Society
Of The Divine Word

This celebration held deeper meaning. It also marked the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’s groundbreaking encyclical on caring for our common home. The day became a beautiful meeting of ecology and faith, action and spirituality, community and creation.

For Janseva Society, rooted in the spirituality of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), this event embodied their mission. They work to integrate ecological consciousness with social justice, inspired by the Gospel and Church teachings.

The Katkari community represents one of Maharashtra’s most vulnerable and marginalized Adivasi groups. They live in remote hamlets with limited access to basic infrastructure. Mainstream development often excludes them. Yet these communities remain deeply connected to the land, forests, and seasons.

Janseva deliberately placed the Katkaris at the heart of this initiative. This was a compassionate gesture that recognized their relationship with nature. The organization saw them not as passive recipients but as vital stewards. Their survival, knowledge, and cultural identity are all tied to the environment.

In each hamlet, community members gathered under the early monsoon sky to receive saplings. Janseva volunteers worked alongside tribal elders and children. Many volunteers were young people inspired by Laudato Si’s message. Together, they dug, planted, and explained how to care for each sapling. These were not just trees. They were promises of shade, nutrition, medicinal healing, soil regeneration, and inclusion.

The initiative emphasized education and participation. Before distribution began, Janseva facilitators held small interactive sessions in each hamlet. They explained the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable living. Drawing from Laudato Si’s themes—the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor—they spoke about climate change, deforestation, and water scarcity.

These sessions used simple, accessible language. They were not lectures but conversations filled with stories, laughter, questions, and shared dreams. Everyone learned about the need for individuals to take part in healing the earth.

The saplings were carefully selected based on local needs and soil conditions. Fruit trees like mango, guava, and jamun promised nutritional value and economic potential. Medicinal plants such as neem and tulsi honored traditional knowledge. Shade trees and fast-growing species like bamboo would help restore depleted soil. They would also provide cooling in increasingly harsh summers.

This attention to ecological balance and long-term sustainability reflected Janseva’s respect for both science and indigenous wisdom. Every choice served the community’s immediate needs while protecting their future.

By celebrating the 10th year of Laudato Si’, Janseva Society made a powerful statement. The Church’s call to care for creation is not theoretical or distant. It is deeply local and urgently actionable. Through greening tribal lands, they affirmed the encyclical’s vision of “integral ecology.” This vision sees the environment, the poor, and spiritual life as interconnected.

Walking with the Katkari people in this simple yet profound act of planting, Janseva translated the Pope’s message into living reality. They showed that faith becomes meaningful through action.

This initiative reflects Janseva’s long-standing philosophy. Genuine transformation must begin from the grassroots. The most marginalized communities must be at the center of any movement for change. For the Katkaris, often pushed to the edges of policy and development, this inclusion was deeply affirming.