Laudato Si Action Platform
As we begin the second year of our Laudato Si’ Action Platform commitment:
Our plan for this year is to concentrate on the pledge that we made last year. Each month we will focus on one element of the pledge, providing a reflection, a video and a zoom discussion going deeper and encouraging our sharing the actions and changes that we are making in our lives.
As we continue our Laudato Si’ journey, we invite you to spend some time looking to those in our world who feel powerless and unseen. To take us deeper into “advocating”, we invite you to ponder a video reflection by Ched Myers.
“Do You See This Woman: Some Thoughts on Advocacy”
The video (about 20 minutes) is a wealth of wisdom. Perhaps it will help to think about these questions:
1. Who in our world needs to be seen?
2. How do we turn the spotlight on these sisters and brothers in a way that inspires understanding and compassion?
Lenten Reflections 2023
This year instead of weekly reflections for Lent, our JPIC Team is offering two different calendars of brief daily reflections prepared by Father Terence Moran.
One is similiar to last year: Living a Laudato Si’ Lent 2023.
The other is in the spirit of the prayer of the Lakota People, “All My Relations” and we are invited to open our hearts to the whole world and to discover relationships of kinship with all beings:
All My Relations: A Heart Open to the Whole World
The Laudato Si Movement is providing a monthly prayer guide for 2023.
February Prayer Guide
January Prayer Guide
Advent: a Season of Hope
This Advent your JPIC Team will provide a reflection each week focusing on HOPE for our earth. Our desire is that you will be filled with renewed hope for our common home and you will be inspired to new actions to further protect and sustain our mother earth.
Ursuline Commitment Promise to Laudato Si
Many of us made this Promise on the Feast of St Francis 2022,
but it is a daily journey and we encourage you to pray this promise often.
Here is a video reflection that may help you with your commitment:
Journey to God’s Heart: A Prayer for Mother Nature
Have hope and firm faith in God, for God will help you in everything.” Angela
As a follower of Angela and a member of the Ursuline Family, I promise:
~ to advocate for those who lack the power to advocate for themselves
~ to recognize all of God’s creation as gift and worthy of care
~ to live simply and not adopt a consumerist mentality
~ to learn more about the true costs and advantages of the “green economy”
~ to engage with others in specific action to improve our local environment
~ to investigate more about the impact of my actions on climate change
~ to spend time in nature recognizing the wonder of creation.
Roman Union Ursulines of the USA
Goals for 2022 of the Laudato Si Action Platform
- To develop a vow/pledge of care for our common home that could be part of a prayer celebration on the Feast of St Ursula and utilized widely and often to keep the focus on LSAP
- To continue efforts to counter US history of colonialism and entitlement by reaching out in apology for our boarding schools and by building awareness of land injustice
- To create a video focusing on Care for Our Common Home through an Ursuline perspective
- To provide periodic cross provinces input/discussions via zoom that will explore and deepen our commitment to hear and respond to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor
- To encourage our Ursuline schools to enroll in the Educational Institutions Sector of the LSAP by monthly or quarterly communications regarding LSAP efforts through our schools campus ministers
- To research possible investment opportunities supporting ecological ventures
Lenten Reflections
Each week of Lent 2022 we will focus on one goal of the Laudato Si Action Platform (LSAP).
Encourage Community Resilience and Empowerment
Foster Ecological Spirituality
Develop Ecological Education
Adopt Sustainable Lifestyle
Support Ecological Economics
Respond to the Cry of the Poor
Respond to the Cry of the Earth
The Roman Union Ursulines of the United States Commitment
to the Laudato Si Action Platform
Laudato Si Action Platform Discernment
July 4th this year was the kick-off for our discernment journey into the goals of the
Laudato Si Action Platform.
Each week you will receive a one page reflection sheet
prepared by a member of the USA JPIC team.
Each day will highlight one of the 7 goals,
giving you a suggestion, an inspiration, a focus for your reflection.
We invite you to spend a few minutes each day diving deeper into
what that goal may be calling us to do.
You might want to make notes about what captures your attention.
We encourage you to share these reflections and your thoughts.
Thanks to the JPIC team members who prepared these reflections so we could get a better understanding of how we can respond to each
of the goals of the Laudato Si Action Platform.
Week-of-August-22-3
Week-of-August-16
Week-of-August-8
Week of August 1
Week of July 4
What we are doing already to care for our common home
- Conserve water: shorter and less showers, only full loads in washer and dishwasher, indoor water reused to water
- Use Earth Breeze laundry sheets, don’t use palm oil products
- Recycle everything, my own glass container rather than plastic water bottles, compost, reusable grocery bags, alternate storage container rather than single use plastics
- Combine trips, when possible carpool or walk, hybrid car
- Eat less meat, buy local produce, grown own vegetables and herbs, became a vegetarian
- Take a daily walk, noticing all the beauty of creation, even the tiniest
- I’m on the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Community Corps (philadelphiacommunitycorps.org). PCC focuses on deconstructing old/blighted properties, and reusing the materials (bricks, lumber, paint, doors etc.) rather than putting them in a landfill. We also focus on job creation in the areas of construction and particularly, construction material recycling. I have a lot of fun with this organization and I love volunteering in general…which I have to attribute to my Ursuline education!
- Since many of you mentioned use of plastics, you might want to participate in Plastic Free July, a sustainability challenge to encourage a plastic-free lifestyle for the month of July in efforts to help our planet. Check out this story on usatoday.com: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/reviewed/2021/07/09/what-is-plastic-free-julyand-how-to-take-part/47310403/
- Researched the rules on recycling in our city and held a meeting to explain the process to the community
- Ordered biodegradable paper produces to be used at all meetings
- Have participated in Plastic Free July the last 2 years.
- Recently heard about fasting from electricity from a core member at Bethlehem Farm. I’ve chosen a day and each week try to do one additional thing to increase the fast.
Examples of Advocacy
As members of Investor Associates for Social Justice (IASJ) we have been part of three campaigns:
1. Shifting Gears, an auto campaign that seeks to combat human trafficking and child labor in the workforce of many companies by monitoring their supply chains for the many products needed for cars.
2. Climate + Human Dignity. This campaign advocates for a just transition to a low-carbon economy and encourages companies to prevent negative impacts to communities most affected by climate change, environmental justice and resource extraction.
3. Racial Justice and Immigrant Rights. This campaign “ensures that companies prevent and mitigate any adverse impacts of business activities on communities of color and immigrant communities.”
- We have invested money in a Climate Impact Solutions Fund
- As members of Relilgious Organizatons Along the River (ROAR) We have advocated for Climate Justice issues along the Hudson River advocating for a safe plan for the shut down of the Indian Point Nuclear plant. We have also held several conferences on climate change inviting members of local climate groups to be present for days of reflection and mutual support.
- As members of the group of religious congregations that supports Lifeway Network. One of our sisters was part of the founding community of a safe house. Several sisters were part of a cohort providing constant presence at the house as well as support in tutoring and helping with English enhancement. We also provided financial support.
- We belong to Northern Plains which is a local environmental group. It organizes and lobbies around water quality, family farms and ranches, climate change, clean energy, coal, oil, gas, soil health and more. We participate in local actions.
- We belong to and support projects of Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center.
Introducing the Laudato Si Action Platform
At a May 25 press conference, the Vatican introduced the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. It is an ambitious
churchwide initiative in the spirit of Francis’ 2015 encyclical, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” which emphasizes integral ecology. Pope Francis calls us to develop a “loving awareness” of this home we share and to act on the values we hold dear.
The Ursuline Sisters across the United States along with other men and women religious have embarked on this 7 year journey of ecological conversion. Here is our introduction to the Laudato Si Action Platform and the beginnings of our journey. See the brief video below to learn more about the Laudato Si Action Platform:
Laudato Si Action Platform Intro