Author: stfranciskw

Laudato Si’ Environmental Action Plan

Published on by stfranciskw
laudato si’ environmental december 2021 newsletter

Pope Francis has launched a Laudato Si’ Environmental Platform, with 7 goals to address climate change, asking that parishes worldwide commit to making real, practical and meaningful changes over the next 7 years, hoping that we can become better stewards of the Earth.

We are pleased to announce that St. Francis of Assisi Parish has made a commitment to develop our own parish Laudato Si’ Environmental Action Plan, to help each of our families individually and the parish as a whole come to appreciate God’s Creation in a deeper way and to learn how to live as part of Creation.

1000 Parishioners of St. Francis
x 1000 Small Changes
= 1 Million Collective Differences!

We invite you to watch Pope Francis’ video encouraging people all over the world to make a commitment to living an Integral Ecology. Below the video is a summary of the Goals for our Laudato Si’ Environmental Action Plan. As our plan unfolds you can check back here for updates, and watch the parish bulletin for upcoming projects you can get involved in. If you have any ideas or questions please contact the Parish Office!

Click here to browse the Laudato Si’ Action Platform website

Meet the Team:

  • Chair: Clayton Klaver, retired WCDSB teacher and current nurturer of nature
  • Member: Wanda Cakebread, retired teacher/chaplain and person of hope
  • Members: Francis & Valerie, parents advocating at their children’s school
  • Member: Sandy Milne, ecumenical, interfaith and Faith Climate Justice liaison
  • Member: Elizabeth Sauer, professor and Development & Peace advocate
  • Staff Member: Alice Soeder, Admin Assistant and Apostle of the Resurrection

We would love to add more members to our team, if you would like to join us please contact the parish office at stfranciskitchener@hamiltondiocese.com or 519-745-7301.

Feast of St. Jerome

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To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Feast of St. Jerome event at St. Jerome’s University they are excited to welcome special guest speaker, The Honourable Graydon Nicholas, former Lt. Governor of New Brunswick, and current Endowed Chair of Native Studies at St. Thomas University, New Brunswick.

“I believe that Our Lord, Jesus, is providing Indigenous and non-Indigenous Catholics to a dialogue as a grace of understanding and healing the wounds of the past. This journey can only begin and continue as brothers and sisters if respect, love and enculturation is present,” stated Nicholas, adding, “what began in 1492, as evangelization, was wrong with misunderstanding, intolerance and too much pain. This was not evangelization at its proudest beginning. Jesus is a man of peace, love and acceptance. We can heal through prayer.”

They also look forward to presenting this year’s recipient of the Chancellor John R. Sweeney Award for Catholic Leadership, Steven Lubczuk. This event will be entirely virtual and tickets are broken down into one attendee viewing ($125) or two attendees viewing with a celebratory harvest basket ($240). As always, proceeds from this event will go towards student scholarships. You can find more information and register here.