Teens examine papal encyclical on environment

The institute, funded by a grant from the Lilly endowment, encourages high school students to become interested in ministry as a profession, while addressing faith, creation and becoming leaders in environmental justice, said Diane Blair, manager of Student Services and Programs at Loyola Institute for Ministry, Loyola University New Orleans. This year’s theme was, “Responding to the Goodness of Creation.”
    

“Our approach to it is environmental justice,” Blair said. “We use things from (Pope Francis’ encyclical) “Laudato si.” 
    

Due to COVID-19, the residential program had to switch to an online learning experience to explore environmental justice. 
    

Instead of doing projects together throughout New Orleans, the teens met online – beginning at 9 a.m. with prayer – three times a day for 90-minute Zoom sessions followed by projects, small-group activities, movies, more prayer and reflection.

The sessions focused on their home environment with activities that included finding things that are easily discarded at home and creating a poster out of trash and treasures; the environment around them; the world environment; various talks on vocations and what they can do to help the environment individually and in the community.
    

They explored questions such as “What does faith require of us with regard to creation and environmental justice?”; “What is God’s will with and for us?”; “What am I called to create?”
 

Started a conversation
    

Emma Davis, a rising senior at St. Scholastica Academy, was a virtual FaithActs participant. Her mother, a Loyola New Orleans graduate, encouraged her to attend. When she looked into it, she became interested in its goals of teaching and enacting environmental justice as well as the three credit hours that were offered. 
    

When the COVID-19 crisis hit, she doubted that she would get to enjoy any planned summer activity – including FaithActs. So, she was elated when it was offered virtually. 
    

“At the beginning, I stumbled through the awkwardness of virtual interactions, but I still established relationships with others through small groups, pairs and the larger group,” Davis said. “I and many others most enjoyed the small group aspect, which could be a mutual-learning conversation about the environment or an area for fun and hilarity or sometimes even a mixture of both. From the desk in my bedroom, I met and connected with individuals state- and country-wide.”  
    

She said many accomplished speakers shared their insights and “inspired me to create change, and many activities deepened my connection to the natural world. I am taking away a more complex understanding of my faith and its implications of care for creation.” 
    

The experience helped her form a concrete plan to incite positive environmental change at St. Scholastica. She seeks to nearly eliminate plastic used at the coffee shop – the source of most plastic trashed and recycled on campus, Davis said. 
    

“I plan to get our environmental awareness club and campus ministry to assist me by washing and lending reusable cups while also reducing and recycling the materials of the drink preparation process,” she said. “Though this may seem small, reducing our plastic is one small step in the right direction. I am very grateful to all involved in creating this enriching experience of FaithActs, which will guide me in my efforts to create positive environmental change in my community.”
    

For details about the institute, visit https://www.loyno.edu/events/jun-17-2019_faithacts-summer-youth-theology-institute or contact Blair at [email protected] or (504) 865-3399.