Saint Peter Claver's "Team Earth" and Saint Thomas More's "Care for Creation" invite you to read, reflect and respond to Laudato Si' during the month of January. Each week we will provide online resources for you to delve into Pope Francis’s encyclical letter, Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home. Work at home at your own pace and depth. On January 31, at 10 AM we will come together in a Zoom meeting to discuss the document and share what touched our hearts.
Please register for the zoom at the bottom of this page.
WEEK 3
We have some written resources for you this week, please take a moment to read each one and reflect. These written resources go over the various chapters in Laudato Si' and include a reflection from Fr. James Kurzynski, a priest and astronomer from Wisconsin, who is a part of The Vatican Observatory. The Vatican Observatory is one of the oldest active astronomical observatories in the world, with its roots going back to 1582 and the Gregorian reform of the calendar. Headquartered at the papal summer residence outside Rome, this official work of the Vatican City State supports a dozen priests and brothers (Jesuits and diocesan) from four continents who study the universe utilizing modern scientific methods.
We have a few other resources here, an Overview on Laudato Si' from The Jesuit Post, Top 10 Take-Aways from Laudao Si' written by the American Jesuit Review, and some more resources and things to read from the USCCB on Laudato Si'.
WEEK 2
Watch this video, published in 2020 (9 min) with Fr. Casey Cole, OFM. This video comes from Breaking In The Habit, a Franciscan website dedicated to evangelize and catechize in the Franciscan spirit in order to promote faith, energize communities, inspire active involvement, and encourage vocations to consecrated life.
Watch this video, published in 2015 (4:50 min). It provides a quick summary of Pope Francis’ letter Laudato Si' for high school aged students, and then watch this video (4 min) for elementary aged students. The video was created by the Catholic Relief Services, in partnership with Caritas Catholic international humanitarian aid organizations. The encyclical Laudato Si' is addressed to every person on this planet and asks all of us to protect our common home, the earth, so this is one way to get teens and children engaged with the text. No matter the age, we are called to care for our common home.
WEEK 1
(If you are interested in reading Laudato Si' in book form, St. Patrick's Guild should have copies for sale)
Watch this video, published in 2020 (6 min). Using scenes from nature and quotes from Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si´”, this video inspires individuals, congregations and communities to reflect on the need to care for our common home—Earth.
Watch this series of videos, published in 2016 (60+ min). Fr. Daniel P. Horan, OFM is a Professor of Philosophy, Religious Studies and Theology at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. He is also Affiliated Professor of Spirituality at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. A columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, he is the author or editor of more than sixteen books, including Catholicity and Emerging Personhood: A Contemporary Theological Anthropology, A White Catholic’s Guide to Racism and Privilege, and The Way of the Franciscans: A Prayer Journey Through Lent.