Laudato Si’ Schools Day

Caring for Our Common Home

On Friday 18 September, ten lucky students from Years 4 - 10 had the opportunity to attend the Laudato Si’ Schools Day at St Aloysius Catholic College Junior Campus. We joined students and teachers from Catholic schools across Tasmania for a wonderful day of learning, reflection and connection, centred around caring for our common home.

Throughout the day, the students heard stories and perspectives from First Nations knowledge sharers and explored the importance of Caring for Country. They learnt about the benefits of growing our own food and had the chance to get their hands dirty planting and tending to the St Aloysius school garden.

One of the highlights of the day was an immersive experience at Boronia Beach with local palawa author Adam Thompson. Adam spoke to the students about the yula (mutton bird) and their remarkable annual migration, with the birds due to return to their breeding grounds in Tasmania very soon. He shared the deep connection Tasmanian Aboriginal people have with yula, including their importance as a traditional food source, as well as the responsibility that comes with caring for their nesting grounds and sustaining the environment that supports their return each year. It was a powerful example of how caring for Country involves not only using the resources it provides, but also protecting and sustaining them for future generations.

We also had the opportunity to hear about some of the fantastic sustainability initiatives taking place in other schools and to share some of our own. Our Secondary Environment Leader, Una Burton, proudly spoke about the work happening within our school community, including our Groovy Gardeners program, FOGO bins, and the amazing sustainability work occurring in our Early Learning space.

At the heart of the day was the message of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ and its call for us all to take action in caring for our common home. The girls came away with a greater understanding of the importance of Caring for Country, and how First Nations knowledge and perspectives can teach us about living sustainably and respectfully within our environment. They also saw how even small actions within our homes, schools and communities can contribute to positive change.

It was an enjoyable and inspiring day, and we were very proud of the way our students represented our school and embraced every opportunity to learn, participate and connect with others.