SHU Becomes a Laudato Si’ University
SHU among over 100 Catholic colleges and universities to answer Pope’s environmental call
Sacred Heart University has joined other Catholic colleges as part of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform that was launched last year by Pope Francis to implement sustainability in various sectors of the Church, including schools. SHU President John J. Petillo recently signed and sent a commitment for the University to participate in the Pope’s “7-Year Journey Towards Integral Ecology.” The University will integrate the goals of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform announced by Pope Francis.
The seven goals of the Laudato Sí Action Platform are:
- Response to the cry of the poor
- Response to the cry of the earth
- Ecological economics
- Adoption of sustainable lifestyles
- Ecological education
- Ecological spirituality
- Community resilience and empowerment
A committee from across the University, consisting of students, faculty, staff and administration has been formed to work on these initiatives and has already proposed some action items, including a composting proposal for the dining halls, explanation of the University’s single-stream recycling, courses on sustainability and Laudato Si’ and more.
“This is an initiative that will encompass all areas of the campus community and will advance the mission and vision of the University that call for educating our students in mind, body and spirit as we prepare them to make a difference in the world and cultivating a campus community that is caring and creative,” Petillo says. “I am looking forward to students, faculty and staff, as well as members of our larger community, bringing their expertise and creativity to this critical enterprise.”
“I am really excited to be a part of this initiative. It is representative of Sacred Heart’s commitment to environmental and social justice and provides an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to come together to discuss concrete solutions to global problems,” adds Catholic Studies Professor Chelsea King, who is spearheading the Laudato Si’ initiative. “It’s my hope that this committee will help SHU align itself with the goals set forward by Laudato Si’ and will help us become a more sustainable campus for future generations to come.”