Integral Ecology
Laudato Si' Beach Clean Up With Kilbreda College and City of Kingston
Pope Francis emphasised the interconnectedness between nature and human beings, by referring to Earth’s cry in his encyclical Laudato Si’. He underscores the importance of recognizing the intrinsic value and dignity of all creation, urging individuals and communities to take responsibility for the care and preservation of our common home.
“Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good, and making a new start”- Pope Francis Laudato Si’: On care for our common home.
St Bede’s College student-led Environmental Action Group chose to focus on biodiversity and plastic pollution, with a focus on the grounds at our Mentone Campus. We invited Kilbreda College's Environmental Action Group students, as well as the City of Kingston Foreshore Coordinator Lauren Wood and Team Leader of Bushland and Foreshore, Candice Mingo, for a special morning tea. This invitation was to mark the official opening of our College's Pope Francis Laudato Si’ Biodiversity Garden, collaborate ideas to improve plastic rubbish from schools that are entering and threatening our beautiful Port Phillip Bay and to participate in a beach clean-up.
The group's aim was live out our values and give back to our local community by collecting rubbish from the local beach area that we are so fortunate to use for social justice and sport activities. This activity connected to our Ecological and RE focus on Laudato Si', stewardship, and caring for our common home.
Our motto "Small Actions Create MASSIVE Change"—because even the smallest efforts can have a huge impact.
From Our Ecological Captain
"I am passionate about marine life and its biodiversity, especially sharks. Which brought me down the path to become Ecological Captain to protect our local environment of Port Phillip Bay.
Recently, we celebrated the huge 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, a man who has helped to make ecology something everybody can access through social media, and I thought it would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that milestone, particularly as he is a defining voice and inspiration for the work we all look to do.
I would like to acknowledge Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’, that has such significance and importance. He cared for the poor and the environment, seeing the lack of response to the environmental, social and economic effects.
Our Laudato Si’ biodiversity garden started in 2025 on the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’ and dedicated to Pope Francis after his heartbreaking passing last year. Students researched and selected the plants that are endemic to the Mentone area. The pond contains Murray River Rainbow fish that are considered threatened due to introduced predators and habitat degradation.
This area had no plants, and the only living creatures were an ant and a raven. Six months later, we completed a quadrat and found numerous insects including butterflies, beetles, worms, various species of ants and birds including magpies, lorikeets, rosellas and a butcher bird.
We formally opened our biodiversity garden, a project that not only encompasses our Lasallian mission and our Laudato Si’ goals, but has become a project of passion that will see us recognised as a school fighting extinction and increasing biodiversity. This year we will be starting a Laudato Si' garden at our Bentleigh East campus.
We are grateful to City of Kingston and Kilbreda for further improving our relationship for the future of the environment. With this partnership, we hope to decrease the rubbish from our schools ending up into the bay and landfill. We have a responsibility to protect the beaches in front of our schools and the critically endangered Port Phillip Bay dolphins AND other marine life.
As of this year three dolphins, two penguins and a seal have washed up dead on our beaches. OUR rubbish may have contributed to those deaths. So, with this partnership we hope to reduce these numbers of deaths to many important key species to the diverse environment of Port Phillip Bay.
To honour our partnership, we gifted Kilbreda a print of the famous 1913 painting Saint Bride by Scottish artist John Duncan. It beautifully illustrates a Celtic legend in which two angels carry the white-robed St Brigid across the sea to Bethlehem. This was chosen as not only is Kilbreda a Brigidine College, but in the artwork, the seascape incorporates birds and a seal swimming just below the angels' feet, like the animals that are part of our bay ecosystem." Bailey Mitchell
Laudato Si’ Week Spiritual Pilgrimage
In celebration of Laudato Si’ Week , both campuses participated in a Spiritual Pilgrimage on the land of the Bunurong People. Staff and students had the opportunity to pray, silently reflect, observe and discuss the teachings of Pope Francis as well as view some beautiful and meaningful prints by Indigenous artists.
Some meaningful conversations during the walk included:
- What are some small changes I can make in my daily life to help care for the environment (like saving water or reducing waste)? Why do these actions matter?
- How do my choices—such as what I buy, eat, or throw away—affect the planet and other people, especially those who are poor or vulnerable?
- What does it mean to be a good steward of God's creation, and how can I live out this responsibility at school, at home, and in my community?
When our time of reflection had come to a close, we prayed…..
Creator God, as the Earth's climate shifts, we humbly ask for your guidance. Inspire us to care for creation, to act responsibly, and to love our neighbours, who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. We pray for the courage to take action, to demand justice, and to heal the wounds we have inflicted on our planet.
We ask that you renew our spirits and cleanse our hearts. Renew our minds and transform our lives. Renew our cities and rebuild our ruins. Renew our world, in your name we pray.
Amen.
TerraCycle Waste
To reduce our College Community's landfill, the Environmental Action Group is rolling out TerraCycle recycle boxes for waste including art supply, rubber gloves, bottle lids, soft plastics and stationery.
Well done to Lukas (Year 9) who designed posters for classrooms, reminding our community to switch off lights, projectors and heaters and reduce our electricity use and carbon footprint.
Important Events
Reconciliation Week - 27 May to 3 June
NAIDOC Week - 5 July to 12 July
NAIDOC Weekat Derrimut Weelam Gathering Place
What can you do to decrease your plastic use? Can you decant large snack packets rather than purchasing smaller multi packs? A 20 pack of chips is 375gms, and 2 large packets of chips are 380gms. By buying two larger packets and decanting, you save money and make better choices environmentally. St Bede’s College is a ‘Litter Free Lunch’ school where the use of reusable containers and lunchboxes is strongly encouraged.
National Tree Day - Friday 24 July
Small Actions Create MASSIVE Change and together we can make a difference.
Kylie Paterson- Zigouras
Integral Ecology Leader