Tenth Anniversary of the Land Ethic Statement

In 1896, the Sisters of St. Joseph came to Brentwood, Long Island, and established themselves on what is now the Brentwood Campus. For years, it remained a secluded monastic-like enclosure mostly unknown to the surrounding neighborhood.

By the early 2000s, things changed. The congregation was looking at its future, the planet was showing the results of abusive human activity, and a new awareness was growing. At an assembly meeting in 2014, the Preferred Future Planning Committee of the congregation raised the need for the development of a land ethic for future guidance and established a committee to research and draft a Land Ethic Statement for presentation to the congregation.

A yearlong process followed, with step-by-step information for and involvement of the congregation. On March 21, 2015, after much research, study, and congregational involvement, the Sisters of St. Joseph affirmed a Land Ethic Statement. This statement takes into account both the needs of the community and the sacredness of the land. It states our responsibility not only to the present but to future generations, and it dictates the need to act in such a way that decisions regarding the land reflect our strong commitment to right the relationship with the Earth community, especially in the fragile region of Long Island.

This congregational statement has changed our campus. It has led to a commitment to sustainable practices. Our campus is generating electricity from a large array of solar panels; there is an alternative waste management system sending cleared water to our aquifer; lawns have been converted to meadows, providing habitat for bees, butterflies and other creatures; rain gardens collect rainwater; organic farms provide healthy food for the local community; children and adults benefit from the programs offered by the Garden Ministry; buildings and grounds are repaired with sustainable materials; and the campus provides a beautiful and serene experience to visitors.

On March 21, 2025, the Land Ethic Statement will have been in place for ten years. Much has been accomplished. More remains. We believe that, in this time of Earth’s peril, religious communities are called to use the land which is in their sacred trust by prophetically witnessing that it is not a commodity for their use but exists in its own integrity as a revelation of God and a sustainer of life.