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Reflection/Quotes

"We must forcefully reject the notion that our being created in God's image and given dominion over the Earth, justifies absolute domination over other creatures." ~ Pope Francis

"He who is kind to animals, heaven will protect." ~ Attributed to Gautama Buddha

 "We know we cannot be kind to animals until we stop exploiting them -- exploiting animals in the name of science, exploiting animals in the name of sport, exploiting animals in the name of fashion, and yes, exploiting animals in the name of food." ~ Cesar Chavez

Eco-Challenge

Each day this month, take a moment to thank God for all creatures great and small and consider how our lives have been and continue to be enriched by the lives of animals.

Facts/Education

 "It is not enough, however, to think of different species merely as potential 'resources' to be exploited, while overlooking the fact that they have value in themselves." ~ Laudato Si, paragraph 33.

 How often do we walk through nature counting blessings in terms of what they can do for us? The bees as pollinators, the trees as timber, the water as our nourishment. Yet this quote reminds us that each swallow dancing on the breeze, each humble blade of grass, carries a divine dignity that transcends all human purpose.

 This shift of perspective is nothing less than a conversion of heart. When we recognize that the sparrow exists not for our sake but for God's delight, we begin to participate in the Creator's own perspective. We move from masters to companions in creation's grand symphony. 

~ Claude Sonnet