models that can concretely demonstrate the mission and goals of the program. Even if the Carmel lands are separately located for each other, they nevertheless offer distinct characteristics and features. Thus, several models can be developed to highlight the distinctiveness of each land.

· Pisaan model is a living and interacting environment among people, plants and animals and is further made productive by livestock production, farming, energy conservation and eco tourism. It also serves as demonstration farm to tillers and cultivators of farm lands surrounding the Pisaan farm.
· The Ormoc model is a meditation and prayer shrine to our Lady of Mount Carmel where various species of fruit bearing, trees and other trees with medicinal value are grown. This model focuses on the integral relationship of the spiritual and the natural where each can seek silence and solitude amidst vows or clusters of trees and shrubs.
· The Barobo and Tarlac model enhances the growth and maturation of several species of trees and plants in order to engender ecological processes and biological diversity. This model also serves to meet the food requirements and modest income of the local communities and to act as experimental sanctuary to a variety of species.


PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

In order to meet the objectives of land productively several programs and services are to be developed and advanced. The implementation of these programs and services are contingent on the distinct characteristic and features of each Carmel land.

The Pisaan model will advance the implementation of rice production to meet the cereal requirements of the local community; feeds production to lesser the inputs in rice and fishery needs; production of fresh water fishes (tilapia, mud fish and catfish) for nutrient intake of the members of the local community and for sale to nearby municipal markets (Rosario, Prosperidad,, San Francisco); capability advancement in order to retrieve, preserve and enhance traditional farming methods and to introduce organic fertilizers among farm tillers and cultivators; ecotourism to introduce the natural ecosystem and endemic flora and farina; production of domesticated animals (ducks, turkey, chicken, hogs, goats) to meet the needs of the local market and the local community and the formation house.

The Ormoc model will concentrate on the implementation of setting up a shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel as a place of veneration and appreciation of the devotees to the intercessory role of the Blessed Mother; offering of venues to people and organizations who undergo retreat and recollection; promotion and propagation of agrarian reform through provision of material, moral and spiritual support to farmers seeking land tenure improvement or the attainment of genuine agrarian reform.

The Barobo model will accentuate the implementation on the expansion of fruit bearing trees and the introduction of medicinal plants that have health value the poor people in surrounding communities, promotion of ecotourism among the local population in order to appreciate God’s creation and to value the need to protect and preserve the environment which is very critical in the survival of the people.

The other Carmel lands, depending on their characteristics and features, can form and develop a combination of programs and services that can advance the stewardship, kinship, sacrament and covenant models in the pursuit of earth spirituality. The common basis of the different models to be developed and implemented is predicated on a mission “to care for the earth and nurture it live in harmony with and share its fruits equitably with our fellow creatures”. By doing so the earth will be saved from death and destruction so that future generations may benefit from it.


PARTNERS AND ALLIES

In the specific conceptualization and implementation of projects and activities in the different Carmel lands productive and learning endeavors will be forged with organizations and people who demonstrate care and protection to earth’s resources. Project relations will likewise be sealed with non-government and government organizations for maximization of resources in relation to farming techniques and environmental concerns.

Connections will also be made with environmentalists or through their organizations for exchange of ideas and sharing of insights on stewardship, kinship, sacrament and covenant models being the concrete expressions of earth spirituality. Through sharing and reflection lay people, students an academician will be provided a forum during which several topics can be learned. These include the importance and significance of the land and earth spirituality, the contributions of the farmers in food security and national development, the interrelated functions of all living creatures in the ecological community and the value of prayer and contemplation in life.


STRUCTURES AND MECHANISMS

Structures and mechanisms shall be established and made functional in order to attain the specific mission and goals of land development through the implementation of the different models, programs and services.

The land development committee shall perform functions relative to discussion and sharing on the perspective of land development, formulation or drafting of the specific plan of action, periodic meeting and consultation on the progress of projects and activities, conceptualization of projects and evaluation/assessment of the entire program.

The local communities shall take on some responsibilities which include submission of proposals on particular land development project in the area discussion and integration of land development plan in the local community concerns, implementation of specific projects and activities and assessment of the land development concerns.

The formation communities, specifically the postulancy and novitiate, are to be encouraged to participate in the care and nurturing of plants, trees and animals and to share the principles, models, challenges and contexts of earth spirituality to groups, individuals and organizations.

The General Commissary Council will be sought to take final decisions on the different projects and activities, help in fund sourcing through the support of the secretariat and provide reports to the membership.

The consultants will be asked to provide conceptual and technical assistance, to help in the formulation of project proposals and to extend other types pf support for the success of the projects on land development.