Filmmaker presents ‘Poverty, Prayer and the Power of Film’ Oct. 15 |
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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 12:41 |
TOLEDO—How do you put the power of film at the service of the poor? Find out as Toledo St. John’s Jesuit sponsors a presentation by filmmaker and award-winning author Gerard Straub.
‘Poverty, Prayer and the Power of Film’ explores the problem of poverty from a theological perspective. The event is Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in St. John Berchmans Chapel.
Mr. Straub’s presentation wraps up Environmental Justice Awareness Week at SJJ, making the connection between environmental problems and social injustices.
“We are abusing creation, plundering its resources,” Mr. Straub writes. “The earth is crying, dying, because of our failure to see the solidarity of life.”
This abuse of the earth and the poverty it fuels is part of the reason Mr. Straub has traveled around the world to film the plight of the poor. Mr. Straub, a Secular Franciscan and the founder of The San Domiano Foundation, has created nine documentaries to tell such stories.
Phil Skeldon, director of St. John’s Christian Services department, believes Mr. Straub’s presentation will take all the messages from Environmental Justice Awareness week a step further.
“Students need to see the connection between the environmental choices they make and the impact it has on the poor,” Mr. Skeldon said. “I hope they gain a greater understanding of the major footprint they leave on the world and how they can lessen it.”
Throughout the week, St. John’s students are learning about consequences of mountaintop removal and the importance of local and organic farming. They even have the opportunity to purchase organically produced food items at a mini-farmer’s market.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 November 2009 14:31 |
