A Green Lent

LENT: Embracing the call from God to care for His creation  

Pope Francis鈥� Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home encyclical asks us to acknowledge the urgency of our ecological crisis and take responsibility for the role humans have had in environmental degradation and the human inequities that are an extension of that. The encyclical is written with both hope and resolve, looking to our common future with candor and humility. 

The seven goals of Laudato Si provide guidance on urgent and immediate actions each one of us can take in the care of our common home. During the Lenten season, we can embrace the call from God to care for all his creation by simplifying our lives to 鈥渄iscover God in all things鈥�, both in the beauty of creation and in the sighs of the sick and groans of the afflicted. 

The resources provided here algin with 6 of the 7 goals of Laudato Si. Explore these during the Lenten season while remembering that these goals are not separate from each other but deeply interconnected.  

ECOSPIRITUALITY  

  • Work through the ecological examen  
  • Spend time in nature. Jesus regularly prayed in nature. Find a place that means something to you on or off campus. Whether it be at the Joan of Arc Chapel or Three Bridges Park. Walk the space, sit and meditate, engage in prayer.  

ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION 

  • Spend 40 days committed to learning about an environmental justice issue in your community.  

Where to start: 

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  • Set aside time each day, whether it be 5 minutes or an hour, and get informed by learning about the climate crisis. 

Where to start: 


ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS 

  • Set up a recurring or one time contribution to an environmental organization 
  • Identify your favorite place to shop, get coffee, or eat and investigate whether the company has strong environmental protection and social equity policies. If they don鈥檛, consider finding a more socially responsible company to purchase your goods & services from.  
  • Invest in businesses that have a positive impact on our global, regional, or local community. These could be businesses that prioritize environmental stewardship or are owned by women and/or historically marginalized populations.  

Where to start: 

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RESPONSE TO THE CRY OF THE POOR  

  • Sign up to volunteer for or learn about organizations that are working toward a more just society. 

Where to start: 

  • Each day, assess what you have and determine what you truly need to live a whole and fulfilling life. At the end of the 40 days, donate your items to a local charity or shelter. 

Where to start: 

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RESPONSE TO THE CRY OF THE EARTH & ADOPTION OF SIMPLE LIFESTYLES 

  • The industrial meat industry has a significant environmental impact. Emissions from animal care, slaughter, transportation, and production is a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Take a pledge to go 40 days without meat, or 40 meals without meat through the Lenten season.  
  • The waste we generate comes in all forms, from the food we do not eat, to the packaging from online orders to excessive packaging from groceries we can鈥檛 avoid, it鈥檚 everywhere and seemingly unavoidable.  

Pledge to:  

  • Abstain from buying anything that is not a necessity  
  • Only buy coffee from the coffee shop if you have a reusable mug  
  • Take the bus instead of driving your car  
  • Spend 5 minutes each day walking around and picking up litter  

Learn more about the Laudato Si Action Platform and the 7 Goals:  

 

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE  

  • Connect with the Center for Peacemaking to learn about their nonviolent interventions that help build community resilience.  
  • Learn more about PARC