ADSF Educators

Take a few minutes to reflect before starting your week.

What was a highlight from last week with our students? When did you see God at work? How can this week be joyful?

The Cardinal Virtue of Fortitude

Also known as: Courage

Enables one to endure difficulties for the sake of what is good.

Dear Jesus, alone I am weak, but with You I can do all things. Give me the grace to be strong against temptations and bold in proclaiming You and Your Church on earth.

Spring Catechetical Day Friday, April 19, 2024 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

The Department of Catholic Schools, in conjunction with the Office of Catholic Identity Assessment and Formation are excited to present our second Elementary Catechetical Day of the 2023/2024 school year. This is a mandatory session for all elementary classroom teachers.

The focus of our time together will be Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home and will be presented by Ryan Mayer. The objectives of our time together we will:

· To develop our understanding of how the Church teaches, especially through encyclical documents.

· To form our understanding of the general themes of the encyclical Laudato Si and, in particular, the uniqueness of the “Gospel of Creation.”

In addition to our catechetical session, I will also be introducing Chris Fisher who will be in attendance.

We will be meeting on Zoom. Schools should assemble in one space on campus and join Zoom from one computer. This will help facilitate conversation and reduce the number of Zoom participants. The link for the Zoom sessions is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9253240965

The 2-hour Catechetical Day will fulfill one of the following Recertification areas:

· Prayer & Liturgy

· Church

· Christology

·Click here to register via CRTIS

We look forward to sharing this time with you!

Laudato Si’ summary – What is Laudato Si’?

Laudato Si’ is an encyclical of Pope Francis published in May 2015. It focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader questions of the relationship between God, humans, and the Earth. The encyclical’s subtitle, “Care for Our Common Home,” reinforces these key themes.

An encyclical is a public letter from the Pope developing Catholic teaching on a topic often in light of current events. Laudato Si’ is addressed to “every living person on this planet” (LS 3). Hence, it is offered as part of an ongoing dialogue within the Catholic Church and between Catholics and the wider world.

What does Laudato Si’ mean?

The title of an encyclical is typically drawn from the first words of the document. That is, encyclicals do not receive a topical title, but are instead named by their opening phrase, often one suggestive of a major theme of the work.

The first words of Laudato Si’ are Italian and translate as “praise be to you.” They are part of a quotation from St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures” that opens the encyclical in which the saint praises God by meditating on the goodness of sun, wind, Earth, water, and other natural forces.

The choice of this passage to begin Laudato Si’ is a reminder of how people of faith should not only respect the Earth but also praise and honor God through their engagement with creation.

Laudato Si’ summary:

“Chapter One: What is Happening to Our Common Home” summarizes the scope of current problems related to the environment.

“Chapter Two: The Gospel of Creation” draws on the Bible as a source of insight. The natural world is further portrayed as a gift, a message, and a common inheritance of all people.

“Chapter Three: The Human Roots of the Ecological Crisis” expores social trends and ideologies that have caused environmental problems.

“Chapter Four: Integral Ecology” presents the encyclical’s main solution to ongoing social and environmental problems.

“Chapter Five: Lines of Approach and Action” applies the concept of integral ecology to political life.

“Chapter Six: Ecological Education and Spirituality” concludes the encyclical with applications to personal life. It calls for environmental education, joy in one’s surroundings, civic love, reception of the sacraments, and an “ecological conversion” in which an encounter with Jesus leads to deeper communion with God, other people, and the world of nature.

Full Article HERE

The 2024 Earth Day program focuses on the growing problem of plastic pollution and complements the secular Earth Day theme of “Planet vs. Plastics”. The one-hour program will help your community learn about how plastic production, consumption, and disposal are impacting human and planetary health, and give you strategies for personal, community, and systemic actions.

Celebrate the 54rd anniversary of Earth Day (April 22nd) and/or the 9th anniversary of Laudato Si' (Laudato Si' Week is May 19-26th, 2024), or at any time that fits your schedule.

1) Facilitator Program Guide (includes all links, directions, and scripts for your program facilitator/leader for both in-person and online events)

2) Participant Program Guide (full program for printing and online sharing)

3) Commitments Handout (Note: This is part of both the Facilitator Guide and Participant Program. However, we also provide it to you as a standalone document.)

4) Earth Day 2024 VIDEO: (also hyperlinked in the Facilitator Guide and Participant Program)
a) Watch directly on YouTube (you will need internet access)
b) Download video (to play video without internet connection)

5) Promoting Your Earth Day Event (includes information to promote your event, links to two editable flyers, and social media information)

"Laudato Si'," Pope Francis' encyclical on environmental stewardship and care for our common home Learning Intentions and Success Criteria.

Learning Intentions

We are learning about the main messages of Laudato Si', which emphasize the importance of caring for Earth because it is our common home.

Success Criteria

I will summarize the encyclical's main messages about caring for the Earth using four to six substantiated statements.

I will identify and list out key phrases or sentences used by Pope Francis that highlight the encyclical’s central theme.

I will explain in one paragraph why caring for the environment is important according to "Laudato Si'."

This week, learn something new about climate change and our call to action as Catholics. Resources such as Laudato Si’, Catholics Going Green, and Caring for Creation: Inspiring Words from Pope Francis speak to how caring for creation is integrally connected to our spirituality. Documentaries such as David Attenborough: A Life on our Planet can highlight and explain humanity’s impact on climate change while also bringing hope for future generations.

National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools