May 24–31, 2025, marks the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, the landmark encyclical by the late Pope Francis that continues to stir hearts and inspire change around the world. First released on May 24, 2015, this prophetic letter invites all of us, no matter where we come from, to listen deeply to “the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.”
At its heart, Laudato Si’ reminds us of a simple yet profound truth: everything is interconnected. Pope Francis draws from Scripture to show us that our relationship with God, with one another, and with the Earth are all intimately woven together. When one of these relationships is neglected, all are affected. But when we nurture them, healing begins.
Here at the FCJ Centre, the spirit of Laudato Si’ has been quietly and steadily shaping our journey. Over the past years, the FCJ Sisters and our Centre staff have been prayerfully discerning how we can embody this call on ecological and social transformation in our life and ministry. Through prayerful discernment, a Laudato Si’ Committee was formed four years ago, bringing hearts and hands together to explore how our Centre can become greener, deepen its commitment to caring for creation, and share the spirit of this beautiful encyclical with our community.
We’ve made small but meaningful changes around the Centre:
-
Switching to LED lighting
-
Installing motion-sensor lights in hallways and common areas
-
Adding clearer recycling and composting options
-
Choosing eco-friendly cleaning products
-
Saying “no” to small plastic water bottles
-
And finding creative ways to use what we already have
But more than that, we’ve begun offering programs that invite people into a deeper spiritual relationship with creation:
🌿 Earth Day gatherings centered on the Ecological Examen
🌿 The Yvonne Prowse Retreat on Creation’s Wisdom, with a public lecture and 3-day retreat
🌿 Community nature walks, film showings of The Letter, and a growing community garden space
🌿 We’ve created a dedicated Laudato Si' page on our website to share our ongoing commitment to care for our common home.
These efforts reflect our desire to live out the wisdom of Laudato Si’ not just in what we do, but in who we are as a Centre rooted in faith, hospitality, and hope. We are reminded that the Earth is not just something we care for, it is something that cares for us. It teaches us, reveals God’s love to us, and invites us to slow down, to see with new eyes, and to act with courage and compassion.
As we look to the future, may we continue walking gently on this sacred path, reading the Book of Nature with reverence, and listening for how God speaks through the wind, the trees, the waters, and the soil beneath our feet.
To learn more about Laudato Si, visit https://laudatosimovement.org/ or to get involved, please contact Whitney Nagasan at director@fcjcentre.ca
Read the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si'
of the Holy Father Francis on
Care for Our Common Home
To learn more about Laudato Si or to get involved, please contact
Whitney Nagasan at director@fcjcentre.ca
A Journey of Creation, Faith, and Fun!
From August 27-29, 2024, the FCJ Christian Life Centre hosted its Vacation Bible School (VBS) for children aged 7-11. The three-day program, called ELEMENTAL, aimed to foster appreciation for God’s creation while learning to love God the Creator and following the way of Jesus. The children were also encouraged to recognize how their choices and actions impact the natural world. These moments served as an opportunity for the children to reflect on their role as stewards of the earth, bring it back to God’s loving creation.
Community Garden End-of-Season Potluck: A Night of Reflection and Celebration
Last Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, members of the FCJ Community Garden gathered for an end-of-season potluck at the FCJ Retreat and Conference Centre garden led by Associate Director, Rita Khanchat, to celebrate their shared efforts and reflect on the season. Around six community gardeners, together with their family and friends, came together to share a warm evening of food, conversation, and camaraderie, gathered around the garden’s fire pit. Sr. Terry Smith, fcJ led the evening with a prayer of gratitude for creation, uniting participants of various faiths in a moment of shared reverence.
FCJ Centre's Second Screening of 'The Letter, A Message for our Earth'
On the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, October 4, 2023, the FCJ Centre hosted the second screening of the thought-provoking movie entitled "The Letter: A Message for our Earth."
The event aimed to shed light on the growing normalization of climate change and its global impact. This is also a fitting culmination of the Season of Creation for the FCJ Centre.
FCJ Centre Geraniums Return
The signs of spring are back at the FCJ Centre as the familiar red and pink blooms of the FCJ Centre Geraniums have made their way home to the gardens of the FCJ Centre.
Starting in 2015, Sr. Madeleine Gregg, FCJ, began to dig up the annual plants to bring inside the FCJ Centre to keep them alive for the following planting year. Over the next few years, she endeavoured to grow the number of plants while caring for them both inside and out. During that time, she also split them, in time more than triple the number of plants she started with.
Caring for Our Planet
Over the past several months, the FCJ Sisters and FCJ Centre staff have been exploring ways to bring Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si, to life in the FCJ Centre and our programming. As part of this effort, a Laudato Si Committee has been established to examine various ways of greening our building and researching possible programs to promote this cause.
Earth Day Awakening 2024
“Our generation has bequeathed much wealth, but we have failed to protect the planet and we are not safeguarding peace. We are called to become artisans and guardians of our common home, the Earth which is “falling into ruin”. -Pope Francis message on Earth Day
In response to the call of becoming a steward of our common home, the FCJ Christian Life Centre held its Earth Day celebration last April 26, 2024 to raise awareness of the climate crisis.
Spring Clean Up 2024
Last April 20th, the FCJ Christian Life Centre hosted a successful spring clean-up event. A group comprising staff, FCJ sisters, and volunteers of all ages gathered under the warm sun to kick off the spring cleaning of the Centre, preparing the grounds for the May flower planting.
Experiencing Creation’s Wisdom: A Public Lecture and 3-day retreat
On Saturday August 17, the FCJ Christian Life Centre hosted a public lecture by Yvonne Prowse entitled ‘Experiencing Creation’s Wisdom’. This was followed by a silent 3-day retreat with the same theme. As the title suggests we were led through an experience of encounter with creation. Yvonne Prowse is an experienced retreat leader and currently the Director of Loretto Maryholme, a spirituality centre in Ontario.