St. Francis’ Mission for the Future
Historically, as women’s congregations were founded, Mother houses were built on tracts of land varying in size to serve as their headquarters. Today for very practical and religious reasons, nuns are looking at the land and buildings their congregation hold in common and are studying new models of use that are consistent with their belief systems and faith traditions.
Reevaluations are taking place in several areas: their future ministries, their relationship to the land, and their perception of ownership. According to goals developed in the unpublished Franciscan Earth Literacy Center, “Educating themselves in the ways of sustainability, women religious are developing models on their land and buildings for the purpose of reconnecting people with their natural environment and with each other.”
After a response from the convent’s General Assembly of 1990, the Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin held many meetings to determine how they could best use their 500 acre tract of land. Over fifty acres border St. Francis Avenue, including buildings and lawn. Three hundred eighty five acres are in farmland and sixty acres are woodland, wetlands, flower, fruit, and vegetable gardens.
The goals of incorporating Earth ethics into their way of life led to the invitation of Father Al Fritsch of Appalachia- Science to do a Resource Audit in 1992. Following his report, the congregation developed an overall goal for the property: To Become A Sustainable Community Model. “The Sisters recognize their oneness with all creation and grieve the desecration of the earth. They commit themselves to challenge each other and society to reverence creation and be in harmony with it.”
The Sisters knew that they needed a specific plan for the major goal and that it would have to involve the community. A Resource Audit Committee was established that included Sisters, associates of the sisters, and people from the Tiffin Community. A ten year plan from this committee under the leadership of Sister Rita Wienken was approved in June 1994.
This hardworking, visionary grew up on a small family farm in northwest Ohio where she grew to love the earth and the natural world. Her calling is to bring healing and wholeness to a wounded people and a wounded earth. Sister Rita has a Master’s Degree in pastoral Ministry with an emphasis in Earth Literacy and Sacred Agriculture.
Following the approval of the ten year plan, Sister Rita began to organize an Earth Literacy Core team. This led to the establishment of five major sub-teams acting support and consultant to Sister Rita. The five sub-teams are: Spirituality, Environmental Education, Energy Resources, Land Resources, and Wildlife Resources.
Generally, Core Team meetings are held every month. The meetings include reports from the sub-teams and an educational segment. For example, Tom Bartlett discussed the Seneca County Parks System at the September meeting.
Each sub-team has goals for the first three years, the next four years, and the final three years of the plan. The energy and enthusiasm of Sister Rita has moved all the sub-teams to surpass their first three year stated goals. A compilation in October, 1996 showed over 90 volunteers who gave their time, energy and supplies to this endeavor. The list includes professionals, fathers and mothers, sisters, associates, high school and junior high school students. Volunteers are the life blood of the Franciscan Earth Literacy Center.
A few of the accomplishments of the first three years can be listed. Campus beautification includes a new beautiful gazebo, a hummingbird-butterfly garden, enlarged herb and flower gardens, and cold frames. Quiet areas for reflection have been extended. Energy conservation practices were introduced and recycling is a way of life. Composting combined with organic gardening has yielded a rich harvest of vegetables and fruit.
For the Tiffin community, resources such as prayer services, audio tapes, videos, and books are available on a signing out system. Volunteers can “work” in the garden areas. The children’s summer programs, Touch the Earth and Circle of Life have been successful offerings, serving sixty children each year, K through 4th grade.
The Core Team has developed Teacher Environmental Workshops and provided woodland space and personnel for the Tiffin HEIGHTS program. The sisters have received grants to provide environmental education for Toledo inner city children. Worm boxes have been placed in seven Diocesan classrooms. Since the spring of 1995, 595 children have benefited from St. Francis programs.
An intern from Heidelberg, Andy Burt, assayed the wild life and vegetation of the large woods north of U. S. 224. He recommended the general site of a walking trail. The trail site was later refined, and Robert Whitman, Jr., a successful Eagle Scout applicant, prepared the trail and wrote a booklet about the trees found on the trail. This Environmental Learning Trail is open to groups and others with permission from Sister Rita.
A graduate class in the business department of Heidelberg College conducted a feasibility study of the use of the Environmental Education Center and its personnel by the local public and parochial schools. A graduate class of the Geography Department of the University of Toledo recently completed a land use and resource management plan. Both studies had optimistic reports.
The Earth Literacy Center has recently been incorporated in the State of Ohio. The congregation has passed a $200,000 budget for the renovation of a section of their large cattle barn into the Earth Literacy Center. A large solar greenhouse is included. A library, study rooms, meeting rooms, and office space for environmental education will be available to the public.
The Sisters of St. Francis and the Core Committee have great faith that the goal of $200,000 can be met. The Sisters will be involved in fund raising in several ways, including selling birdseed, preparing brochures, grant proposals and through personal contacts. Nationally known figures that have interests in the environmental cause are invited to participate.
The Earth Literacy Center is an important part of the Tiffin community and deserves our support. After hearing about the campaign, a woman from Illinois sent in $5.00 and labeled it “widow power”.
– Percy