About 25 years ago, I became familiar with Thomas Berry’s statement that
“The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.”1
I have repeated that line like a mantra for many years, and it has become a framework for comprehending more of the meaning Berry’s words.
I published a blog article on June 29, 2026 that reflected more on Berry’s insight:
Because the article was becoming too long, I excised part of it. Today, I am sending the deleted part, in hopes it will help readers (and me) better comprehend what Berry is saying.
To me, Berry’s understanding becomes memorable when expressed as a contrast. See the two columns below.
| Seeing the World as Objects | Seeing the World as Subjects |
|---|---|
| What can I get from this? | Who is this? |
| Resource | Relative |
| Ownership | Relationship |
| Control | Participation |
| Consumption | Care |
| Utility | Intrinsic Value |
1 Berry, Thomas. Evening Thoughts: Reflecting on Earth as Sacred Community. Berkeley, CA: Counterpoint, 2006, 17.
Veronica Dunne is a Sister of our Lady of the Missions (RNDM), who has primarily worked as an educator and counsellor in institutional and community based settings in Canada. She has also served with the RNDMs outside of Canada in Senegal, Peru, and Aotearoa New Zealand.
A 2002 Doctor of Ministry graduate from the University of St. Michael’s College, Toronto School of Theology at the University of Toronto, she subsequently served as director of the Doctor of Ministry program at St. Stephen’s College at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Her current research interests are in eco-theology and cosmology, and their intersections with indigenous cosmologies and spiritualties.
She presently serves on the RNDM leadership team in Canada.
