This year the United Nations, New York, will host ‘The Ocean Conference’ from the 5th to the 9th June 2017. The focus will be the implementation and achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

Our planet is primarily a water planet and water is what sustains life on Earth. At least 71% of the Earth is covered in water, and of that 96.5% of all water is held in the oceans . In order, for humanity to be healthy, we need our planet to be healthy and this means the nations of the world need to seriously consider the current state of our oceans and begin urgent action to improve them.

United Nations - This film, produced by the BBC, has been presented at the opening of The Ocean Conference that is taking place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from the 5th to the 9th of June 2017.

Mercy Global Action at the UN has developed a 12-week reflective resource to highlight the issues surrounding our planet’s seas and oceans. This includes all the fresh and saltwater waterways our planet holds. This 12-week reflection begins on UN World Water Day (22nd March) and ends on UN World Ocean Day (8th June).

Each week's reflection will include:
1. Excerpts from Pope Francis (primarily using the encyclical Laudato Si)
2. A video clip that you can watch (just hover your cursor and click the link to watch)
3. An opportunity of action and prayer reflection

The series primarily involves walking and reflecting in the same area. It requires walking along a water source; this can include a drain, stream, river, estuary or beach. During that time, you are invited to notice and pick up any rubbish you find on your journey. There are opportunities throughout the series to further investigate the impact on this water source. As a way of deepening your reflection, you are invited to record creatively through photography, drawing, poetry, a short story or journal entry.

May these 12 weeks be a time of rich discovery, for you a 'planetary pilgrim' on your journey with water and ocean.

Download the weekly reflections:
Complete Series: A4 Paper Size (28pps; PDF); US Letter Size (28pps; PDF)

Individual Reflections:
Concluding Remarks: A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)
Part 12: 'Praying and Working Together...for our future, our oceans, life on Earth.' A4 (PDF); US Letter (PDF)
Part 11: 'Our Dream of the Earth. What lessons can we pass on to the next generation?' A4 (PDF); US Letter
Part 10: 'Our Dream of the Earth. Can we prevent further destruction?'- A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size
Part 9: 'Our Relationship to the Ocean and Our Capacity to Change' - A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size
Part 8: 'The Problem with Plastic' - A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)
Part 7: 'Fish and Fishing' - A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)
Part 6: 'A Closer Look at Waste'-  A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)
Part 5: 'The Ocean... Receptacle of all our actions' - A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)
Part 4: 'Sacred Waters' -  A4 Paper size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)
Part 3: 'Healthy Ocean, Healthy Human' - A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)
Part 2: 'The Ocean - Our Climate Regulator' - A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size(PDF)
Part 1: ‘Our Connection to Water’ - A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)
Series Introduction: A4 Paper Size (PDF) ; US Letter Size (PDF)

'I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.'
-Pope Francis, Laudato Si, #14

Our Ocean, Our Future from BioQuest Studios on Vimeo.

Messages to: Bridget Crisp rsm - MGA intern