As we mark the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, this Laudato Si’ Week invites us to reflect on the call to open our hearts to the urgent cry of our suffering earth. Jess reminds us that God’s creation is a sacred gift entrusted to our care, and in a world often overwhelmed by despair, she encourages us to believe that every action—no matter how small—has the power to heal and transform. Let us aspire to make a real and lasting impact for the future of our planet and all who call it home. 🌿🙏♻️ Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us.
Transcript
Hello. My name is Jess O’Donoghue, and I’m a proud Catholic environmental science student who’s about to graduate. It is Laudato Si week, one of my favorite weeks about our earth and how we can do more to care and act together. So we’re out here in Toohey Forest on beautiful Yuggera and Turrbal Country. I want to share with you, firstly, a quote from ‘Living Laudato Si’ that I read in high school that impacted my life. It says, “it is essential to show special care for indigenous communities and their cultural traditions.” This impacted me as I was so privileged with my uni to spend time in the community of Wadeye in the Northern Territory, five hours south of Darwin. Where I got to meet Angela and her peoples and her community, and even spend time with the Thamarrurr rangers. For their knowledge and spirituality and connectedness to the land and faith truly impacted me. For it says in the quote also, “For them, land is not a commodity, but rather a gift from God, from their ancestors who rest there, a sacred space for when they remain on their land, they themselves care for it best. So we must understand and what is happening and we must all be peoples of reconciliation and to do what we can so this traditional ecological knowledge must not be lost, but be empowered for generations to come. So let us pray.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Dear God, creator of the whole universe, we acknowledge Your presence so deeply in this creation around us and where gather right now. We acknowledge that this planet is in crisis, and we acknowledge that we need to do more. God help us to feel the pain and listen to the cry of the earth. Turn our fear into hope and our hope into courage. I pray for this deep courage for leaders all around the world. May they listen to First Nations peoples. May they empower and consult and listen to their traditional ecological knowledge. And God, I just pray for all people may we be listeners and learners. May we know that our actions truly do matter and make an impact. So we pray for an end to fossil fuels, an end to plastic. And may all of us always bring our reusable drink bottle, and reusable keep cup because our actions truly matter. Let us acknowledge Your presence always Jesus, in creation and care for you. We ask Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology, to pray for us. And Saint Kateri, the first Indigenous saint, pray for us as well.
Amen, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Happy Laudato Si Week, and excited to see you with your reusable drink bottle, and your keep cup. Know that your actions truly do make a difference.