We are approaching the 5th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Ladauto Si’, which was signed May 25, 2015. Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for our common home is a prophetic call to action as our world is on a path of self-destruction that will greatly affect all life, especially the poor and vulnerable. We are called to work together to create a more sustainable and holistic future, so creation’s beauty is shared by all.
The theme for Laudato Si’ Week is “everything is connected.” All existence is united by one God who created the universe and created us, calling it all good and very good. Given our vocation as stewards of creation, we have a moral responsibility to care for creation, to maintain and expand creation’s beauty. This we have done well through the great humanity’s arts of music, literature, drama, art, etc. We have done this well in the parks we have preserved and the rescue of animals in times of disaster. However, we have behaved poorly when we disregard the impact of our actions such as through blind deforestation, strip mining, pollution, and being the cause of the extinction of species.
I invite you to come learn more about Laudato Si’ and explore together what Newman as a community and you as an individual can do to fulfill our noble responsibility as stewards of God’s creation. I’ve shared in the past what we’ve done and plan to do, but I know collectively, we can be even more creative and more impactful.
Newman Laudato Si’ Activities to enrich you this week
Laudato Si’ Introduction Video - This video, by parishioner Bori Kozek, provides a quick summary into this prophetic encyclical.
Laudato Si’ Presentation & Discussion - We had some fabulous presentations by Brett Furnas (State Wildlife Ecologist and 10am Parishioner) and discussions among parishioners. Check out our past two meetings by clicking on the videos blow:
Miguel Altieri on Laudato Si’ - Newman Parishioner and UC Berkeley Environmental Science Professor wrote the following 5 years ago when Laudato Si’ was published. Just click on the bullet item.
Laudato Si’ Prayer - Join us after the 10am Mass, May 24, as we pray together the Laudato Si’ prayer.
Resources to help you learn more about Laudato Si’
on your own or with your family or friends:
Some International Activities
sponsored by the Global Catholic Climate Movement for Laudato Si’ Week:
Laudato Si’ Week 2020: Laudato Si' Retreat: An Introductory Immersion - This is a two-day international retreat sponsored by the Global Catholic Climate Movement. The second day of the retreat is on Sunday (May 17) at 10am-11:30am (PST).
Laudato Si’ Week International Workshops: (Para versiones en español, consulte la siguiente página web)
5am, Mon, May 18 - Laudato Si' at 5: As Prophetic and Relevant As Ever
6am, Tue, May 19 - Eco-spirituality: Deepening our Communion with Creation
6am, Wed, May 20 - Sustainability: Time for the Church to Lead by Example
8am, Wed, May 20 - Advocacy: Raising our Voices for the Earth and the most Vulnerable
6am, Fri, May 22 - Social Action: Integral Ecology and Community Building in Times of a Global Pandemic
“I [Pope Francis] urgently appeal... for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.”
Reflection Questions of the Day
When we fail to care for creation, what impact does this have on our relationship with ourselves, others, God and the earth?
Reflecting on the Creation Story in Gn 1:1-2:3 and other Scriptural passages, how does Scripture call us to care for God’s creation?
“When human beings place themselves at the center, they give absolute priority to immediate convenience and all else becomes relative... It is also the mindset of those who say: Let us allow the invisible forces of the market to regulate the economy, and consider their impact on society and nature as collateral damage.”
Reflection Questions of the Day
How has the attitude in this quote contributed to many of the problems of the world, like pollution, climate change, access to safe drinkable water, loss of biodiversity, and global inequality?
How do we surrender being the center of it all and if we’re not the center, how should we view our role in creation, in the world?
“Everything is connected...
We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental. Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.”
Reflection Questions of the Day
Pope Francis encourages us to listen both to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor (no, 49). What happens when we are attuned to only or the other?
What changes can we make to our lifestyle, production and consumption to better care for one another and creation?
“An interdependent world not only makes us more conscious of the negative effects of certain lifestyles and models of production and consumption which affect us all; more importantly, it motivates us to ensure that solutions are proposed from a global perspective, and not simply to defend the interests of a few countries.”
Living the Challenge
It is easy to resort to our past patterns and habits unless we take to heart the warnings and concerns of Pope Francis. One way to help us recognize our personal impact is to take the following challenges:
Save two weeks or more of your garbage. Now imagine if you had to hold onto a year’s garbage. Your garbage is going to someone’s backyard. Out of fairness, why not yours?
Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot (compost) - Challenge yourself to reduce the amount of purchases and the amount of energy you use. Challenge yourself to reuse things before throwing them away. Recycle much more than your throw away. Purchase with the mind of lasting a long time and recycling.
Rotate through your wardrobe and find out how many days can you go without wearing the same thing twice. We do have laundry machines, so consider how many days should be reasonable and then unload the rest to someone who has need.
For each room in your house, move everything except furniture outside and then back. We are supposed to be pilgrim people; your camels would probably hate you for owning so much. Or imagine you were forced to live in a Tiny Home, 500 square feet max. How would you downsize to make this possible? Then consider exploring decluttering such as by reading “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo and putting the ideas into action.
Calculate your carbon footprint by going to a website like terrapass.com and then explore ways to reduce or compensate the carbon your generate. According to this site, a round trip flight from SFO to NYC generates 4,954 lbs of CO2 and would cost $24.22 to offset. The average US person generate 63,934 lbs of CO2 per year.