As the world mourns Pope Francis, certainly one of his lasting legacies is the attention that he gave to ecological justice. Laudato Sí, the encyclical letter on care for our common home, by Pope Francis was released in 2015 but continues to provide an aspirational vision for ecological justice ten years later.  

Bill McKibben, a prominent environmental activist, has called Laudato Sí “the most important document yet of this millennium.” 

The interconnectedness of the human, social, economic, and environmental dimensions of the ecological crisis is a principal theme of Laudato Sí. Pope Francis writes, “a great cultural, spiritual, and educational challenge stands before us, and it will demand that we set out on the long path of renewal.” 

Interfaith America has supported initiatives on university campuses aimed at promoting awareness and understanding of the ecological crisis. 

One initiative was the creation of an Ojibwe medicine garden at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. Amy Bergstron, Ed.D., associate vice president of inclusive excellence, explained that the garden was part of an effort to acknowledge the history of the college’s land, preserve ancestral knowledge, and enhance community health. The garden was named “Minwedamoog Amoog Mawadishiwewaad” by elder and Ojibwe language teacher, Dawn LaPrairie, which is translated to “Where the Bees are Happy Visiting.”  

In addition to the garden project, the initiative at The College of St. Scholastica included the writing of a land acknowledgement. The campus was once home to the Dakota people, then the Gitchi Gammi Anishinaabeg (Lake Superior band Ojibwe).  

“We are all part of the web of life, and what we do to any part of it, all is affected.”

Sister Therese Spinler, O.S.B., a member of St. Scholastica Monastery, recalls the Ojibwe people who cared for the land and the words of Chief Seattle, leader of the Susquamish and Duwamish people, “we are all part of the web of life, and what we do to any part of it, all is affected.” The Ojibwe medicine garden is intended as a place of healing and welcome for Native American students, faculty and staff, and Indigenous neighbors.  

The initiative at The College of St. Scholastica emphasizes three E’s of sustainability: environment, economy, and equity. The goal is to promote good stewardship of the environment and resources to ensure the needs of future generations are met.  

Barbara McDonald, Ed.D., president of The College of St. Scholastica, connects the history of the land and environmental learning to the religious mission of the college. She said, “ecological justice and stewardship is a hallmark of our founding Sisters Benedictine charism and history, and a focus of our values and mission.” 

At Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, the Mission and Ministry Team in collaboration with the University’s Interfaith Coordinating Committee designed and created the Tolton Peace and Reconciliation Garden. The garden is named after the Reverend Augustus Tolton, the first Black Catholic priest in the United States.  

In the center of the garden stands a newly erected peace pole with the words “May there be peace on earth” in eight languages representing the diversity of the student population. One of the languages, Odawa, is the dialect spoken by the Native American community that once occupied the property on which Lewis University is currently located. 

“The Tolton Peace and Reconciliation Garden reflects the centrality of peace and justice to the Lasallian charism,” said Kurt Schackmuth, Ph.D., chief mission officer and vice president for student life at Lewis University. He added, “the garden is designed to provide our students with a beautiful, quiet, and prayerful space that allows them to learn about and reflect upon the meaningful legacy of Venerable Augustus Tolton.” 

Students at Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana, partnered with Progressive Community Church to support Faith Farms, an urban farm in Gary, Indiana, which provides fresh produce to hundreds of people in need. Students and faculty in the fields of science, education, and theology learned about initiatives in food justice, social justice, environmental sustainability, economic development, nutrition, and health equity in addition to participating in soil and water testing.  

Calumet College of St. Joseph is one of the most diverse universities in the United States and focuses on empowerment and opportunity, which is grounded in the Catholic tradition of social justice and the dignity of the human person. “As a farm girl from Indiana, where we grew much of our food, I never experienced food insecurity,” said Amy McCormack, Ed.D., president of Calumet College of St. Joseph. She continued, “Working with an organization that is trying to address food insecurity in our local area aligns with our mission. I know they are doing good work feeding the body and the soul.” 

The initiatives on university campuses supported by Interfaith America promote awareness and understanding of the ecological crisis through the lens of the school’s religious mission.  

In Laudato Sí, Pope Francis applauds the broadening of environmental education beyond scientific information alone to include other areas of justice and human dignity. Environmental education, according to Pope Francis, requires “educators capable of developing an ethics of ecology, and helping people, through effective pedagogy, to grow in solidarity, responsibility and compassionate care.” 

Michael Hahn, Ph.D. is the associate dean of the school of education at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.