Promoting Peace and Ecological Resiliency
Description:
Many of the principles, values and behaviors that are necessary to create strong, respectful bonds among peoples of different cultures are similar to the ones that promote ecological resiliency in the natural world.
We will explore some of the essential qualities for living well together: being mindful of what is needed for the well-being and flourishing of both people and planet, honoring webs of relationship, expressing respect and compassion for all living beings, and demonstrating a humility and curiosity with openness to all.
We will also explore how these qualities intersect and provide some examples of living rightly with one another and with all beings sharing Earth as home.
Brief Biography for Patricia Siemen, OP
Pat is a member of the Dominican Sisters of Adrian*, Michigan and currently serves as its Prioress (President). As an attorney she founded two Earth Law centers, taught Earth Jurisprudence at several Florida law schools and contributed to the first ever law school textbook on Earth Law. Pat has represented migrant farmworkers; served as a former staff attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Voting Rights Section; is a former community organizer with the African American and Latinex communities; and was a teacher and pastoral assistant. Pat comes from a rural farming community in Michigan and loves birdsong, kayaking, and downhill skiing.
Pat is a member of the Adrian Dominican Sisters. She holds a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law; an M.A. in Spirituality and Culture from Holy Names University in Oakland, California; a M.A. in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin; and a B.A. in history from Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. She is a licensed member of the Michigan and Florida Bar Associations.
* The Dominican Sisters of Adrian, a Congregation of about 500 vowed women religious and more than 200 Associates, traces its roots back to St. Dominic in the 13th century. The Sisters minister in 22 states and in the Dominican Republic, Norway, and the Philippines. The Congregation’s Vision is to “seek truth, make peace, reverence life.”