Feb. 13 workshop studies ‘On Care for Our Common Home’

In his letter titled “On Care for Our Common Home” (or Laudato Si’), Pope Francis called on “every person living on this planet” to join in a dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet Earth.

The Sisters of St. Joseph are answering that call with a special daylong program Saturday, Feb. 13, and invite everyone interested in the dialogue to join them

The program will be at Manna House of Prayer, 323 E. Fifth St., Concordia. It begins at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude at 3:30 p.m. Registration is $45 and includes lunch. To register, call Manna House at 785/243-4428, email retreatcenter@mannahouse.org or go online to mannahouse.org and click on the “Considering Laudato Si” box.

In Laudato Si’, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Pope Francis calls the Church and the world to acknowledge the urgency of environmental challenges and to join him in embarking on a new path. This encyclical is written with both hope and resolve, looking to our common future with candor and humility.”

The Ecological Integrity Committee of the Concordia Sisters wants to bring that same candor and humility to the Feb. 13 program: “Pope Francis speaks eloquently and passionately about many issues and concerns facing us on planet Earth. What will we leave for the children of the future? What can we do to change things now? These questions will be our focus.”

The program will offer time for conversation, sharing and prayer based on the encyclical, which was published in June 2015.

The members of the Sisters of St. Joseph Ecological Integrity Committee are Sisters Pat Eichner, Janet Lander, Judy Stephens, Carolyn Teter, Carm Thibault and Beth Weddle.

To read the full encyclical (in English), CLICK HERE
For a reader’s guide to Laudato Si’, prepared and published by National Catholic Reporter, CLICK HERE.