Walking in solidarity with Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians and environmental groups contesting Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline in Northern Wisconsin, Sister Kristin Peters commits to a five-day walking pilgrimage around Madison's Lake Mendota (Oct. 1-5). Join her at Lake Mendota or at a body of water near you. Enjoy your self-led walk as you revere and notice the water near you. Pay attention to water's life-giving power and interconnectedness. Her walking pilgrimage ends on Oct. 5, the day after St. Francis Day, the patron saint of the environment who refers to water as "Sister Water" in his famous prayer the Canticle of the Creatures.
While walking, Sister Kristin will walk with the intentions that we all need clean water (the line 5 reroute threatens north Wisconsin wetlands and rivers); that this reroute violates the rights of the Bad River Band and other tribes (Enbridge's proposal would reroute the pipeline around the upstream of where it currently trespasses through the Bad River Band Reservation); that this reroute will destroy critical wetlands (this project entails blasting over 41,000 feet through the pristine Bad River watershed).
Prayer Resources
The Canticle of the Turning, published by Land Justice Futures
This is inpsired by the hymn of the same name by Rory Cooney, a peoples' musical take on Mary's Magnificat that centers God's power to humbe the mighty and lift up the poor and oppressed. Read The Canticle of the Turning here.
St. Francis Prayer (adapted)
By Friar Cristofer Fernández, OFM Conv., Our Lady of the Angels Province, adapted and expanded from the “Reverse St. Francis Prayer.”
Lord, make me a ripple of disruption:
where there is apathy or argument, let me provoke charity;
where there is over compliance, critical reflection;
where there is silence, a voice of accountability;
where there is too much comfort and too little action, discomfort;
where there are closed doors and locked hearts, honest disarming;
where “other’s” personhood is not affirmed, listening, dialogue, and goodness.
Most High Good Creator, grant that I may seek rather to do justice than to talk about it;
to be with, as well as for, the alienated;
to love the unlovable as well as the lovely.
When laws dictate and pain is overlooked;
when “tradition” speaks louder than need; when ideas take priority before realities, and conflict before unity,
Disturb us, O Lord, that we might live out our prayer, that we might live out penance and reconciliation, that we might touch the wounds of Christ’s passion in the world of today, that we might live out your revolution of mercy and holiness, that we might live out your mission as peacemakers and wholemakers of the kindom. Amen.
Join Sister Kristin
Let us know how you'd like to commit to standing in solidarity and reverencing water this October. You might commit to walking or sitting near a body of water or to prayer during the month.