Church land for Bethesda
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Creative Arts Therapies Week begins
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Laudato Si’ Generation launched in the Caribbean

Pope Francis wrote and issued a beautiful encyclical letter, Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, in 2015. The release of Laudato Si’ inspired many, as Pope Francis urged all people of good will to take urgent action against the injustice done to the Earth, our common home. This is a call for us to address the ecological crisis, protect the poor who are mostly affected by climate change and save our future generations.

On January 25 during the World Youth Day celebration in Panama, ‘Laudato Si’ Generation’ was launched. Laudato Si’ Generation is the youth branch of the Global Catholic Climate Movement which is mobilising the Church and the entire world to action for climate justice.

A representative of The Franciscan Institute for Personal and Family Development, a ministry of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother (SSM), was part of this historic launch.

Laudato Si’ Generation is now being launched in the Caribbean region to urge our youths to be advocators for climate justice and to address environmental issues.

On Sunday, March 10, Sr Julie Marie Peters SSM, Director of The Franciscan Institute for Personal and Family Development, participated in the Matura Beach Clean Up 2019, in Trinidad and Tobago. This is an annual event hosted by Nature Seekers.

During this event, Sr Julie interacted with many youths including schoolchildren who came out in their numbers to assist in the cleanup efforts and help conserve and protect endangered sea turtles’ nesting sites. Several items collected along the Matura beach shoreline were glass, plastic, metal, Styrofoam, and other materials.

In Sr Julie’s dialogue with the youths, she expressed to them that these similar clean up actions can be done in their schools, homes and communities. She also encouraged Catholic secondary school children to raise awareness of Laudato Si’ in their schools by conducting an assembly on care for our common home or engaging in environmental awareness activities especially during Earth Day, World Environment Day and the Season of Creation Month.

It was indeed an inspiration to see so many persons especially youths united in one Mission: to take care of “Our Common Home”.

The Laudato Si’ Generation is unleashing an amazing amount of positivity and action worldwide to care for “Our Common Home”. This means that the Church needs to dramatically scale up its engagement in the pursuit of climate justice.

This will require an ambitious effort of all ecclesial institutions to bring Laudato Si’ to life in all dimensions within the climate crisis: spirituality, lifestyles and the public sphere.

If you would like to become a member of the Laudato Si’ Generation you are most welcome to call or WhatsApp The Franciscan Institute at 734-7620 for more information. – Analisa Ramsahai