Maryknoll Sisters’ Center for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation

The Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary is an organisation run by the Maryknoll Sisters. Its primary aim is to conduct earth education activities through spirituality and the arts. The Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary was formed in 1990 when a devastating earthquake hit Baguio City. After that tragic event, the Maryknoll Sisters decided to change ministry from elementary formal education to earth education. They phased out the school and phased in the Centre for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation. The Centre was officially incorporated in 1993 and founded by Sister Ann Braudis, a Maryknoll Sister, who designed a cosmic journey; an eco-walk of fourteen stations. The Centre offers earth education through spirituality and the arts, including recollections, theological reflection, retreats, etc. The Centre also has a daycare for three to five year olds. In the Centre, the children are trained to be sensitive to the powers of the universe; they learn how to plant trees and are introduced to the different elements of the universe.

The Centre has a Gallery where paintings of local artists are displayed, as well as a Sanctuary Shop that showcases locally made souvenir items. The Centre also has an auditorium and seminar rooms that they rent out. Currently, the Centre is developing new programs such as the Healthy Vegetarian Foods for Life, a combined lecture-demo on cooking healthy foods, and another seminar-demo on sustainable agriculture or bio-dynamic farming. Additionally, they will start the design of modules on Exploring a New Cosmology and have recently started a network of environmentally sensitive groups. The Centre supports groups that work for clean air, clean water, healthy watersheds and bio-regions, as well as the renewal of our dying soils.