Loretto is embracing Laudato Si’ spirituality

In “Laudato Si’” Pope Francis urges upon us nothing less than an ecological conversion. Conversion connotes a life-changing spiritual, and resulting physical, transformation. It can be something familiar, like leaving all to follow a religious vocation, or welcoming a baby into a home and community. Like birthing, it can come through a measure of upheaval, but the point is the ecstasy.

The Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP) sets forth seven goals. The spirituality goal reads: “Ecological Spirituality springs from a profound ecological conversion and helps us to ‘discover God in all things,’ both in the beauty of creation and in the sighs of the sick and the groans of the afflicted, aware that the life of the spirit is not dissociated from worldly realities.”

Humankind did not weave the web of life, but is merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves.

Chief Seattle

Pope Francis invites us into a humility that recognizes our human community as young compared to the rest of creation. We were fashioned to receive the vast intelligence of the cosmos as a lived experience. Many Indigenous peoples today carry this wisdom. Our ancestors include forests, living soil and myriad natural beings, giving back as they receivein the reciprocal generosity that fosters the web of life. Laudato Si’ connects traditional Catholic teachings with this wisdom stream.

We offer spiritual nurture in the form of seasonal reconnections, as well as retreats that literally reground our souls.

Libby Comeaux CoL

Over the past 30 years the Loretto Community has centered our spirituality on gratitude for God’s unfolding Creation. If we can turn toward ecological conversion, we may find the ecstasy that was ours all along.

Loretto activities encouraging ecological conversion

Loretto Outreach sponsors study circles, the most recent using Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass” — an invitation to recover Earth-based wonder. Encouraging mutual relationship with the Earth community, we offer spiritual nurture in the form of seasonal reconnections, as well as retreats that literally reground our souls. We engage with students as they turn toward the current ecological reality and the resulting challenges we sadly must hand off to them. Regenerating the land has spread as spiritual practice throughout the Community, most notably at the Motherhouse Farm.

Please visit the Outreach page and fill in the contact form to learn about retreats, study groups and other offerings.

Create your own Laudato Si’ spirituality resources

Laudato Si’ Action Platform spirituality activities include: creation-based liturgical celebrations, ecological catechesis, retreats and formation programs.