Home ⇒ The Ministries ⇒ The Great Work ⇒ The Great Work Project
The Great Work Project
“The Great Work Project: Resources for Transforming the Ecological Vision and Practice of the Catholic Community”
“The Great Work” of our time, according to the late geologian, Passionist Father Thomas Berry, is to transform the human / earth relationship from one of destruction to a mutually beneficial rapport that derives from the human person’s true and right relation to the natural world – what Thomas Merton calls a recovery of “paradise consciousness.”
As a new GreenFaith Fellow, Sister Kathleen hopes to serve the conversation in and conversion of the Catholic community by the offerings of The Great Work Project which aim to retrieve a sense of deep incarnation, and its corollary – a spirituality that informs an ecological consciousness, conscience, and practice.
As a student of Thomas Berry at Fordham University and under his mentorship, Sister Kathleen has been inspired to keep alive the work of this exceptional visionary and transmit his teaching. Using her several skill-sets as Catholic theologian, teacher, writer, spiritual animator, composer, and performance artist, Deignan has developed multi-faceted, multi-media, morphing modules to inform a variety of creative platforms that are at once informational, educational, inspirational, and transformational.
These performative offerings present the teachings of Thomas Berry – and also Thomas Merton – as they increasingly inform a Christian catechesis for just and mindful living on planet Earth in the 21st Century, and as they challenge, inspire and give direction to the conversion of habits toward simplicity of life, earth reverence, and environmental justice. By these creative programs Deignan hopes to serve the great labor which Father Thomas Berry calls “The Great Work” of our time: to re-invent the human / earth relationship.
This multifaceted project is underway on a number of levels and will continue for the duration of the Fellowship term and beyond.
Spring / Summer 08: research and development of Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry’s ecological teaching and the presentation of it in several formats:
- “Thomas Merton’s Eco-Monasticism” – Presentation to the American Benedictine Academy, Yankton SD
- “Thomas Merton’s Eco-Monasticism” – Publication of article in the Bulletin of ABA and on ABA website
- “The Vocation of the Teacher in the Ecological Age” – Day long retreat for faculty and administrators of Laurelton Hall HS, CT
- “Loving the Paradise Mystery: Thomas Merton, Contemplative Ecologist” – Submission of invited article to Cross Currents
- Thomas Merton: Ecological Prophet – Day long retreat to the Thomas Merton Community of Palo Alto, CA
Autumn 08:
- Thomas Merton’s Spiritual Vision – Retreat at St Joseph’s Spirituality Center, Brentwood, Long Island, NY
- Merton’s Notes on the Inner Experience – Contemplative seminar for spiritual directors, Mariandale Spiritual Center
- “Desecrated Sanctuary: Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry in Dialogue on Healing the Earth, Healing the Human” – Three day retreat/program for the Appalachian Diocese of Richmond, VA
Winter 08:
- Retreat day for the Priests of the Redemptorist Community, NY: Thomas Merton’s Natural Contemplation
- Release of new CD “The Great Giving”
- Work on new CD sampler of songs based on poetry of Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry
- Develop new web-site for Schola Ministries to host “The Great Work Project”
January 09:
- “Masters of Soul and Cosmos: Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry in Dialogue” two-day program at the Sophia Center in San Diego, CA
- Thomas Merton’s Spiritual Legacy (with an accent on his ecological vision) Spring semester course at Iona College for 30 undergraduates
- Research and development on a new book Remembering Paradise: A Book of Hours (on-going to completion)
- Continue research and development for new CD of creation songs
- Publication of “Loving the Paradise Mystery: Thomas Merton, Contemplative Ecologist” Cross Currents
February 09:
- Thomas Merton’s Spiritual Legacy (accent on eco-spirituality) Three week course at St Mary’s Adult Education Center, Pompton Lakes, NJ
- Keynote and day of reflection for Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Immaculate Conception on Paradise Mind
