Organised by the International Reform Network, Spirit Unbounded is a virtual assembly running in parallel to the current Synod on Synodality, attracting participants from all over the world.

Keep Mother Earth in good heart

Drawing on the almost universal Mother Earth concept, McGowan compared puny human life to Kauri or Totara trees.

He told the assembly the trees have been on earth for tens of millions of years without changing at all. Individual human beings, by comparison, are here for just a short while.

"From a Maori perspective, we're all children of Tane. (God of forests and birds.)

"We are one of the most recent species that have come into being. Everybody else is more senior (tuakana) to us and in a Maori world when the junior, (teina) oversteps the senior, things go wrong, things get all messed up.

"We kept taking and take and take and now we've got a mess."

McGowan's solution is found in mauri, defined as "an essential life force" found in the connections that give life and which is intrinsic to humanity and nature.

When those connections are strong, the mauri is strong, and life thrives.

McGowan says that when connections are strong then the mauri is strong and life thrives.

He says mauri is intrinsic to humanity and nature.

"When the water's well, when it's full of fish, all of those things that give life to it are well, then the people that live on its banks they will be well.

"When the river deteriorates, well so do we.

"And so our big job as people is to look after those connections that give life."

As the youngest of Tane's children, we are charged with looking after the world gifted to us, he told the virtual global assembly.

It is important for humanity to find its rightful place in the order of things.

That means we'll have to change our thinking, reorder our priorities and put the earth and its care first.

"When Papatuanuku and Mother Earth is well, everything else will be well. So that's our first priority and there are no exceptions to that.

Addressing Spirit Unbounded McGowan said that if we duck looking after Mother Earth we are actually punishing ourselves.

We also have to remember we are not the most senior members of creation.

"When we act like small brats, you know, the youngest of the big family, we are actually hurting ourselves as well as the whole of creation."