Project Eden by Don Bosco School of Theology, Philippines

Author -  May Ferreros

Don Bosco School of Theology (DBST) hosted the first Theology – Ecology – Technology (TET) National Conference at the Maria Auxilium Hall of Don Bosco School of Theology in Better Living, Paranaque in Philippines last January 27, 2023. This one-day event gathered 100 delegates and was open to online participants as well.

DBST was founded in 1983 to serve those with priestly vocations. Years later, it grew, evolved, and opened its doors to the lay and religious as well. This year marks its 40th anniversary and one of its highlights is the TET National Conference with the theme “Celebrating 40 Years: Recreating our World”.

The Conference introduced for the first time DBST’s Project Eden. Project Eden came about as a response to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si encyclical letter wherein he says, “From God’s hands we received a garden, we cannot leave a desert to our children.”

DBST’s Project Eden aims to be a catalyst in preserving the environment. Its mission is to create an evolving eco-spirituality curriculum that will train advocates in ecological spirituality; propagate these learnings to schools, parishes, and associations; and through the use of social media platforms, create an awareness of the importance of caring for the environment by sharing best practices of proper waste management. As Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, SDB says, “We Salesians commit ourselves to be credible witnesses, personally and as a community, of conversion in caring for Creation and Ecospirituality.” DBST would like to relate this with their work for the youth and the poor because “the cry of the earth is the cry of the poor and the youth”.

 The Conference speakers were Fr. Stephen Pacente, SDB (Scripture Professor), Ms. Jen Deomano-Santos (former project director of Bantay Kalikasan), and Mr. Crispian Lao (founding President of PARMS- Philippine Alliance of Recycling and Materials Sustainability).

 For more information on this project, visit www.projecteden.ph.