Launch of Laudato Si’ URGENT HOPE series of Conversation Packages
In this Season of Creation (1 September – 4 October 2024), the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, in collaboration with the Sisters of St Joseph Lochinvar, are pleased to launch their newest community resource supporting Laudato Si’ and Laudate Deum entitled URGENT HOPE. URGENT HOPE is the first in a five-part series […]
Webinar: ‘Voices of Hope and Faith’ featuring Sr Mary-Ann Casanova PhD
The Laudato Si’ Action Platform recently hosted a webinar titled ”Voices of Hope and Faith: Global Catholic Religious in the Heart of Climate Action” during Laudato Si’ Week where attendees learned how they are bridging faith and daily action, and gained inspiring insights for the journey toward integral ecology.
Laudato Si’ Week 2024: 19-26 May
This year marks the ninth anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ encyclical to every person living on this planet. Seeds of Hope is the chosen theme of the weeklong Laudato Si’ celebration. We are invited to be seeds of hope in our lives and our world, and to be rooted in the […]
Window on Creation
“Living in harmony with nature and with God gives us full happiness and purpose,” thus said Father Julian Tenison Woods in 1887. For Fr Julian, fullness of life meant the integration of science and religion. He sensed that the future of Earth depends on the realisation that all creation is in relationship, and that we […]
Planet vs. Plastics: Earth Day 2024
In 2024, Earth Day (22 April) has a theme of Planet vs. Plastics. In our sports orientated cultures, the “vs.” denotes an impending contest, a winner and a loser, vocal enthusiastic one-sided supporters, spectator involvement and a set of agreed rules. This Planet vs. Plastics fixture breaks the mold somewhat. The contest is for the […]
A new home for everything
Showing Off What do you do with the contents of a home when it’s no longer needed? This challenge was met head-on by Sisters of Saint Joseph support staff when they were asked to clear the contents of a property in preparation for its sale. The house had a plethora of of furniture, kitchenware, bedding, […]
Care for Earth in WA
Sisters and neighbours, Sr Maura pbvm (Presentation Sisters) and Sr Maree rsj (Sisters of Saint Joseph), live in an Over 55s Village in Western Australia. “Well before Laudato Si’ – my mother taught us to be frugal and waste free,” says Sr Maree. “This would have been due to her own upbringing during the war […]
Recycling Soft Plastics in ANZ
Mt St Joseph Sisters in Whanganui Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ) and staff have a long history of working to minimise waste – from large compost bins for all garden waste, to the well-established worm farm which recycles paper that comes from the office and house staff. Both have been in use since being set up […]
Saving the world one quilt at a time
Showing Off Sr Helen, a Sister of Saint Joseph, shares her story. It was in the 1970s during my time in Woomera I first became aware of the ‘throw away’ society we had become, the local tip was known locally as ‘K-mart’ and it was a regular habit for the locals to go ‘shopping’ there. One […]
A Laudato Si’ Easter Reflection
As followers of Jesus, we are asked to walk humbly on the Earth and to care for the land, the oceans, and all creatures. Pope Francis reminds us in his recent Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum that the time for climate change action is becoming more URGENT. He has posed the question: “Are we working for […]
Earth Hour: A Date to Remember
Do you know why the last Saturday of March each year is significant? Why is it marked on many calendars around the world as a date to remember? Because it is World Earth Hour, a date when we are encouraged to switch off our electric lights, our electronics and conserve energy for an hour from […]
Habits of the Heart
Showing Off Sr Adrienne, a Sister of Saint Joseph in Aotearoa New Zealand, shows off her green thumb. My first profession was a change of habit, coming as it did in the latter part of my life.