Letter from the future

 2100   Part of Laudato Si' training

Dear Grandad,

In 2020 I was 10. We all shared the miseries of lockdown and the joy of seeing each other again after  long gaps. I remember you giving me a large pile of books which you had been clearing out including some of your precious school prizes. You particularly pointed out the books about nature and animals. Sadly some of those beautiful species are now no longer with us. You also pointed out the books about Greek myths, history and art. You were keen to pass on your knowledge and experience. I know you wanted a better world for your children and 3 grandsons. 

I remember when I was younger you said in the car one day “I never stop learning, Ciaran”. I asked “Grandad, do you think you keep on learning after you die?” to which you replied “Yes, I think you do. After all that is what purgatory is all about. A chance to relearn”. I also remember telling you that I did not want you to die to which you replied “I want you to be happy when I die. At last I will meet My Lord”. Mum said “Dad has spent so many hours in church he is sure to go to heaven!”. Well, now you are gone but not forgotten you have the answers we all want. 

You were so determined to pass on information about Laudato Si’ before it was too late. Time must have seemed to be running out for our world. Well we have survived (just!) but so much has happened in this century. So many old institutions affected and gone, the desperate need for food and massive migration. Did your generation really realise what was happening? Pope Francis was a great prophet in warning everyone. Why weren’t fossil fuels abandoned? What powerful forces stopped change? 

Could more have been done? Was it enough to lobby MPs and governments with petitions and letters? Should you not have been out demonstrating? Your friends Isobel Losada wrote about it in “The joyful environmentalist” and Ed Davey in “10 ways to save the world”. Did you implement their suggestions in your own world? After all we can only do so much and best to start at home. 

You were a trained spiritual director – did you bring this thinking into that? As Pope Francis says the internal deserts are far vaster than the physical deserts. I know you regretted so many journeys by plane and cruise ship although they did give you first hand experience of the changes taking place e.g. the glaciers in Alaska and the Arctic circle area. You were so lucky to visit Galapagos and South America. You went back three times to South Africa where you grew up and saw wonderful wildlife and scenery. You  visited the family in Australia so many times and that country suffered so much especially from fires.  It’s understandable that holidays were after 2020 in the U.K. 

You had a project to record your beliefs in your painting and the exhibition about migration especially from Syria was a great success with the auction raising £5000 for 3 charities Safe Passage, Aid to the church in need and the Westminster Lourdes pilgrimage. Did you paint the pictures about climate crisis for charity? 

In your interfaith work at Westminster cathedral and as chair of South London interfaith group I know you had plans to influence lots of people’s thinking and I am sure you succeeded despite lockdown restrictions. We are fortunate that you have recorded your views in your life story just as your Dad did. You used your Facebook and twitter accounts to get the message out about climate crisis. You also joined Friends of the Earth and Extinction rebellion groups. 

During the lockdown you must have wondered what would happen to your beloved church? It must have seemed that it would be changed for ever. How strong were the communities before lockdown? Did they help each other enough and reach out to others as they should have done? The church has survived but in a much leaner form with a greater sense of mission more like the field hospital Pope Francis suggested. Some of the music you loved is still in use. Perhaps realising what we have lost, my generation has learnt to appreciate the beauty of nature more. 

We all loved going to the Zoo with you which you saw as fun but also educational and preserving species for the future. What happy times we had! 

Grandad were you always optimistic? You were right to have faith in God and in the innate goodness of so many people. But the task must at times have seemed overwhelming. How to change the minds of parish clergy about Laudato Si’? How to reach out to others when in lockdown and get a group together? You said your cathedral group had already done a report on “How green is the cathedral?” which had been shelved on the grounds that the building is listed. But some of its suggestions could be revisited. How green were the other churches where you were involved musically? 

Grandad I have asked a lot of questions which in 2020 you could not answer but knowing you and your endless activity and energy I imagine you at least made a start on many of them! 

Love from Ciarán