Laudato Si Action Platform
In November 2021, the Church called upon Catholics and all people to join a seven-year initiative, Laudato Si Action Platform, to focus on redefining and rebuilding our relationship with each other and our common home.
“What does Laudato Si’ mean?” The words mean, “Praise be to you (my Lord)”. The line is a reference to the writings of St. Francis of Assisi who reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us.
In this moment in time, we are called to become conscious of those efforts and to RECOMMIT ourselves to continue forward.
Goals of The Laudato Si’ Action Platform
Our Pledge
We have been invited by Pope Francis to join with myriad institutions and individuals of the Church to journey toward integral Ecology. We undertake with courage, conviction, and compassion the responsibility to Care for Earth, our Common Home, and to stand with people who have been impacted by climate change, poverty, violence, and exploitation. We desire to understand the interconnections of all creation and to undertake a conversion journey. We, who live in our evolving universe, engage as Co-creators with God to promote justice, to advocate with the powerless and oppressed, and to sustain practices which provide opportunity for all humanity to live fully human lives.
We pledge to join with others to integrate the seven goals of the Laudato Si Action Platform into our lived reality as Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids.
Affirmed at Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids General Assembly on August 6, 2021
Our Congregation has, for many years, used the DOMINICAN CALL TO JUSTICE as the foundation of our justice responses: Climate Justice, Economic Justice, Human Trafficking, Migration/Immigration and Peace and Security of All Life. A key concept that has arisen from our justice responses and study of Laudato Si’ is that of INTEGRAL ECOLOGY: an integrated and holistic approach to political, social, economic, and environmental problems.
Integral ecology demands that we pay attention to how any and all justice issues are connected to one another. An Integral Ecology mindset will move us to concern about how all justice issues interconnect with one another. This mindset will allow us to view the Laudato Si’ Action Plan not simply as an environmental project but as loving care for all Creation.
“We are not faced with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather one complex crisis which is both social and environmental. Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the underprivileged, and at the same time protecting nature.”
Laudato Si’Section 139
Our Pledge
Affirmed at General Assembly on August 6, 2021
We have been invited by Pope Francis to join with myriad institutions and individuals of the Church to journey toward integral Ecology. We undertake with courage, conviction, and compassion the responsibility to Care for Earth, our Common Home, and to stand with people who have been impacted by climate change, poverty, violence, and exploitation. We desire to understand the interconnections of all creation and to undertake a conversion journey. We, who live in our evolving universe, engage as Co-creators with God to promote justice, to advocate with the powerless and oppressed, and to sustain practices which provide opportunity for all humanity to live fully human lives.
We pledge to join with others to integrate the seven goals of the Laudato Si Action Platform into our lived reality as Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids.
What is the Laudato Si Action Platform?
“The Laudato Si’ Action Platform is a unique collaboration between the Vatican, an international coalition of Catholic organizations, and “all men and women of good will.” (LS 3) Taking a truly ground-up approach, it is rooted in the strengths and realities of communities around the world, empowering all to take “decisive action, here and now” as we journey towards a better future together.” (LS 161)
The intent of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform is to empower the universal Church to achieve total sustainability in the holistic spirit of integral ecology. The human family faces increasing risks of hunger, disease, migration, and conflict due to climate change and environmental degradation, unfortunately, the most vulnerable suffer above all.
Action is urgently needed. Our Creator called the human family to be the steward of creation, but we have neglected that call. Our hotter, dirtier, deader planet is driving up the risk of suffering. The most vulnerable suffer above all.
Discerning a response to the ecological crisis is a profound act of care. At this kairos moment, action is needed. The Laudato Si’ Goals guide our actions. They redefine and rebuild our relationship with each other and our common home. Their holistic approach acknowledges the planetary limits of all socio-economic systems and the human roots of the ecological crisis. They call for a spiritual and cultural revolution to realize integral ecology.
The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids initiated Congregation-wide activities that include: evaluating where we stand on the road to sustainability, reflecting on the principles of integral ecology, and making a plan to take action. Dominican Associates, our ministry Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College, employees, and friends of our Congregation have entered this transformative time with Sisters.
Engaged in Studying the Goals
The Dominican Sisters and Associates, in collaboration with our employees and other intentional groups continue to explore ways to bring our commitment to life.
Proposing actions is really only one part of this process and in a sense, it is the easiest part. The more challenging part of this process is the CONVERSION of the person, the community, and the world. Conversion requires much more than actions that can often be superficial and short lived. ADD BUTTON and link to video series
You, too, can learn more about Caring for Our Common Home through a video series by Sister Mary Catherine Fodrocy.
DSGR Laudato Si' Action Plan
The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids published our Congregation Laudato Si’ Action Plan in September 2023.
Caring for Our Common Home Video Series
Pope Francis invites us to view our ministry for Justice and peace as integrally related to our commitment to Care for Creation: (Laudato Si, #70) The term Integral Ecology encompasses both the social and environmental, and emphasizes the relatedness between them. “St. Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically…..He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.” (Laudato Sí, #10)
You, too, can learn about Caring for Our Common Home through this video series by Sister Mary Catherine Fodrocy, OP.
Video Series Introduces Concepts and Goals of Laudato Si’
Learn about Caring for Our Common Home through this video series by Sister Mary Catherine Fodrocy, OP.
Pope Francis invites us to view our ministry for Justice and peace as integrally related to our commitment to Care for Creation: (Laudato Si, #70) The term Integral Ecology encompasses both the social and environmental, and emphasizes the relatedness between them. “St. Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically…..He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.” (Laudato Sí, #10)
Laudato Si’ News & More
Receive a daily blessing.
As you are blessed, may you bless others.
Stay Connected
Don’t miss our 1x monthly email with news and information about the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids.
