On Thursday, Oct. 2, students and faculty gathered on the Columba Quad Lawn at noon to honor the life and legacy of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. Hosted annually by the Deignan Institute for Earth and Spirit, the ceremony began with a reflection on the life of St. Francis delivered by Prof. James Robinson. “He rooted himself in the web of life,” said Robinson, “and he attempted to uproot injustice in his world.” Robinson emphasized that the celebration of St. Francis is about bringing his wisdom to the current moment and using it as guidance into the distant future, rather than merely “enshrining a figure from the distant past”. These words were underscored by Prof. Rachana Umashankar who mentioned the importance of kinship in an increasingly separated world. Umashankar encourages all to cultivate a deeper connection with the environment and with fellow inhabitants of the Earth.
A world guided by the wisdom of St. Francis is one in which “we no longer poison the Earth and each other” , said Umashankar. Fr. Vaughn Fayle, a Fransiscan priest, and Br. Kevin Griffith, Christian Brother and former Iona trustee, also made appearances at the event. They offered blessings to those in attendance as well as their own reflections. The ceremony culminated in a small, yet meaningful, project organized by the Deignan Institute: the planting of a serviceberry tree. The serviceberry is named as such because it blooms in early spring, when the ground is thawed enough to perform burials, or “services”. Planted just outside the Montgomery House, the tree honors St. Francis of Assisi while allowing Iona to pursue its own devotion to environmental kinship. Moreover, the tree was fertilized using compost from the Student Union Dining Hall, demonstrating the possibilities for recycling initiatives spearheaded by the Deignan Institute. As the seasons change, Iona’s serviceberry will eventually bloom in full color and serve as a living reminder of St. Francis of Assisi’s presence.