"Let us sing as we go. May our struggles and our concern for this planet never take away the joy of our hope."
Laudato Si' pg. 244
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis's groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si', published on May 24, 2015. As we celebrate Laudato Si' Week 2025, we reflect on a decade of inspiration that has transformed how people of faith understand their relationship with creation.
For the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Laudato Si' Week holds special meaning. Long before Pope Francis articulated "integral ecology," Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, lived it in the Amazon rainforest. From 1966 until her martyrdom in 2005, she lived out her faith by demonstrating that environmental protection and social justice are inseparable.
Sister Dorothy understood what Pope Francis would later teach: "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', pg.139). She experienced the profound interconnectedness that Laudato Si' calls us all to recognize.
In response to Pope Francis's call, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Ohio Province established the Dorothy Stang Initiative for Laudato Si' Action.
The Next Chapter Begins with Us
The past 10 years have seen remarkable growth in Catholic environmental action. Yet challenges remain. As we celebrate this anniversary, we recognize that "the next chapter of Laudato Si' begins with us."
Sister Dorothy's witness teaches us that environmental action flows from spiritual conversion, from recognizing that "everything is interconnected" ( Laudato Si', pg. 240) in God's love. Her final act—reading the Beatitudes to her assassins—reminds us to respond with hope rather than despair.
During Laudato Si' Week 2025, we invite you to join this celebration of hope and action. Whether through prayer, practical choices, or advocacy, each action contributes to healing our common home.
Canticle of the Creatures by St. Francis of Assisi
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, |
Praised be You, my Lord, Praised be You, my Lord, Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, |
RESOURCES:
- Read the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si' of the Holy Father Pope Francis on Care for Our Common Home
- Your Little Bit of Good: Every week, we publish Your Little Bit of Good blog post, complete with prayer, knowledge and action that you can adopt.
- Canticle of the Creatures, Saint Francis of Assisi,
- Learn more about the Dorothy Stang Initiative for Laudato Si' Action
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Eco-Spirituality Series:
Eco-Spirituality Series #3: Being a Neighbor for All Creation
Eco-Spirituality Series #2: The Eco-Spirituality of Teilhard de Chardin
Eco-Spirituality Series #1: Laudato Si': Spirituality and Action
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