Laudato Seeds of Change: An Immersion Experience with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
As Pope Francis emphasizes in Laudato Si, our current ecological crisis is brought about by human action — by our own overconsumption and lack of consideration for the natural world. In the United States and other nations across the world, we need to fundamentally change how we live. This immersion experience will call participants to rediscover their place within the Community of Creation, divorcing themselves from an anthropocentric worldview and instead making a commitment to honor their own interconnectedness and interdependence with nature.
As Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, we live in hope for a brighter future — and that includes our advocacy for the community of creation. Through this program, we will foster opportunities for social action for a select group of fellows. All participants will commit to lifestyle change and spiritual renewal, discerning how to shift from an attitude of stewardship toward the earth to one of kinship with the planet.
Each morning, participants will work at Cuvilly Arts & Earth Center. Tasks may include organic farming, animal care, land restoration, and other activities, all focused on our interconnection with the natural world. Afternoons will include educational and spiritual direction opportunities. This program is rooted in a spirit of lifelong learning for all participants. As a group of laywomen and vowed religious, we will commit to learning together and sharing in the joy of creation. Please see below for a sample daily schedule.
This program is rooted in community and simple living. Participants will live communally in dorm-style postulant housing at the Spirituality Center and will have daily opportunities to connect with our Sisters and the charism. They will also have a chance to learn about our mission, history, and current commitments and actions for social and ecological justice, while helping us discern how to continue our work in building community with creation.
Duration: 2 weeks (14 days)
Location: Notre Dame Spirituality Center – Ipswich, Massachusetts
Dates: June 21 – July 5, 2026
Capacity: Max 7 women
Deadline to apply: Priority deadline is February 28, 2026. The final deadline for consideration is April 30, 2026.
Cost: Free. However, please note that all participants will be expected to provide their own transportation to the Boston area. We can assist by arranging transportation from Logan Airport to Ipswich.
Core Objectives
- To deepen understanding of Laudato Si’ through meaningful engagement with the natural world
- To foster ecological conversion through immersive experiences, rooted in hope.
- To build intentional community through shared prayer, service, and reflection – all rooted in a deeper eco-spirituality that calls for a renewed relationship with Creation
- To provide opportunities for discernment, both in personal vocation and our commitment to the natural world. All participants will leave this experience with a fundamental conversion and reorientation to the Community of Creation
- To equip participants with practical tools for environmental advocacy and sustainability, weaving our lives into the community of creation.
Housing and Facilities
Participants will be provided with dormitory-style housing in the Postulant Wing of the Notre Dame Spirituality Center in Ipswich, Massachusetts. One of the expectations of this program is a commitment to “simple living.” We expect that participants will collaboratively cook some of their own meals, sharing time and communal resources. Participants will have access to a small kitchen area near the postulant rooms. Additionally, they will have access to communal bathrooms and gathering spaces in this area of the Spirituality Center.
Participants will also have access to the outdoor spaces and the chapel at the Spirituality Center, offering many opportunities for individual and communal prayer and reflection.
Because of the nature of the space and shared bathrooms, this program will be open to women who are interested in deepening their spirituality through a nature-based program, and who are comfortable with both a very physical daily program and community living.
Please note that all participants will be expected to provide their own transportation to the Boston area. We can assist by arranging transportation from Logan Airport to Ipswich.
Daily Schedule Overview
This program is rooted in community. Participants will live communally in dorm-style postulant housing at the Spirituality Center. They will also have an opportunity to engage with Sisters in the Ipswich community, learning about their mission, history, and current commitments and actions for social and ecological justice.
The following is a tentative outline for the weekdays:
8:00 a.m. Breakfast/Morning Prayer
9:00 a.m. Work at Cuvilly Arts & Earth Center (organic farming, caring for animals, land restoration, etc.
1:00 p.m. Lunch
2:00 p.m. Educational Opportunity (might include classes or presentations on marshland/forest ecosystems, Laudato Si, environmental sustainability, permaculture, etc., from both Sisters and outside organizations)
4:00 p.m. Free time, work time, opportunities for spiritual direction
6:00 p.m. Communal dinner
7:00 p.m. Optional formation and prayer activities (might include discussions on discernment, prayer opportunities, gatherings with Sisters, community nights or any other ideas that arise from the group)
Weekends will include more community gathering opportunities, such as trips to local historic sites connected to care for creation, presentations from local conservation groups, and social outings. Each day will provide additional opportunities to interact with the Sisters in Ipswich. Sisters will be invited to attend community events and/or provide spiritual direction so that all participants can see our charism in action.
Laudato Seeds of Change 2026 Application 
Application Timeline:
- April 30, 2026 is Final Application Deadline.
- After you complete this form, we’ll contact you to send you the next steps, which will include:
- March-April 2026: Interview and discernment process.
- By mid-May: Accepted and participating applications will sign a letter of intent.
- June 21, 2026: Arrival at the Notre Dame Spirituality Center in Ipswich, Massachusetts
If you have any questions throughout the application process, please reach out to Sabrina Harper at sharper@ewsndden.org or 650-286-4177.
Also, for your consideration: