“Hope would have us recognize that there is always a way out, that we can always redirect our steps, that we can always do something to solve our problems.”
Laudato Si’, 61
Passionists have long recognized that the Passion of Christ is inseparable from the suffering of the world, including the cries of Earth and the poor. Inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, our Passionist commitment calls us to ecological conversion rooted in contemplation, compassion and action.
We invite you to join the Passionist Family as we celebrate Laudato Si’ Week in moving “From Hope to Action” through simple daily practices that deepen our relationship with God’s creation and strengthen our commitment to protecting it for future generations!
Take a reverent nature walk
Go on a walk, paying a little more attention than usual to the trees, or the water, or a blade of grass. Take the time to notice and admire.
“Let all creation help you to praise God. Give yourself the rest you need. When you are walking alone, listen to the sermon preached to you by the flowers, the trees, the shrubs, the sky, the sun and the whole world. Notice how they preach to you a sermon full of love, of praise of God, and how they invite you to proclaim the greatness of the one who has given them being.”
Saint Paul of the Cross
Start composting
Spring is a great time to start a compost pile! Start learning how to set one up in your own backyard or find out if your city, town, or county has a curbside composting program!
Learn more about Jeff Chu’s “theology of compost” on the Evolving Faith Podcast.
“The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, God’s boundless affection for us.”
Laudato Si’, 84
Be a hub for climate resilience
What effect is climate change having/going to have in your community? Learn how your church or community can be a hub for climate resilience by watching one of the webinars on Creation Justice Ministries’ YouTube channel!
Explore this map to see what challenges your community might be facing from the impacts of a changing climate, and what is driving the challenges.
Reflect on how you might take action with your community and policymakers to build climate resilience.
“We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it.”
Laudato Si’, 229
Write to your elected officials
Write to your members of congress or local elected officials, asking them to support an environmental issue that you care about. How does the issue you’ve chosen relate to racial or other social justice? Include this information in your letter or email. Find your members of Congress and their contact information.
“We are not faced with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental.”
Laudato Si’, 139
Look for ecological resurrection
Every ecological success is a resurrection story! Find out which animals, plants, or ecosystems in your area or region which have been revived after environmental degradation.
For example, the Rouge River, which runs by St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, has a wonderful “resurrection” story thanks to Friends of the Rouge!
“The ultimate purpose of other creatures is not to be found in us. Rather, all creatures are moving forward with us and through us towards a common point of arrival, which is God, in that transcendent fullness where the risen Christ embraces and illumines all things.”
Laudato Si’, 83
“Social problems must be addressed by community networks and not simply by the sum of individual good deeds….The ecological conversion needed to bring about lasting change is also a community conversion.”
Laudato Si’, 219
Rest and Reflect
The book of Job invites, “Speak to the earth and it shall teach thee. Ask the creatures of earth and sea for their wisdom.”
What do the creatures teach you?
What can we learn from creation?
Spend some time in prayer with these questions.
“As believers, we do not look at the world from without but from within, conscious of the bonds with which the Father has linked us to all beings.”
Laudato Si’, 220
[Adapted from 52 Ways to Care for Creation, CreationJustice.org]
Share your Laudato Si’ Week story
Aligning ourselves with Christ Crucified, we choose to stand with the suffering community of God’s Creation, doing what we can to help. Laudato Si’ Week is a time for us to come together in doing exactly that, a time to move from hope to action, to walk the Passionist Way together.
We invite you now to share the fruits of your week, to inspire and support each other as companions of St. Paul of the Cross with our stories.
Share your Laudato Si’ Week story of how you moved from Hope to Action and what actions you took in the comments below!
