Net-Zero Electric Usage

February 13, 2021February 13, 2021

Net-Zero Electric Usage

Hey Folks! We checked in on our electricity usage and found that even in winter we are, indeed, operating at net-zero for electricity usage after our late July 2020 upgrade to a total 25kW solar panel system.

Thanks again to the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters for partnering with us on this project to live out the Catholic social teaching to care for creation!

End of Day One

Panels installed, now to wire them into the inverters!

Earlier in the day The “guts” of a solar panel–pretty simple Wiring inside to the inverters, battery, and data manager

Laudato Si Week 2020

May 20, 2020February 1, 2021

Laudato Si Week 2020

Bees at Bethlehem Farm are festooning in order to work as a team and upkeep the health of their hive.

5 years ago, Pope Francis reminded us in Laudato Sí that we are interconnected beings. We are our sisters’ and brothers’ keepers. He encourages us to open our arms and our hearts to care for all of Creation, not just our human fellows. As we reshape a world changed by catastrophe, we pray that people keep in mind the vulnerable and act with the poor in mind. We pray for a renewal of connection and for action which combats the deep injustices in our societies.

“[Saint] Francis helps us to see that an integral ecology calls for openness to categories which transcend the language of mathematics and biology, and take us to the heart of what it is to be human. Just as happens when we fall in love with someone, whenever he would gaze at the sun, the moon or the smallest of animals, he burst into song, drawing all other creatures into his praise. He communed with all creation, even preaching to the flowers, inviting them ‘to praise the Lord, just as if they were endowed with reason.’ His response to the world around him was so much more than intellectual appreciation or economic calculus, for to him each and every creature was a sister united to him by bonds of affection. That is why he felt called to care for all that exists. His disciple Saint Bonaventure tells us that, ‘from a reflection on the primary source of all things, filled with even more abundant piety, he would call creatures, no matter how small, by the name of ‘brother’ or ‘sister’’. Such a conviction cannot be written off as naive romanticism, for it affects the choices which determine our behaviour. If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on their immediate needs. By contrast, if we feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously.

The poverty and austerity of Saint Francis were no mere veneer of asceticism, but something much more radical: a refusal to turn reality into an object simply to be used and controlled.”

Lent & Citizenship, by Colleen

April 7, 2017April 10, 2019

Bethlehem Farm Caretaker and mother extraordinaire Colleen Fitts shares about her Lenten practice this year:

I’m not usually into politics, but like many people, I’ve been listening closely to all the happenings for the past year. In a recent conversation, someone told me that their priest had preached a homily about an executive order. This upset the person, who thought that “church should be about spirituality, not politics.” This got me thinking… what do I think about that? Do I think that priests should instruct us on political issues? Is Church a place for politics? How does my faith interact with my voting, my advocacy, or my lack thereof?

What I have come up with so far is that I do think my spiritual life should inform my thoughts about what is going on all around me. But, how can the Church help remind us of Jesus’ teachings without trying to tell us exactly what to believe, or for example, how to vote? Well, lucky for us, the Church has communicated teachings about these very topics many times over the years. If you collect all these forms of guidance, you have what is called “Catholic Social Teaching.” It’s not a book or even one document, it’s a collection of teachings and values to help us know what a disciple of Jesus should keep in mind when making decisions- from purchasing to interacting with others to advocacy and voting. Here at Bethlehem Farm, we try to study and live these teachings every day– although we are certainly on a journey with both successes and failures.

The Catholic Social Teachings tell me that my faith has a lot to say about things that pertain to modern society. They don’t say, “vote for this person,” or “object to this certain piece of legislation,” but they do instruct us on the values that should drive our decisions. For example, does a certain policy advance human dignity for all or detract from it? Does an elected official claim to want to protect God’s creation, promote peace and disarmament, and promote the common good of all God’s children? While these are tall orders in a world of complicated issues, these types of values are what the Church calls us to prioritize as we make decisions as citizens.

Because of these thoughts and knowing that I have a lot of room to grow as I practice “faithful citizenship,” I have made an unconventional Lenten resolution this year. I pledged to pay attention to the state and federal legislative sessions and write to my representatives once a week, specifically concerning how my faith calls me to respond to current issues. For example, recent state legislation that would impose a burden on low-income West Virginians (like our Bethlehem Farm clients and friends) but give a break to out-of-state corporations compelled me to write. I asked my representatives to consider the common good of all West Virginians, especially the vulnerable who have neither influence nor loud voices, rather than only the powerful corporations who can donate to campaigns. The first time I wrote to them, I actually felt nervous about speaking out using the language of faith. However, sometimes my representatives have written back with thoughtful comments and that has made the process easier for me.

