Our Marianist universities have joined the growing list of 45+ Catholic universities in the United States and over 130 total worldwide that have committed to responding, institutionally and collaboratively, to Pope Francis' invitation to a 7-Year Journey Towards Integral Ecology facilitated through the work of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Laudato Sí Action Platform, and the Global Compact on Education. The Presidents of Chaminade University, St. Mary’s University, and the University of Dayton reiterated this commitment to the office of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities during their annual meeting on February 4 - 7, 2022 in Washington, D.C.
Chaminade University hosted a Laudato Si’ event on April 18, 2022, titled, “Climate Change: A Vision for Success” in collaboration with the UNITAR CIFAL Honolulu Center. The Hawaii Executive Collaborative facilitated a panel discussion and Q&A session about its Climate Coalition and how participants can create a collaborative vision toward making Hawaii a climate-resilient community. Chaminade University will continue to build upon its ongoing work on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by integrating the goals of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform.
St. Mary’s University hosted its central Laudato Si’ event on April 22, 2022, titled, “Gold and Blue, Go Green! Becoming a Laudato Si’ University – A Call to Action.” This was a student-led event wherein students, faculty, staff, and administrators engaged together in an appreciative inquiry discussion in the spirit of the Church’s synodal process. The President, alongside representatives of the Academic Senate, Sustainability Committee, and the Student Government Association, reiterated their commitment to the goals of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform.
The University of Dayton’s Laudato Si’ Action Team is facilitating a university-wide response to the seven goals of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. Sustainability experts at UD continue to serve on the International Universities Working Group of the Vatican’s Laudato Si’ Platform. also, students, staff, faculty, administrators, and sustainability-related organizations such as Hanley Sustainability Institute and our own Marianist Environmental Education Center continue to facilitate conversations and processes towards integrating the Laudato Si’ goals into the university’s Common Good Framework. During Earthweek, students facilitated an hourlong Stander Symposium session that engaged clubs and other campus organizations: UD Students Engaging the Laudato Si Action Platform: An Opportunity for Collaborative Impact
If you are interested in interacting with members at Marianist Universities who are working on Laudato Si’-related projects, please visit www.marianistencounters.org, become a site member, and then join the Marianist Universities Group. Your presence on this online platform, which will be formally launched in the Fall, will help us do this work in the Marianist spirit.