Cura Mundus

Lily McMenemy, Assistant Opinion Editor

As members of a Jesuit community at Canisius University, you can’t go far without hearing “Cura Personalis.” This Latin phrase is a beautiful concept, which encourages us to care for the entirety of a person, including their mind, body, spirit and emotions. But there is one member of our community who has gone entirely neglected: the Earth. 

Today, the world and all species in it are facing an unprecedented, detrimental lack of care. Moreso, to truly care for a whole person, we must preserve the place people wholly live. In order to bring awareness to some of these conservation issues, “Cura Mundus” will be a regular column that highlights the ways we, as a community, can holistically care for the world. 

If there is a conservation issue you are passionate about or would like to highlight, “Cura Mundus” will be a project for, and by the community, so we encourage you to contribute. In a climate where making a difference can feel so impossible, tangibly creating awareness is an easy and powerful way to have an impact. Contact me, mcmeneml@canisius.edu, to share a cause you’re passionate about!

This week’s species is the American buffalo: bison bison. 

This species perfectly represents the core principles “Cura Mundus” values above all else- caring for the earth, and caring for community. This species was chosen as the perfect example of how we collectively depend on nature and on one another, as well as the massive impacts between communities and the earth. 

Before European colonization, the bison roamed freely and plentifully across the plains. After settlements sprouted throughout the country, bison were hunted nearly to extinction, with fewer than 500 individuals remaining. This is a good allegory for the massive degradation of environments and species through industrial history- bison are far from the only ones to be victims. 

However, the American Buffalo is also one of the greatest conservation comeback stories, as private indigenous efforts and eventually personal and government efforts have substantially increased the bison population. This is the half of the allegory that proves that there is still hope- even if only a few people do what they can, recovery is always possible when we care for our natural community.

Here in Buffalo, there are reminders of the principles of “Cura Mundus” every corner you turn. The “City of Good Neighbors” is a place that rallies people for each other in times of need and that values being there for each other any way possible. And who could ignore the iconic mascot of the city’s beloved Buffalo Bills? The bison has had a profound impact on the fabric of this community, and deserve to have the community profoundly impact them back.

Let these special, beautiful pieces of our local community serve as reminders to be just like the bison. Strong, gentle giants, who gather within flourishing nature. Be stewards, protectors, and lovers of the place where you live and the people within it. I hope the bison’s story can serve as a symbol of care for the world and its people. After all, what’s more Buffalo than that?