F.A.Q.
Hummingbirds by Janene Farmer
Q: Can you tell us something about the origins of the Children of the Universe Project?
At the close of the 2024 Sisters of Earth Conference, Maureen Wild announced that a gift of $15,000 was received by the Sisters of Earth (SoE) from the Thomas Berry Foundation to further the teachings of Thomas Berry within our circles of influence.
The pre-conference dialogue about this gift focused on the idea of sharing resources authored, edited, and composed by Sisters of Earth steeped in the new cosmology and teachings of Thomas. It was agreed that this would be a very meaningful and authentic way for SoE to further this mission. This idea was then recommended to the conference on August 25, 2024. It received a very enthusiastic response.
The timely readiness of these resources created by SoE, converging with this gift from the Thomas Berry Foundation, led to creating a SoE Educational Fund. These books and CDs are ideal for children and young people and those who teach them. This merging of energy gave birth to "The Children of the Universe Project." It promises to bring the new story and Thomas Berry’s wisdom to educators and their young students.
Of special note: We are deeply grateful to those authors, editors, and in some cases the publisher for the significant discounts of multiple copies of these books. Special recognition to the Thomas Berry Foundation for the total gifting of the first 50 copies of both the Journey of the Universe book and DVDs, and to Joyce Rouse for her altruistically generous blessing of 50 sets of 4 Earth Mama CDs.
A few SoE educators are interested in piloting the project. But for the most part SoE will carefully consider, encourage and recommend teachers to pilot the project.
Q: How will the Project unfold?
Phase One
The first phase of the Project from January – June 2025 will be a preparatory phase for participants in the program.
Early in 2025, a packet of educational materials will be mailed to each participant in the project. The contents of the packets are resources authored and edited by several Sisters of Earth who are deeply influenced by the new cosmology and teachings of Thomas Berry, as well as the Journey of the Universe book and DVD, including the following:
- Donna Gibbs, The Seamless Universe
- Betty-Ann Kissilove, Great Ball of Fire! A Poetic Telling of the Universe Story
- Jennifer Morgan's trilogy: (1) Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story, (2) From Lava to Life: The Universe Tells Our Earth Story, (3) Mammals Who Morph: The Universe Tells Our Evolution Story
- Joyce Rouse, set of four Earth Mama CDs
- Carolyn Toben, Recovering a Sense of the Sacred: Conversations with Thomas Berry
- Peggy Whalen-Levitt, ed., Only the Sacred: Transforming Education in the Twenty-First Century and The Place of Our Belonging: A Work for Children and Educators Mentored by Thomas Berry
During this first phase, we will be in touch with the group through a bi-monthly communication. We hope that this will be a way to keep us all connected during our first year as participants begin to envision, with their respective learning communities, ways to integrate the new story and Thomas Berry’s wisdom into their work with the children. During the first phase, we will also create a cohort of mentors who are available to work one-on-one with participants as they begin this creative and integrative work.
Phase Two
We envision the 2025-2026 school year as a year of creative practices that emerge from participants within their learning communities. Thomas Berry spoke of a “functional cosmology” – a cosmology with many emanations of the great work, authentic to diverse contexts and situations. We picture Phase Two as a blossoming and sharing of practices in a mutually-enhancing relationship among participants.
We also envision providing a context where this blossoming can be shared through Zoom gatherings and perhaps through an “in person” and/or Zoom conference in the summer of 2026.
Q: What is expected of me as a participant in the Project?
As a participant in the Project, you will bring a deep interest in furthering the evolutionary process with children and youth. You resonate with these words from Thomas Berry, excerpted from a letter he wrote at the end of Born with a Bang:
“Through human beings, the Universe has begun to remember and tell its own story of being born and growing up…We can experience the Universe in its full grandeur, and deeply sense the numinous presence that pervades the entire world around us. To awaken to the wonder of the Universe is to appreciate life in its full excitement. We might also develop a new capacity to relate to each other. A reverence for the Universe is the beginning of true reverence for the divine and for each other.
“Nowhere is the telling of this story more important than to children. Human life will be very different if our children learn the story. The first obligation of one generation to the next is to bring together Universe and child so that the Universe is fulfilled in the child and the child is fulfilled in the Universe. We need to hear the story from our cradle days through all stages of our lives, for we refer to the Universe for our origin and ultimate destiny. It’s time to reshape our thinking inside of this context. Indeed, our future depends on it.”
And you will bring your full authenticity and creativity to the formation of news ways of bringing the Universe and the child together in the context of a cohort of educators who share this value.
Q: Who are the Coordinators of the Project?
Sisters of Earth Maureen Wild and Peggy Whalen-Levitt are the coordinators of the Project.
Maureen Wild, SC, holds an M.Ed. in Living Cosmology and Earth Literacy ('93) with a thesis focus on teaching 8th grade the new cosmology, integrating this context within their Earth Science curriculum. Deeply influenced by the teachings of Thomas Berry, Maureen's earth-centered work spans over three decades including: Genesis Farm (NJ), the Centre for Earth and Spirit (BC), and Pax Gaia Educational and Retreat Initiatives which reaches international audiences. As a founding member of Sisters of Earth (since '94), she also serves the network in many ways including communication, website development, programs and conference planning.
Peggy Whalen-Levitt is a founding Director of the Center for Education, Imagination and the Natural World (since 2000). Mentored by Thomas Berry during the last nine years of his life, the Center’s mission is to bring to life a new vision of the relationship between the inner life of the child and the beauty, wonder and intimacy of the Universe. Peggy mentored the Center’s program for educators from 2006-2022 and is editor of the Center’s journal, Chrysalis. She holds a Ph.D. in Language in Education with a concentration in Childhood Imagination.
Sisters of Earth Sharon Zayac, OP, and Anita Cleary, OP, of Jubilee Farm Center for Ecology and Spirituality in Springfield, IL serve as the distribution center for the Children of the Universe educational packets.
Q: Will I receive information on the other participants in the program?
Yes, one of our first endeavors will be to create a Directory of participating educators.
Q: How do I apply for the Children of the Universe Project?
Go online and fill out the Expression of Interest Form.
Other Option:
Provide an “Expression of Interest” that includes the following information, either in a Word document or in the body of an email.
Send it by December 30, 2024, to project administrator: Peggy Whalen-Levitt. Email: beholdnature@aol.com
Contact Person (i.e. you as the educator)
Email of Contact Person
Phone # of Contact Person
(if applicable)
Who is the Sister of Earth recommending or encouraging you to apply to pilot this project?
Name of your Learning Community/School:
Learning Community/School Address:
Learning Community/School Phone Number:
A description of your learning community/school.
Share why you feel drawn or chosen to participate in the project.
Click here for this alternative on a pdf doc: Email Your Expression of Interest.pdf
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