Earth Literacy Aims at Integral Spirituality

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Earth Literacy Aims at Integral Spirituality

Volume 29  Issue 10, 11 & 12 | Posted: December 14, 2015

     Gertie Jocksch, Bill Wilson and Margaret Walters are three names of teachers and theologians and writers who are among the leading lights leading the way for Earth Literacy, the progressive spirituality program which holds many of its four-week series of spirituality explorations at the Quaker Hall on Fern Street in Victoria.
     Events are also held throughout Vancouver Island, including Bethlehem Centre in Nanaimo as well as Vancouver. For nearly a decade now the combination of the new cosmology, integral spirituality and a radical concern for the survival of life on the planet through a renewed ecology have been key elements of Earth Literacy's focus, utilizing a wide spectrum of teachers and instructors and wisdom figures as resources.

     Gertie Jocksch, Bill Wilson and Margaret Walters are three names of teachers and theologians and writers who are among the leading lights leading the way for Earth Literacy, the progressive spirituality program which holds many of its four-week series of spirituality explorations at the Quaker Hall on Fern Street in Victoria.
     Events are also held throughout Vancouver Island, including Bethlehem Centre in Nanaimo as well as Vancouver. For nearly a decade now the combination of the new cosmology, integral spirituality and a radical concern for the survival of life on the planet through a renewed ecology have been key elements of Earth Literacy's focus, utilizing a wide spectrum of teachers and instructors and wisdom figures as resources.
     As examples of the staff, Gertie is the overall coordinator and leadership educator, Margaret teaches on Tielhard de Chardin and cosmic spirituality as it is emerging today. One of her courses looked through the lens of food as a vital issue today.
     Bill Wilson, SJ focuses in jesuitical style on Integral Spirituality with a special focus on ageing and dying, the environment and progressive political thinking that springs from having an integrated spirituality that is capable of looking at the big picture. Bill is always up to date on the latest writing on these subjects and beyond.
     In fact, the Big Picture – and how it works – would be an apt subtitle for the work of Earth Literacy. Sister Gertie, an Alberta native, is a member of The Sisters of Charity of Halifax. She has taught at many universities including  Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax and St. Mark's college at UBC in Vancouver.
     Bill Wilson, the only Jesuit on Vancouver Island, relates as well to Saint Mark's College in Vancouver where his community replaced the Basilian Order as principals in recent years. Unfortunately the untimely death of esteemed physician and Jesuit Father Michael Stogre earlier in 2015 meant the loss of an invaluable resource person to the wider community.
     Bill also has an expertise in counselling and spiritual direction. He excels at running small group explorations of how to best integrate one spirituality with the critical concerns of society today. An apt example is the ecological imperative as underlined in Pope Francis recent teachings on the subject, Laudato Si' which has been a major news item throughout this calendar year..
     Gertie has been involved with a parish examination of the encyclical at Saint Joseph’s in Victoria. Other such groups have sprung up in the region, involving regular members of Earth Literacies programs.
     Margaret Walters is new to Victoria over the past three years. She has written a book titled The Cosmic Pilgrim, A spiritual exploration of the new story of science and religion (2010), based on her study of the life and work of Tielhard De Chardin, author and pioneer thinker in this area of study.
     Courses usually cost $20 a session but the ability to pay is taken into consideration if the situation requires it.