Ecological Conversion and the Commitment to Laudato Si’

By Sister Mary Alice McCabe, SNDdeN

"Creation is not an option. It is essential to a Gospel life lived as a Cristian"

Laudato Si', 217

Two years ago on Earth Day, April 22, 2022, we, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur U.S. East-West Province, signed on to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform , officially declaring that we are committed to working with others across the world to address the threat that climate change poses to Mother Earth, to all created beings and to life itself. We said that we hear the cries of Mother Earth and our sisters and brothers impacted by irresponsible human activity driven by systemic greed. The Sisters’ plan of action in response to Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ focuses on Education, Land and Lifestyle.

Education: We have broadly shared our commitment to the urgent message of Laudato Si’ and educated the Province through various communication tools, including newsletters, the Notre Dame Virtual School and province-wide meetings. We have brought Pope Francis’ message to our communities, ministries, schools and parishes. We have expressly made Laudato Si’ and Laudate Deum part of the third Hallmark of our Notre Dame de Namur Learning Communities and have strongly encouraged that ecological justice studies be a priority.

Land: We are reviewing our history and association with the land’s natural features under our stewardship and are studying ways to ensure we will leave these lands in perpetuity for future generations.

Lifestyle: We challenge one another to make fundamental changes, including recycling, composting, avoiding products sold in plastic, shopping with reusable bags and conserving water, electricity, paper and gasoline by car-pooling. And we are planting vegetable gardens and replacing some lawns with pollinator gardens.

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The Call for Ecological Conversion

We must always ask ourselves: Are we doing enough? The words of two prophetic voices calling for ecological conversion: Pope Francis and theologian Sister Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ, might help us answer the question.

Pope Francis recognized that after nine years, his Laudato Si’ message still had not reached the consciousness of most humans. That’s why he wrote his second urgent call, Laudate Deum in October 2023.

In Laudato Si’, Francis first called us to an ecological conversion: The ecological crisis is a summons to profound interior conversion. To be protectors of God’s creation is not an option. It is essential to a Gospel life lived as a Christian. (LS 117)

In Laudate Deum, he repeats with even more urgency the need for change if we are to save Planet Earth:

There are no lasting changes without cultural changes, without the maturing of lifestyles; there are no cultural changes without personal changes. (LD 70)

Sister Johnson’s writing reminds us that ecological conversion can cause us to feel outrage and deep sadness as we witness corporate and political practices that devastate the earth and the lives of poor people. Ecological conversion needs to be practical. We need to consider the whole community of life as we decide how to spend money, what products and services to buy, how to heat homes, run businesses and vote.

“We know that greedy human action is causing the mind-boggling extinction of 23,000 species annually. We haven’t a minute to lose!” says Sister Johnson.

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An Ecological Conversion Lifestyle Checklist

• Has my lifestyle changed significantly, or do I live with the same consumer habits as I did five years ago?
• Have I accepted any self-imposed inconvenience that shows my commitment to change?
• Do I ask myself at the end of each day:
  • What did I do today to protect the earth?
  • What did I do today that added to the destruction of God’s creation?
• When I shop or think of shopping, do I ask myself: Do I need or want it?

Climate change represents a profound injustice. We are called to prophetically denounce it not by words but by action.

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