Laudato Si’ at KCC

Week 7 was Laudato Si’ week, marking the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical on creation care. Staff and students at Kildare celebrated Laudato Si’ week through multiple initiatives, raising awareness amongst our community about the importance of the Pope’s message on human ecology.

Bishop Edwards joined us to launch the week, leading prayer for students and staff, before meeting with a group of staff members to share his insights into Laudato Si’, developing our understanding of important messages from the encyclical, such as the relationship between religion and science, and challenging us on the throwaway culture that we live in. He then generously shared his thoughts and ideas with our HSC religion students, participating in a panel conversation, alongside Sister Carmel and Mel Bradley (manager at Erin Earth) to answer questions from the students. This discussion explored issues ranging from caring for Creation to the relationship between economic disadvantage and environmental vulnerability and provided our students the unique opportunity to explore Catholic teachings in open dialogue through the lens of issues that are shaping contemporary society.  The panel then shared morning tea with staff, providing a valuable opportunity for further discourse and reflection.  We extend our heartfelt thanks to Bishop Mark, Sister Carmel and Mel for their generosity and time.

Our conversation about human ecology continued through a recycling initiative encouraging students to recycle their cans, plastic bottles, and juice boxes in a token style system raising money for local charities, selected by our SRC.  The focus of the day on Thursday was ‘adoption of sustainable lifestyles’, which challenged the College community to think about the impact each of us has in our daily lives through vegetarian day with exclusively meat-free items available for purchase at the canteen and cafe on this day.  Concluding the week, SRC asked students and staff to show their support for answering the Cry of the earth and the Cry of the poor by wearing a ‘touch of green’ for the day.

The week was very successful for starting the conversation about Laudato Si’.  We are thankful to each of the many individuals who contributed to its success, and everyone who supported the different activities throughout the week.

KCC is now a Laudato Si’ Action Platform School

Hearing Pope Francis’ message that “Living our vocation to be protector of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience” (LS 217), we are excited to announce that Kildare has signed up to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform.  This message was communicated to students and staff during Bishop Mark’s visit on 23 May, and we thank Bishop Mark for the support he extends us in this initiative. 

The Action Platform provides a 3 phase framework for embedding integral ecology into the ethos of the College, renewed and built upon each year through:

1. Reflection - on current position, recent actions. Consider baseline position, establish goals.
    
2. Action - Consider and review possible actions. Determine actions for the year. Implement actions.
    
3. Evaluation - complete annual self assessment. Reflect on the journey. Establish new goals for the next year.

The critical role of community level organisations in leading change is well established, and the commitment of the Catholic Church in Australia to this initiative has been demonstrated in the Plenary Council’s recently released Final Framework for Motions. We commit to you, our College community, that we work in this space will be authentic, as we embed Laudato Si’ into our ethos.

Christie Scutti | Assistant Principal