Certainly, I can’t claim that my lenten promise has made any actual legislative difference. (Maybe, but I am one voice among many.) What I can say is that for me, it has been a valuable experience and exercise in examining current events in light of my faith. The Gospels give us many examples of Jesus speaking up to those in power; sending a few emails to those in power is a small step that I can take to humbly follow more in His footsteps.

Lenten Simplicity Challenge

February 15, 2017April 10, 2019

Youth and adults at Our Lady of Grace parish in Noblesville, IN, are planning a Simplicity Challenge for Lent. Check it out! lent-simplicity-challenge-handout-2017

The registration and raffle are just for OLG parishioners, but anyone can join them in the challenge! OLG parishioner and high school student Sam Bleisch explains why he will be doing the Lenten Simplicity Challenge:

We often find ourselves saying, “I’m too busy,” as an excuse. We don’t have enough time for prayer or other parts of faith because school, homework, and work get in the way.

But what about all the wasted time we spend on social media? Maybe instead of taking a quiz on what piece of IKEA furniture I am most like, I could help strengthen my relationship with God. That’s what is so great about the Lenten Simplicity Challenge. With this, we can finally see that we aren’t as busy as we think. That’s why I have chosen to take on this challenge.

I often find myself using high school swimming as an excuse for a lacking relationship with God. Having practice in the morning and afternoons, I often find myself very tired. Prayer becomes an afterthought when it should be a priority. By taking part in the Simplicity Challenge, I hope that I can use the extra time to pray more, read more of scripture, and not only grow my relationship with God, but also with friends and family.

Having a good relationship with friends and family is a very important part of this challenge. I often find myself looking down at my phone when there are plenty of people around me to talk to. By fasting from social media and music (in a social setting), you are given the great opportunity to learn more about the people around you and enjoy their company.

One of my biggest problems is that I find myself cooped up in my room watching Netflix alone. By ceasing this bad habit for Lent, it will force me to spend more time with God, family and friends.

All of these challenges can help me to have a much happier life. I’m hoping that by doing the Simplicity Challenge during Lent, I will be able to continue my new habits and my improved relationship with God well past the Lenten season.

– Sam Bleisch, 17, Noblesville, Indiana

Catholic Social Teaching: The best resource for citizenship

November 29, 2016

A post-election reflection:

On Tuesday morning, November 8,2016, I walked into my polling place, a one-room airport building down in Pence Springs. Election campaign coverage all but monopolized the news in this country for the last year and a half, and somehow, I reacted to the first two names on the ballot with fresh emotion: Wonder, foremost, because I never expected Donald Trump to make it so close to the White House and because you don’t have to agree with Hillary Clinton to marvel at a woman’s name appearing as a party’s nominee for president of the United States.

I didn’t take the decision of how to vote lightly and was very grateful for The United States Council of Catholic Bishops’ 2016 document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. I read the document because a priest said to, but I was pleasantly surprised to find helpful information not just in the context of voting, but for public living in general. It is an excellent refresher on Catholic Social Teaching and the ways it applies to policy issues in the U.S. specifically. It is succinct and straightforward without oversimplifying our political landscape. Reading the main concerns of the U.S. Catholic Church side by side I found to be particularly refreshing, since we can be so polarized on political issues even within the Church.

I can only imagine the array of emotions Americans felt early that Wednesday morning as the election was finalized, ranging from excitement, exhilaration, and relief on one end to confusion, sadness, and fear on the other. I certainly felt a mix of overwhelming emotions, but a clear theme to me regarding voters on both sides of the election was the extent to which many people are feeling ignored and hurt. I think a lot of Americans are scared, hurt, and wanting change, even if for very different reasons.

In this time of heightened division in our nation, can we be agents of healing? In such a divisive climate, it’s easy to clump people together and blast “Clinton voters” or “Trump voters,” but now that the election is over, can we drop the name-calling and start listening to each other? There are a lot of reasons for righteous anger in our country, but by dismissing the “other side” and everything “they” are about, aren’t we just getting closer to civil war and further from having a functioning, respectable government?

How can we seek out opportunities to listen to people who think very differently from the way we do? The day after the election, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump called for coming together and overcoming division in the nation. That’s pretty hard to swallow after such bitter campaigning, especially when members of Congress start chiming in who have certainly not been leading the way in fostering a spirit of working together. Yet, Pope Francis also called for unity that day in a tweet: “May we make God’s merciful love ever more evident in our world through dialogue, mutual acceptance and fraternal cooperation.”

As we seek out ways to truly listen to people who are different from us, we can stand on the solid ground of Catholic Social Teaching. Listening attentively does not mean passivity or giving up our stances on the problems we are most passionate about. But let’s stick to the issues, drop the stereotyping, and foster dialogue between one another in the months to come. Check out the bishops’ document:

http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/

Carley Knapp