Laudato Si’ Presentation at St. William Parish Assembly, Jan 31st 2016

“…our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us… This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our

irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her… the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor… Nothing in this world is indifferent to us…” (Excerpted from Laudato Si’)

Notable points about Laudato Si’

This is a document like no other.

It addresses so much more than Global Climate Change.

It is an urgent plea for us all to reclaim and restore our relationships with the

sacrament of Life. Joyfully and simply acknowledge, enact and celebrate our co-

responsibility in small and great ways.

Aware of our complicity we recognize there are no easy answers or quick fixes

for our predicament.

The necessary personal and social changes are lifelong, deep, and wide and they

start within.

Francis offers a new paradigm, a reframing of our mission and vision, inclusive

of ancient wisdom: we are peacemaking community rooted in the prophetic

vision of eco-social justice.

Francis exhorts us to make an eco-conversion (heart/ soul/Spirit /mind and

body)

Recommended Pastoral Priorities Our community has a legacy of caretaking, looking after our patch of Creation,

and practicing neighborhood, looking after the vulnerable life entrusted to our

care.

Our intention is NOT to tell anyone what to do, nor necessarily add even more

things to do (when at times we may in fact need to be doing less and being

more).

The priorities below (currently posted on the walls of our church) seek to

include the following dimensions: personal, family, parish community, liturgy,

impact on people in poverty, intergenerational opportunities, and advocacy

(local, state, national, international)…

Our aim is NOT to add more activities to our overfilled lives, but rather to

provide opportunities and helps to re-pattern our living and engender a culture

of care.

These reflect a winnowing down of many creative ideas (over 70).

The Laudato Si’ study group recommends the following 10 Pastoral Priorities

which span our parish and personal lives, as well as our relationship to the wider

community. Some are one-time events; others are on-going activities .

Moving forward - An empowering process

How will we as a community live into Laudato Si’?

The posters will remain hanging in the church worship for one or two weeks to allow more people time to visit the recommendations.

There is no implied order of priority in the ten recommendations.

Reflect on each of the 10 recommendations, return to the one’s which resonate.

Sign-on to what compels you (on the posters at church).

Pastoral staff and PPC will review the responses and commitment for written on the posters and follow-up.

Initiatives which have traction (a contingent of parishioners interested in participating and one or two people willing to take the lead) will be shared with the whole parish community.

Please spend a few moments reviewing the following 10 recommendations

Cleaning-Up our Neighborhood

Good Neighbors are Care-takers

Environments shape us. Our behavior shapes our environment and affects all the creatures living within it.

Imagine our stretch of neighborhood cleaned up and tended to, building community and connection in collaboration with the Diersen Correctional facility and other church groups.

What would it mean for our community to assume responsibility for Oak

St. between 9th and 13th streets?

What would it take to “adopt” this stretch of the California

neighborhood?

Who might work with us to help make this happen (City, County, State

non-profits…)?

How would we involve our children and young people?

What suggestions might you have about cleaning and tending to our

neighborhood?

Are you interested in joining this effort?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead?

Sign here:

Busing & Carpooling

Traveling together is fun, frugal, and faithful

Adopting public transport, where possible, reduces our footprint and invites us to re-pattern our lives. Sharing rides to church broadens our experience of community and invites us to connect and care for one another. Imagine the impact of people travelling to church together- fewer cars and more community. Imagine the adventure of meeting community members on the bus for all or part of the Sabbath journey.

What would it take for our community to create opportunities for riding

the bus together on Sundays?

How could we organize ourselves to make carpooling opportunities more

available and accessible?

Who might work with us to help make this a reality (City, County…)?

What suggestions might you have about transport and travel?

How would we involve our children and young people?

Are you interested in joining this effort?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead?

Sign here:

Reducing Energy Consumption, Encouraging LED lighting

LED is an “enlightened” way to conserve energy and show we care

The Gospel invites us to simplify our lives in small and great ways. Global climate change, and its impact on vulnerable life and poor people, demands that we do all in our power to lighten our impact on the planet. Thoughtful (fossil fuels) energy consumption can be reduced with the deliberate attention to LED technology. This reduces fuel bills and our footprint. Imagine pooling our resources to make LED available to parishioners and those we serve. Imagine finding even more ways to “green” our worship space that lessens our burden on the planet.

What would it take for our community to be more diligent in our use of

energy for lighting?

How could we organize ourselves to make the adoption of LED lighting

more a widespread and available in our church, in our homes, among

family members?

Who might work with us to help make this a reality (city , State, energy

companies and non-profits…)?

How would we involve our children and young people?

What suggestions might you have about lowering energy consumption?

Are you interested in joining this effort?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead?

Sign here:

A Lenten Service of Reconciliation

Grieving the Damage done to Earth, her creatures and people

Lament liberates us for change. Lent offers the opportunity to lament, seek forgiveness, ask for healing, and commit to change. The Year of Mercy invites us to acknowledge our waywardness and seek new direction. The way we live, the choices we make, affect the life in our care. In the midst of so much poverty, violence and indifference, how do we begin to make amends? Imagine a service of reconciliation that directly invites us to mourn the damage done to creation. Imagine a unique spiritual touchstone that allows us to acknowledge what has been broken in order to embrace the path of mending our relationships to life.

What could it mean for our community to develop and participate in a

ritual that seeks to reconcile us with the impact of our living?

How would we plan this to take place during Lent in the Holy Year of

Mercy?

Who might work with us to plan this reconciliation?

