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Laudato Si’(‘Praise Be To You’) On Care For Our Common Home
Many of you have heard of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’ (translated: “Praise Be to You” and subtitled “On Care for Our Common Home”). The
need to address ecological concerns by all Catholics is not a new appeal from the Vatican. Care for the world began getting modern-day attention starting with
Pope John the XXlll. In 1964, Pacem in Terris addressed destruction of the earth from wars.
Pope Saint Paul Vl in 1971 in an Apostolic Letter referred to the ecological environment as “a tragic consequence of unchecked human activity.” Saint John Paul ll in 1979 in Redemptive Hominis called for global ecology conversion and Pope Benedict XVl , appealed to us in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 “Man does not create himself. He is spirit and will, but also nature.”
What is new? The approaches to better understanding the issues of our resources and providing paths to reach attainable goals. Laudato Si’ is a letter to Catholics and to the world! The world and Catholics are responding, and it is exciting!
Six parishioners at St Francis started meeting weekly during Lent. We followed the guideline for a retreat by studying and reading from Laudato Si’, praying
together, learning how to be silent and listen. Our intention was to first educate ourselves and to examine individually how we treat the resources of the earth and to see all the blessings God has provided us. The question being “are we
respecting these gifts” The focus is on Prayer and Action.
The Laudato Si’ group here at St Francis would like to begin sharing information about Laudato Si’in the bulletin and on the white board located in the Church Hall. We hope by first increasing our knowledge, praying for understanding and listening to our hearts and the spirit we will begin gathering in the Fall with more parishioners to create a plan of action.
We are already ahead of the plan! Here at St Francis we have recycle containers in the kitchen. Many parishioners here and at St. Bernard buy Fair-Trade Coffee. We have provided window inserts in all 3 churches in our parish which has reduced fuel use.
It’s a perfect time for us to find unity in a common goal of respecting the earth and recognizing that a gift from God comes with responsibility. Through prayer, listening and then acting we can make a difference plus grow spiritually!
Stay tuned for upcoming features on:- Response to the Cry of the Earth
- Response to the Cry of the Poor
- Ecological Economics
- Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles
- Ecological Education
- Ecological Spirituality Community Resilience & Empowerment
We welcome and encourage questions and ideas! Contact Dianne Smith at dcrjsmith@hotmail.com or any other Social Justice and Peace members, or check in with the St. Francis Laudato Si’ group: Martha Block, Michael Cyr, Barbara Edmonds, Elissa Koskela, Tim Pritchard and Dianne Smith.
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