On Saturday 2 October, Sisters Liliane and Agnès dj attended a theatrical performance based on Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si” at the Palace of the Arts in Vannes, France. It was an experience which gave them food for thought.

This play was written at the request of Independent Catholic Action. The Association for the knowledge of the Bible de Vannes wanted to include it in its yearly programme.

 

An original set

Wooden crates were piled up on the stage, and we realised as soon as the show started that it was set in a market. The two characters, Ish and Ishsha, played by the actors Mireille and Vincent Buron, had not sold much that day.

 

 

A humorous exchange

The title of the piece set the tone: ”In the beginning the GREEN was in the apple”. To the tune of the Psalm of Creation sung by Patrick Richard, images showed us the harsh reality of our world.

The Book of Genesis took us back to the beginnings of creation: the serpent, the fruit of the forbidden tree, the creation of the world, the creation of man and woman.

What a world!

Pollution, consumption, the destruction of nature, the rich and the poor, industry, modernity, challenge us in our daily lives. What have we done with our Earth? Can we play with it like a balloon? Are we the masters of the world?

 

 

A Christian perspective

A Christian view of ecology invites us to be much more lucid. It leads and challenges to ask how we can take care of our common home.

We are not alone; we can do it together. The key message of this piece of theatre invites us to be more responsible: “I can change the world with my two hands!”

“Everything is connected”

To represent this reality, the actors unrolled a red and white cord from the stage into the audience, where everyone was invited to take it in their hands, as a commitment to taking care of our common home together.

 

 

A journey of conversion

The Acts of our General Chapter 2016 invite us to “engage more in the human and environmental dimensions of ecology… To adopt Jesus’ attitude regarding all life and all that threatens life, we must set out on a path of conversion.”

This show has strengthened us in these attitudes.

 

 

Agnès Miquel, fj, Pontivy, france