Pope Francis designated May 24, 2020 through May 24, 2021 as Laudato Sí Year to commemorate the fifth anniversary of his landmark encyclical on the care for our common home. The following is an excerpt from Laudato Sí and a reflection provided by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia.
Pope Francis’s Laudato Sí #58: In some countries, there are positive examples of environmental improvement: rivers, polluted for decades, have been cleaned up; native woodlands have been restored; landscapes have been beautified thanks to environmental renewal projects; advances have been made in the production of non-polluting energy and in the improvement of public transportation. These achievements do not solve global problems, but they do show that men and women are still capable of intervening positively. For all our limitations, gestures of generosity, solidarity and care cannot but well up within us, since we were made for love.
Reflection: What examples of environmental improvement can you name happening in our state? Your city? Your home? Have you ever thought about these efforts as expressions of love?