What suggestions might you have about this healing ritual?

How would we involve our children and young people?

Are you interested in joining this effort?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead?

Sign here:

Living Laudato Si’ – St. William’s Record Book

Sharing small and great actions on behalf of the planet instills hope, offers encouragement and inspires gratitude

Parishes have always been record-keepers. A large journal book, placed at the back of church, becomes our own parish record of personal and family choices for the healing of our planet. No effort is insignificant! Encouraging people to document their efforts as they enter or leave church is a unique way to bear witness to our faith. This builds a bridge between our worship and our daily living. Imagine creating a Laudato Si’ corner in our weekly bulletin, with excerpts from the journal. Imagine the greeter, beginning or ending worship with an inspiring excerpt from our parish record.

What would it take for our community to document and share our small

and greater efforts on behalf of Creation?

Who might work with us to help create and set up this record book?

How would we involve our children and young people?

What suggestions might you have about keeping track of ongoing struggle

to be faithful?

Are you interested in joining this effort?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead?

Sign here:

Greening-Up our Neighborhood

Trees offer shelter and shade, hold water and add beauty, and they give breath to the air and voice to the wind.

Louisville suffers from a depleted tree canopy. This exacerbates the urban “heat-island” effect and impacts our air quality. Our California neighborhood is particularly tree-deprived. Trees require proper care and tending to flourish, yet they also attract and shelter a broad array of wildlife. This is an investment made for the generations to yet to come. Imagine partnering with city and other non-profit organizations to bring saplings to our industrial neighborhood. Imagine walking along Oak Street (named for a tree) between 9th and 13th under the unbroken shade of a tree canopy.

What would it take for our community to be a “catalyst” for the greening

of our neighborhood?

Who might work with us to fund and support the planting of trees (other

communities, residents and businesses…)?

How would we involve our children and young people?

What suggestions might you have about bringing trees and other shrubs

to reclaim our neighborhood?

Are you interested in joining this effort?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead?

Sign here:

Reaffirming “Renewables”- Seeking Solar Solutions

Moving away from fossils fuel means changing how we think about generating and using energy, at home, at church and beyond.

In addition to “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” there is also RENEW! St. William is a pioneer at adopting solar energy at church. Much more can be done to introduce, educate, encourage and implement alternative sources of energy production and use. Imagine offering seminars and instructions on the value of adopting renewable energy alternatives, for our parishioners and others. Imagine finding resources and offering assistance to support further solar options for our community and our community ministries.

What would it mean for St. William to reaffirm our support for renewable

energy resources in our church and among our members?

Who might work with us to train, fund and support the implementation of

solar and other renewable options (City, State, Federal programs, non-

profit expertise…)?

How would we involve our children and young people?

What suggestions might you have about increasing our investment in

renewable energy, individually and as a community?

Are you interested in joining this effort?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead?

Sign here:

Education and Formation in small groups

Where two or three or more gather in Christ’s name we experience the Spirit moving and speaking through us.

We are all called to deeper and wider community. When we listen, learn, study, and share our live-giving experiences , we encourage and support the on-going conversion of our lives and strengthen the bonds of love.

Over the course of this jubilee year, imagine our parish commissioning small groups to gather and study Laudato Si’ and share ideas, inspiration and implications for our lives. Imagine the experience of the listening session translated into a format focused on how we heed the cry of Creation and the cries of those who are poor.

What would it mean for St. William to commission a new small group

formation initiative?

What resources might we need to support these small faith-sharing

groups?

How would we involve our children and young people?

What suggestions might you have about starting or supporting faith

sharing groups?

Are you interested in joining a Laudato Si’ group?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead in organizing this

initiative?

Sign here:

Practicing Sabbath Simplicity

Making time to slow down, rest and restore, opens space for contemplation and community, and gives the planet a break

Sabbath is written into the heart of our justice tradition. Time and presence are golden gifts, given to enjoy and share. Embracing the invitation to Gospel simplicity begins with slowing down. Deliberately reclaiming Sabbath practices, as individuals, families, and communities directly empowers us to counter the ‘rapidification’ of life. Imagine a parish community that encourages and offers reminders, suggestions, and resources that encourage time for rest, prayer, and family life. Imagine creating spiritual resources and opportunities that invite members of our community to reconnect with Nature, in order to savor and share the delights of living.

What would it mean for St. William to embrace Sabbath wholeheartedly

as a community?

Who might we consult to offer spiritual resources and suggestions for

living Sabbath (other communities, retreat and spiritual leaders…)?

How would we involve our children and young people?

What suggestions might you have about bringing Sabbath practices into

our personal and communal lives?

Are you interested in joining this effort?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead?

Sign here:

Participating in Environmental Advocacy

Best Local/State/National Laws and Regulations Protect the Commons for All

Providing a safe and healthy future environment for our children is a Public Trust Does “future anxiety” affect our or our children’s emotional health? Could we be better informed about environmental issues?

Could we be better informed about national or state environmental legislative activity?

Would increased collaboration with existing environmental groups help us be better advocates for environmental justice?

How could we learn more about environmental conditions in our parish neighborhood?

How could we involve our children and young people?

What suggestions do you have for moving forward on environmental advocacy?

Are you interested in joining this effort?

Sign here:

Are you willing to take the lead?

Sign here:

What else can you imagine?

What other ideas or compelling initiatives directly linked to the message and implications of Laudato Si’ can you offer this community?

Please include your name with your suggestion.