- Carmelite Forum – The Spiritual Legacy of Thomas Merton (accent on eco-spirituality) at St. Anastasia Parish, NJ
- Iona Spirituality Institute program on ecological spirituality and transformation hosting Community of Interbeing Lay Monastic Jeanne Anselmo Tuesday, February 24, 2009 for the Iona College community
March 09:
- Thomas Merton’s Spiritual Legacy (accent on eco-spirituality), St. Ignatius Retreat Center at Inisfada, Long Island, NY
- Iona Spirituality Institute program on ecological justice and transformation hosting poet Drew Dellinger “Planetize the Movement” Tuesday, March 24, 2009 for the Iona College community
April 09:
- Thomas Merton Forum (accent on eco-spirituality), Diocese of Brooklyn (250 participants) Thursday, April 29, 2009
- Publication of New CD: Thomas Merton: An Audio Book of Hours (creation prayers) for Schola Ministries and for iPhone
- Inaugurate the Irish Chapter of the Thomas Merton Society of Great Britain and Ireland Program on Merton as Ecological Prophet
June 09:
- “Desecrated Sanctuary: Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry in Dialogue on Healing the Earth, Healing the Human” – 90 minute session for the International Thomas Merton Society General Meeting at Nazareth College, Rochester, NY
- ‘Ecology at the Heart of Faith: The CND Charism in the Ecological Age’ – Annual week-long retreat for the Congregation of Notre Dame , RI
- Release of CD Sampler of Merton / Berry songs for ITMS Meeting
July 09:
- Recovering Paradise: The Vocation of the Contemplative Artist in the Ecological Age – Keynote Address and day long retreat to the Dominican Artists Institute, Convent Station, NY July 15-16, 2009
-August 09:
- Remembering Paradise: A Book of Hours (Sorin Books) – Preparation of manuscript for publication
- Work on new CD of Creation Songs
- Development of new academic course for Iona College Department of Religious Studies: RST 320 Spiritual Masters Series: Thomas Berry – The New Story and the Great Work
September 09:
- Submission of “Desecrated Sanctuary”- article for Thomas Merton Annual
- The Courage to Teach in the Ecological Age: Faculty In-Service Day Notre Dame Academy Staten Island
- Begin work on DVD Series – Recovering the Paradise Mind: The Wisdom of Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry
Winter or Spring 2010:
- Release of new CD of Creation Songs: A Garden Once Again
- Teach new RST course: Spiritual Master: Thomas Berry – The New Story and The Great Work Iona College (30 students)
- Iona Spirituality Institute sponsorship of Faculty Seminar: “The Catholic College in the Ecological Age” (based on a paper delivered at Iona College by Father Thomas Berry)
- Begin draft of new book: Thomas Berry: A Book of Days (Sorin Books)
- Inauguration of The Berry Series at Iona Spirituality Institute
Summer 2010:
- Sophia Institute, Oakland, California “The Gospel of Thomas: Good New for the Great Work” and follow up retreat: Making the Great Work Personal
2010 – 2011:
- Work on possible new books: Remembering Paradise: A Book of Hours and Desecrated Sanctuary: Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry in Dialogue on Healing the Earth, Healing the Human
- Hosting through the Iona Spirituality Institute the first Bi-Annual GreenFaith Fellows Conference at Iona College
- It is my hope that “The Great Work Project” will afford an expanded understanding and appreciation for Catholic teaching regarding creation and creation care
- Engender a deeper awareness of the sacred dimensions of the natural world rooted in the Mystery of the Incarnation and Catholic theology and catechesis, and a consequent conversion of life-habits that are more sustainable and reverent
- Awaken a commitment to work for the healing and protection of the natural world
- Develop consciousness of and support for vulnerable human communities hardest hit by ecological degradation
- Broaden the audience / reader’s sense of the Catholic social and ecological justice teaching that flows from that faith vision
- Introduce a wider audience to the ecological teachings of Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry
Retreats, Programs, Courses, Lectures on the Legacy of Thomas Berry
- Thomas Berry and The Great Work
- Thomas Berry and Thomas Merton in Conversation on Healing the Earth
- http://www.thegreatstory.org/tb-audio.html
