SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT
(R E F A – Ruch Ekologiczny Swiętego Franciszka z Asyzu)
Following St Francis of Assisi's example, people should become accustomed to seeing a brother and a sister in everything in creation in order to say to the Creator: "Praise to you, 0 Lord, with all your creatures" (St Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Creatures).
Saint Francis of Assisi Environmental Movement, REFA, was created in 1981, in Krakow, as a Franciscan response to the proclamation that Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron of ecologists, by John Paul II. The other reason was the socio-political status of Poland in those days, which showed the real ecological threat to our country. This activity was to bring into live the Franciscan spirituality in our contemporary situation. Today, the Saint Francis of Assisi Environmental Movement gathers both Franciscans and also laics – all goodwilled people wanting to protect God’s creatures. The participants have always stressed its “small way” philosophy leading to creating an individual pro-ecological attitude for specific activities.
The motto of REFA is “Ecology begins with the heart”. Its logo shows a Franciscan carrying a heart and a green leaf, which symbolizes the world of all beings.
A Franciscan vision of solidarity and brotherhood with all beings, which is described in the Pope’s document “Inter Sanctos” proclaiming Saint Francis of Assisi “The Heavenly Patron of Ecologists”.
An “Ecological shock”, caused by realization how big the ecological crisis was in Poland, as well as all over the world, and by facing the results of the destruction of the environment and human health. The scale of ecological problems has helped to awaken a strong wish to resist them. And that prompted some people to create “REFA circles”, based on at least three members, who together wanted to fulfill the movement’s objectives.
Church social teaching influenced “REFA’s Principles”, according to which the objective of the movement is “an active participation in building the civilization of love, based on the primacy of person over thing, ethics over technology, “to be” over “to have”, compassion over justice. It can be reached by treating man and nature as brothers”.
Since the beginning of the REFA movement some coexistent currents have been formed. One of them is “the expert”, which is developed by Franciscans, teachers and academics, who realize REFA’s objectives mostly by academic studies, lectures and publications. The results of this current are, among others, a book written by Zbigniew Swierczek “Ecology, Church and Saint Francis”, the popularisation of ecological self-examination, some Master’s theses, “Green REFA’s Notebook”, as well as many papers describing environmental ethics, Catholic social science or Franciscan spirituality and active participation in different symposia and meetings.
The second current assembles REFA’s friends and sympathizers (different movement’s members, National Parks workers, journalists, scientists, teachers, artists and many good-willed persons), thanks to whom it’s possible to realize educational programmes and exhibitions (such as “Heavenly Patron of Ecologists”, “The map of environmental endeavours”).
The largest current gathers young people from Krakow or working in REFA’s circles. Young REFA’s members meet every year during REFA’s ecological summer camp. This camp is one of results of a project called “Franciscan Ecological Education Project – dance with the wolf from Gubbio”. The objectives of that project are: organizing workshops, printing ecological materials for teachers and students, and enlarging the Ecological Franciscan Library at the Franciscan cloister in Krakow.
Saint Francis of Assissi Environmental Movement (REFA)
ul. Franciszkańska 4
31-004 Kraków
e-mail: refa@franciszkanie.pl
This page was created on 19 February 2004
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